Advances in Cattle Welfare

Cassandra Tucker

• Publisher: Woodhead Publishing
• Year: 2017
• Print ISBN:
  9780081009383
• eBook ISBN:
  9780081022764
• Topic: Technology & Engineering
• Subtopic: Zoology
• Index: Technology & Engineering

Advances in Cattle Welfare provides a targeted overview of contemporary issues in dairy and beef cattle welfare. The volume addresses welfare-related topics in both research and on-farm applications. Opening with an introduction to cattle production systems, the book covers the three major areas of cattle welfare; on-farm welfare assessment, behavioral priorities of cattle and novel perspectives on specific aspects of management. Chapters examine the key issues within each area, including such topics as the goals and measures included in welfare assessments, the importance to cattle of access to pasture and engaging in social behavior, human-animal interactions, painful procedures, and disease and metabolic challenge. This book is an essential part of the wider ranging series Advances in Farm Animal Welfare, with coverage of cattle, sheep and pigs. With its expert editor and international team of contributors, Advances in Cattle Welfare is a key reference tool for welfare research scientists and students, veterinarians involved in welfare assessment, and indeed anyone with a professional interest in the welfare of cattle. - Brings together top researchers in the field to provide a comprehensive overview of recent advances in the understanding of cattle welfare and management - Analyzes welfare issues for both dairy and beef cattle of all ages - Examines the issues from the perspective of what will be most important for the animal's overall welfare, from housing systems to feeding

1

Overview of cattle production systems

Marcia I. Endres¹ and Karen Schwartzkopf-Genswein², ¹University of Minnesota, St Paul, MN, United States, ²Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lethbridge, AB, Canada

Abstract

This chapter provides a general, brief description of the production systems for dairy and beef cattle at various ages, from calf to adult. In addition, the chapter introduces key welfare issues related to cattle production systems.

Keywords

Dairy cattle; beef cattle; housing; management

1.1 Introduction

This chapter provides a general, brief description of the production systems for dairy and beef cattle at various ages, from calf to adult. In addition, the chapter introduces key welfare issues related to cattle production systems (Table 1.1).

Table 1.1

Key animal welfare concerns and whether they apply to dairy and/or beef cattle

Animal welfare concern	Dairy	Beef
Painful procedures (e.g., castration, dehorning, branding)	x	x
Transition health disorders (late gestation to early lactation)	x
Transition health disorders (backgrounding to feedlot)		x
Other health issues (i.e. lameness, respiratory disease, mastitis, dystocia)	x	x
Dry-off practices	x
Exposure to weather	x	x
Animal handling, human–animal interactions	x	x
Improper euthanasia, including method and timeliness	x	x
Nonambulatory animal handling	x	x
Transportation and slaughter	x	x
Extreme confinement, such as tie stall or small crates	x
Inability to graze	x	x
Social isolation	x
Weaning or separation from the dam	x	x
Injury	x
Concerns about the quality and quantity of water or feed	x	x

1.2 Dairy cattle production systems

Dairy cattle are raised in confinement, semi-confinement, pasture-intensive or extensive housing conditions. Most dairy cattle in North America and Europe are in confinement freestall, tie-stall, dry lot or bedded pack systems with a smaller percentage on pasture. In other areas of the world such as South America, New Zealand, Australia and India for example, extensive, pasture-intensive or semi-confinement systems are more common than confinement systems. The size of these operations varies widely among geographic regions and housing type. Some farms may only have a few individual cows, while others will have thousands.

Cows are usually bred at 12–16 months of age, calve at about 24 months of age, milk for an average 305-day lactation until we dry them off (for a period of 50–60 days). Then the cycle is repeated. Lifespan varies with housing systems, and usually cows in confinement are replaced with younger cows (first lactation heifers) on average after approximately two lactations.

