Welfare of cattle

Question 1

Steps of two step weaning

Answer 1

1. suckling prevented for 4 days while pairs still together
2. cow and calf separated

Question 2

What are calf’s needs?

Answer 2

Find and suck a teat
Ingest sufficient nutrients, including iron and roughage
Adopt a rest posture, rest, and sleep
Explore, exercise, show escape responses
Groom whole body, interact socially

Most of these not met in veal rearing

Question 3

What is the legislation surrounding housing calves

Answer 3

No calf in individual pen after 8 weeks

Pen wider than height of withers of standing calf and longer than 1.1x length

Pen must not have solid walls

Groups need 1.5m2 per calf 220kg

Must not be kept in darkness

Must not be tethered

Question 4

What should a calfs blood Hb be

Answer 4

> 4.5mmol/l

Question 5

Incidence of leg and foot problems in UK dairy cows

Answer 5

35-39 cases per 100 cows per annum

Question 6

Incidence of mastitis in UK dairy cows

Answer 6

40 cases per 100 cows per annum

Question 7

What % of culled cows are culled due to failure to conceive

Answer 7

36.5%

Question 8

When was hot iron branding banned in UK

Answer 8

1982

Question 9

Factors associated with increased environmental mastitis

Answer 9

Increased use of cubicles

Poorly managed cubicles

Badly soiled cubicle beds

Poorly designed leading to diagonal lying and passage lying (udder contamination)

Question 10

Factors increasing the incidence of lameness

Answer 10

Housing hygiene - slurry removal
(Digi associated with Treponema bacteria is highly associated with standing in slurry for porlonged times)

Poorly managed straw yards (low quality straw causing damage to skin between claws)

Stony paths and gateways