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Animals
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Ruminant Welfare Assessment
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Ruminant Welfare Assessment

A special issue of Animals (ISSN 2076-2615). This special issue belongs to the section "Animal Welfare".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 June 2024 | Viewed by 7727

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Marek Gaworski

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Production Management and Engineering, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, 02-787 Warsaw, Poland
Interests: animal behaviour; dairy equipment; dairy technology; progress; welfare

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues, 

The goal of this Special Issue is to identify the key factors in assessing the welfare of different groups of ruminants. This Special Issue is a forum for presenting the results of research covering a wide range of topics in ruminant welfare, in conjunction with its assessment indicators. Within the broad area of ruminant animal welfare assessment, groups of animals kept on farms perfectly fit and predominate. In relation to this group of animals, the following issues are raised:

  • Evaluation of the welfare of ruminants and their housing systems;
  • Assessing the welfare of ruminants and housing areas (feeding and watering area, lying/resting area, milking area, social area) in livestock housing;
  • Evaluation of ruminant welfare and environmental conditions (including livestock facility and paddock/pasture);
  • Evaluation of ruminant welfare and technical and technological progress in professional animal production.

Equally important are questions about tools for assessing the welfare of ruminants, including appropriate procedures/protocols, the effects of their implementation, limitations in practical use and opportunities for their further improvement resulting from the development of knowledge on welfare. A valuable contribution to the development and summary of knowledge about the welfare of ruminants is made by the previously known and new proposals for indicators of welfare assessment.

The subject formulated in this way is of interest to many research teams conducting research with ruminants. However, the subject of ruminant animal welfare assessment also includes studies with ruminants that live in the wild. This Special Issue of Animals aims to draw works from all these teams, providing a forum for interdisciplinary discussion on how to improve the assessment of ruminant welfare.

