Dairy Cattle Welfare Flashcards
What is different about dairy cattle welfare compared to other production animals?
- Long living animal (spends years in production system, bigger repercussions if there are chronic conditions)
- Daily management (close proximity between humans and the dairy cows)
- Significant milk harvesting requires enough nutrients to reach that level of milk production (animals need to have access to these resources)
What is the dairy production cycle?
Calf to heifer to lactating cow to dry cow
(cows can transition from dry to lactating and from lactating to dry)
What is the trend in milk production over time?
Cows are producing 3% more milk every year
What is the trend in farm size over time?
Farm size is increasing.
What is essential to the dairy system.
Reproduction - pregnancy is required for the dairy system.
What is the trend in licensed dairy herds over time?
Decreasing.
How long is the cow lactation period?
305 days.
How long is the pregnancy length of cows?
283 days for most breeds.
How many lactations occur per year?
1 if pregnant by the right days.
What are the types of calf housing?
- Group housing
- Individual housing
What are the pros and cons of group housing for calves?
Pros: Space, social interactions, less labour.
Cons: Cross-sucking, disease.
What are the pros and cons of individual housing for calves?
Pros: No feed competition, less disease transmission.
Cons: No social interactions, more labour required.
What are the types of heifer housing?
- Super hutch
- Grazing
- Barns
What impacts the choice of management systems?
- Geography
- Existing facilities
- Economics
- Personal preference
What are the types of management systems?
Confinement and non-confinement.
What is included in confinement management systems?
- Tie stalls
- Stanchions
- Free stalls
- Bedded packs / loafing
- Compost bedded pack
What is included in non-confinement management systems?
- Pasture
- Intensive grazing
- Dry lots
How are most cows housed globally?
On pasture
What are the most prevalent welfare issues in the biological functioning sphere for dairy cattle?
- Lameness
- Mastitis
- Metabolic diseases
- Heifer rate of development
- Neonate care
- Calf morbidity and mortality
In the USA, how many calves are housed individually until weaning?
85.3%
What is a natural living problem in dairy calves?
Social isolation
When is the maximum productivity for a lactating cow?
Approx 90 days
With less cows, each cow’s welfare should theoretically…
Increase
What are the potential downsides to housing cows exclusively on pasture?
- Lameness walking to and from the milking barn
- Access to nutrition may be decreased
- Heat stress
- Elements
What is the most common type of operation for dry or lactating cows?
Tie stall or stanchion
What is the median level of lameness prevalence around the world?
22%
What are the challenges for dairy cow selection?
- Dairy cows are selected for their milk, not their health so they are typically weaker
- They are also not selected for their mothering ability
What is a potential strategy to balance natural living and the environment?
Feeding seaweed to reduce methane production
Are there such thing as naturally living cows?
No, but there are some feral populations that they can be compared to
Isolation in early life leads to…
caution
What are the effects of social rearing on cognition?
- Grow better
- Learn differently
Describe discrimination learning.
In the initial discrimination stage, the cow will be shown a positive and a negative image/video which indicates whether they can approach for milk. If they approach during the negative image, they will be punished. They will then learn when they can approach and when they shouldn’t.
What happens in reversal learning?
The positive and negative image are switched.
What can reversal learning indicate?
Adaptability and flexibility
How long is the isolation time for calves typically?
60-70 days.
What is the difference between isolated and social housing for calves when faced with reversal learning? What does that suggest?
Socially housed calves are better at reversal learning.
Suggests isolated calves are not as adaptable as socially raised cows.
What is cow’s preference for pasture access?
Cows choose to sleep in stalls due to protection from sun, familiarity, safety.
What is the public perception on cow housing?
- The public views pasture as important for animal welfare
- Emphasis on access to natural elements and space to roam around
What are possible barriers to pasture access?
- Not enough land
- Pasture not close to farm
- Competition with crops
- Not feasible in all seasons
What is pasture use in the summer?
Indoor during day to stay out of sun?
What is pasture use in the winter?
Cows choose not to go to pasture much (cold and soggy)
Natural living encompasses…
- Fulfilling an animal’s nature
- An environment appropriate to an animal’s natural history, niche, and biology
What should be considered when fulfilling an animal’s “nature”?
- Motivated and instinctual behaviours
- Appropriate social environment
What is the major contentious issue in dairy production?
Painful procedures
What are painful procedures in dairy cattle?
- Disbudding/dehorning
- Tail docking
What are the 3 types of contentious issues in dairy production?
- Painful procedures
- Cow-calf separation
- Access to pasture
