Species : Cows

Novel enrichment reduces boredom-associated behaviors in housed dairy cows

Alison L. Russell, Laura V. Randall, Nikki Eyre, Jasmeet Kaler, Martin J. Green

Published in 2024

Study showing that enrichment of the environment with a novel object reduces non-activity and milking refusals while increasing self-groomimg in dairy cows, indicating that such enrichments can alleviate boredom.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Bovines

Keywords:Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Adaptation of the environment to the animal, Enrichment, Welfare indicators, Lactation, Housing, Behavioural disorders

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Consumers' willingness-to-pay for dairy and plant-based milk alternatives towards sustainable dairy: A scoping review

Pamela Madududu, Damien Jourdain, Duc Tran, Margo Degieter, Selma Karuaihe, Herbert Ntuli, Hans De Steur

Published in 2024

Study showing that consumers' willingness to pay for alternatives to dairy products varies according to region and socio-economic factors. It calls for global multilevel strategies to be developed for sustainable dairy production.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Bovines

Key word:Education, Environment, Lactation, Societal issues, livestock farming systemProcessing

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Heat stress measuring methods in dairy cows

Alessandra Aloia, Aristide Maggiolino, Lucrezia Forte, Pasquale De Palo

Published in 2024

Study exploring predictors other  than the temperature-humidity index (THI) to assess heat stress in cattle. Other early predictors use non-invasive, animal-based strategies, thanks to precision breeding technologies.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Bovines

Keywords:Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Animal-based measurements, Precision farming, Welfare indicators, Lactation, Living environment, Robustness, Stress

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A Review of the Effects of Stress on Dairy Cattle Behaviour

Viktor Jurkovich, Péter Hejel, Levente Kovács

Published in 2024

Scientific review article describing how stress factors (pain, illness, discomfort, etc.) modify the behavior of dairy cows, influencing their feeding habits, social interactions and general welfare. The study explores the effectiveness of the various coping mechanisms used by cows to alleviate stress (physiological adaptations and behavioral responses).

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Bovines

Keywords:Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Pain, Welfare indicators, Lactation, Restraint equipment, Resilience, Robustness, Stress, Behavioural disorders

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Animal-based welfare indicators for dairy cows and their validity and practicality: a systematic review of the existing literature

Jenny Linstädt, Christa Thöne-Reineke, Roswitha Merle Roswitha Merle

Published in 2024

Systematic literature review to assess the validity of current animal welfare indicators used for dairy cattle. It highlights correlations between welfare measurements, farm characteristics, and indicators. It compares the effectiveness and practicality of the Welfare Quality and Danish Cattle Federation protocols, and recommends the use of easily measurable indicators such as body condition score, lameness, foot health, cleanliness and somatic cell count.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Bovines

Keywords: Animal-based measurements, Welfare indicators

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Understanding dairy farmers' trade-offs between environmental, social and economic sustainability attributes in feeding systems: The role of farmers' identities

Oyakhilomen Oyinbo, Helena Hansson

Published in 2024

Sociological survey of dairy farmers highlighting the trade-offs they face in adopting sustainable production practices. Farmers concerned about the impact of their feeding systems on the environment and society are motivated above all by their pro-environmental and pro-social identities. The strengthening of identity could be part of a political argument to encourage the adoption of grassland systems.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Bovines

Keywords:Biodiversity, Environment, Lactation, Living environment, One Welfare, Pollution, Societal issues, livestock farming system

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Music enrichment improves the behavior and leukocyte profile of dairy cattle

Esmeralda G. Contreras-Torres, Juan F. Hernández-Chavez, Carlos A. Díaz-Quiroz, Ramón Molina-Barrios, Paulina Arrayales Millán, Ruth G. Ulloa-Mercado

Published in 2024

Scientific article showing the positive effect of music on cows' willingness to enter the milking parlour and on their blood leukocyte profile.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Bovines

Keywords: Animal-based measurements,Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Enrichment, Lactation, Housing

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The meaning of animal well-being for farmers and dairy farm employees

Axelsson L., Arvidsson-Segerkvist K., Pálsdóttir A. M., Ljung M.

Published in 2024

Report on a survey of Swedish dairy farmers and their employees to understand their perceptions of animal welfare from their respective perspectives and needs.

Document Types: Technical review

Animal categories: Bovines

Keywords: One Welfare,Societal issues

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Audit report: Evaluate the effectiveness of official controls to protect the welfare of cattle kept for beef production in France

Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety, European Commission

Published in 2024

Audit report assessing the effectiveness of official controls to protect the welfare of cattle in France. While the audit concludes overall that the system of animal welfare controls on cattle farms features competent staff, appropriate guidance and coordination, and effective implementation of comprehensive inspections, the implementation of risk-based planning is inadequate in some departmental directorates, as it fails to take account of relevant factors such as activities carried out by operators (dehorning, tethering). The absence of verification procedures prevents authorities from being able to demonstrate that controls are achieving their objectives. The report contains recommendations for the competent authorities.

Document types: Regulation/Certification

Animal categories: Bovines

Keywords:Adaptation of the environment to the animal, Education, Restraint equipment, Mutilation, Livestock farming system

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Loss of a grooming enrichment impacts physical, behavioural, and physiological measures of welfare in grazing beef cattle

Emily J. Dickson, Jessica E. Monk, Caroline Lee, Paul G. McDonald, Edward Narayan, Dana L. M. Campbell

Published in 2024

Scientific article showing that the loss of an enrichment element (grooming brush) to which grazing cattle are accustomed can adversely affect welfare, measured here by indicators of cleanliness, growth and fecal cortisol.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Bovines

Keywords:Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Enrichment, Welfare indicators, Living environment, Behavioural disorders

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