In all dairy systems, there are several health issues that are relatively common such as mastitis, lameness, dystocia and metabolic disorders such as ketosis or hypocalcemia. In addition, common injuries in adult cattle are on the legs: hock injuries on the hind legs and swollen knees. The most critical time for the dairy cow is when she transitions from gestation to early lactation, or the ‘transition period’. There is greater mortality and morbidity during the transition period than later in lactation and many cows may be culled from the herd at this time. Common causes for mortality and culling in dairy herds include injury, toxic mastitis, severe lameness, reproductive failure and metabolic disorders.

1.2.1 Confinement housing for adult dairy animals

Cows in confinement systems in general produce more milk than cows on pasture because they are fed a mixed ration balanced for more production per cow. The amount of milk produced per cow varies widely, but averages 7000–14,000 kg of milk per cow per lactation (305 days). They are usually milked two to three times per day and the method of milking depends on the housing type.

Tie-stall systems (Fig. 1.1) are still used in many countries to house lactating cows. In this system, cows are tethered to an individual stall and fed and usually milked in place; cows often have no or limited outdoor access during at least part of the year. Water is offered to each cow most commonly in individual water bowls placed in front of each stall. On some farms, a cow trainer, or an electrified rail above the cows, is used to make cows step back when they arch their back to urinate or defecate, such that the waste lands in the alleyway. Cows may be fed a mixed ration that includes forages and concentrates, or component feeding can be used where cows are fed forages (such as hay and silage) and concentrates separately. In that case, the producer usually delivers some forage in front of the cows first and then later top-dresses with concentrates. Concentrates include grains, protein, vitamins and minerals. Popescu (2013) summarized that 75% of Swedish, 88% of Norwegian, and one-third of German cows were housed in tie-stall systems, often without access to pasture. In the USA, 39% of dairy operations had tie-stalls or stanchions as primary housing type for lactating cows (USDA, 2016). Tie-stall housing limits animal social interaction and movement, including walking, grooming, and grazing. Some farms provide an exercise area where cows can spend portions of a day untethered and socializing.

Figure 1.1 An example of a tie-stall housing system where cows are tethered to a stall. Source: Photo courtesy of Marcia Endres, University of Minnesota, USA.

Freestall systems (Fig. 1.2) allow cows more freedom of movement within the pen compared to tie stalls. As the name implies, cows can move from stall to stall at will and are not tethered. They are taken to a milking parlor two or three times a day.

Figure 1.2 Cows housed in head-to-head freestalls with deep-bedded sand. Source: Photo courtesy of Dr Marcia Endres, University of Minnesota, USA.

Milking parlors can be of various types such as low-cost step-up (Fig. 1.3), herringbone, parallel (Fig. 1.4) or rotary (Fig. 1.5). In front of the milking parlor there is a holding area where cows wait until they can enter the parlor. All cows within each pen or group are usually brought to the parlor together, therefore holding areas are designed to tightly fit the number of cows in the group. How cows are handled during this process of movement from the home pen to the milking parlor is an important consideration for animal welfare. Many farms include a crowd gate (Fig. 1.6) in the holding area to help move cows forward towards the milking parlor. The goal is to slowly reduce the size of the holding area and not use this gate inappropriately to push cows into the parlor, potentially causing cows to slip and fall or injure themselves. Cows can al...

Table of contents

• Cover image
• Title page
• Table of Contents
• Copyright
• List of Contributors
• Preface
• Introduction
• 1. Overview of cattle production systems
• 2. Assessment of cattle welfare: Common animal-based measures
• 3. Assessment of cattle welfare: approaches, goals, and next steps on farms
• 4. Human–animal interactions: Effects, challenges, and progress
• 5. Cattle priorities: Feed and water selection, ability to move freely and to access pasture
• 6. The role of social behavior in cattle welfare
• 7. Painful procedures: When and what should we be measuring in cattle?
• 8. Disease and injury: Beyond current thinking about top causes of cattle morbidity
• 9. Metabolic challenge: How does it affect welfare?
• Index