Dr. Marek Gaworski
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Animals is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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21 pages, 1501 KiB  
Article
Study of the Feasibility of Proposed Measures to Assess Animal Welfare for Zebu Beef Farms within Pasture-Based Systems under Tropical Conditions
by Marlyn H. Romero, Jhoan Barrero-Melendro and Jorge A. Sanchez
Animals 2023, 13(23), 3659; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13233659 - 27 Nov 2023
Viewed by 1425
Abstract
Pasture-based production systems are predominant in major beef-producing countries; however, these systems lack validated protocols to assess animal welfare under commercial conditions. The objective of this study was to test the feasibility of the proposed measures and methodology for the evaluation of animal [...] Read more.
Pasture-based production systems are predominant in major beef-producing countries; however, these systems lack validated protocols to assess animal welfare under commercial conditions. The objective of this study was to test the feasibility of the proposed measures and methodology for the evaluation of animal welfare in fattening cattle under pasture conditions. The initial methodology was developed with the participation of producers, professionals, the general public, and the Colombian health authority, through workshops with a participatory approach and collaborative knowledge management. The study was carried out in 24 pasture-based commercial Zebu cattle farms in the middle Magdalena region of Colombia. Visits were made with an average duration of 2.5 h, which included the evaluation of 788 fattening cattle. The methodology evaluated animal-based, resource-based, and management-based indicators through a questionnaire-guided interview to evaluate cattle handling and health, animal-based measurements, and documentation management. A protocol validation process was carried out by selecting indicators that remained unchanged, adjusting those that were feasible to implement, and removing inadequate indicators. The application of the methodology demonstrated that there are feasible measures to include in the evaluation protocols of pasture-based fattening systems. Likewise, the active participation of producers is crucial to achieving a greater commitment to the implementation of this methodology for the assessment of animal welfare in cattle under pasture conditions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ruminant Welfare Assessment)
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15 pages, 1898 KiB  
Article
Behavior of Cows in the Lying Area When the Exit Gates in the Pens Are Opened: How Many Cows Are Forced to Get Up to Go to the Milking Parlor?
by Marek Gaworski
Animals 2023, 13(18), 2882; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13182882 - 11 Sep 2023
Viewed by 807
Abstract
Equipping a farm with a milking parlor requires moving groups of cows from their pens to the part of the barn where milking takes place. The task of moving cows, carried out two or three times each day, shows links to the lying [...] Read more.
Equipping a farm with a milking parlor requires moving groups of cows from their pens to the part of the barn where milking takes place. The task of moving cows, carried out two or three times each day, shows links to the lying area of the barn. When the cows are taken from the pen to the milking parlor, some of them may be lying down, and this lying down must be interrupted. The forced standing up of cows can be considered in terms of their welfare. The aim of the study was to examine the number of cows lying in the stalls at the time of opening the exit gates in the pens in order to take the cows to the milking parlor. The study covered four pens, each with 12 cows. The behavior of the cows in the pens before morning and afternoon milking was recorded over 26 days. In the analysis, the dependent variable was the number of lying cows, and the independent variables were the time of milking and the level of sand in the lying stalls. The results of the study showed the significance of differences in the number of lying cows for stalls with a low and high level of sand, both in the case of morning and afternoon milking. Differences in the number of lying cows were also found when comparing the time before morning and afternoon milking. To compare the tendency of individual cows to lie down before going to milking, an index of forced standing up was proposed. The research conducted showed differences in the behavior of cows before leaving the pen to the milking parlor. The stage to reduce the forced standing up of cows is to equip the farm with an automatic milking system (AMS) instead of using a milking parlor. In barns with AMS, cows have full freedom to get up and approach the milking stall. The results of the observations are thus an additional argument confirming the benefits of using an automatic milking system, considered in terms of the welfare of dairy cows, regarding their lying down and getting up. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ruminant Welfare Assessment)
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10 pages, 257 KiB  
Article
Regrouping in Dairy Ewes—Effects on Productive Performance and Specific Behavioral Traits
by Gerasimos Papakitsos, Stefania Assouad, Maria Papageorgiou, Michael Goliomytis, Maria Charismiadou and Panagiotis Simitzis
Animals 2023, 13(7), 1163; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13071163 - 25 Mar 2023
Viewed by 1002
Abstract
The regrouping of ruminants is a common practice in dairy farms and is targeting at the improvement of milk production efficiency. However, changing the established hierarchy in a group affects both productivity and behavioral attributes. The aim of the present study was therefore [...] Read more.
The regrouping of ruminants is a common practice in dairy farms and is targeting at the improvement of milk production efficiency. However, changing the established hierarchy in a group affects both productivity and behavioral attributes. The aim of the present study was therefore to examine the possible effects of regrouping on milk yield, composition and several behavioral indices in dairy ewes. The experimental period was divided into two sub-periods of 20 days each. During the first period, 30 Chios ewes were used, while 15 Chios and 15 Karagouniko ewes were mixed during the second period. Milk yield, composition, oxidative stability, flow rate and number of kick responses during milking were recorded for each ewe. An isolation—flight distance test was also performed on a weekly basis. As indicated, the parameters recorded during the behavioral tests, such as the number of bleats, heart rate and flight distance, and the milk oxidation rate and number of kick responses were significantly increased immediately after regrouping compared to the following days during both sub-periods (p < 0.05). Moreover, milk yield was reduced in the second sub-period by 8.61% (p < 0.05). It can be concluded that regrouping could negatively influence productive and behavioral traits, and the effect was more pronounced when sheep of different breeds were mixed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ruminant Welfare Assessment)
34 pages, 114252 KiB  
Article
The Effectiveness of Virtual Fencing of Bull Calves in a Holistic Grazing System
by Søren Krabbe Staahltoft, Magnus Fjord Aaser, Jakob Nødgaard Strange Jensen, Ismat Zadran, Emil Birkmose Sørensen, Anders Esbjerg Nielsen, Aage Kristian Olsen Alstrup, Dan Bruhn, Anne Cathrine Linder, Christian Sonne, John Frikke and Cino Pertoldi
Animals 2023, 13(5), 917; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13050917 - 02 Mar 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2893
Abstract
Large grazers are essential for nature conservation. In order to prevent grazers from moving to unintended areas, it may be necessary to keep them inside enclosures. Physical fences present a number of problems, such as fragmenting the landscape. Virtual fencing, however, is a [...] Read more.
Large grazers are essential for nature conservation. In order to prevent grazers from moving to unintended areas, it may be necessary to keep them inside enclosures. Physical fences present a number of problems, such as fragmenting the landscape. Virtual fencing, however, is a possible replacement for physical fencing, making it possible to enclose grazers without physical boundaries. Virtual fencing systems utilise collars with GPS technology to track animals and deliver auditory warnings and electric impulses to keep animals within predefined boundaries. This study examines how effective the virtual fencing system Nofence© is at enclosing calves in a holistically managed setting. Holistic management is a rotational grazing technique where an enclosure is grazed in small strips at a time. It is investigated whether the calves become habituated to the virtual fence and whether there is a correlation between the number of warnings received by every two calves in order to explore potential herd behaviour. Finally, this study examines which calves interact the most with the virtual fence by investigating the relationship between physical activity and number of interactions. Seventeen calves were fitted with a GPS collar from the company Nofence© and placed in a holistically managed enclosure. Data were gathered from 4 July to 30 September 2022. The study found that virtual fence was able to contain calves inside the designated enclosure, and over time the calves received notably fewer electrical impulses compared to auditory warnings. The results of Pearson’s correlation between auditory warnings received by two random calves were inconclusive, but the use of a sliding window analysis should be further explored. Lastly, the most physically active animals were the ones who received the most auditory warnings, but they did not receive more impulses. No significant correlation was found between the number of electric impulses received and the physical activity of the animals. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ruminant Welfare Assessment)
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19 pages, 480 KiB  
Systematic Review
Rumination Detection in Sheep: A Systematic Review of Sensor-Based Approaches
by Stephanie Janet Schneidewind, Mohamed Rabih Al Merestani, Sven Schmidt, Tanja Schmidt, Christa Thöne-Reineke and Mechthild Wiegard
Animals 2023, 13(24), 3756; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13243756 - 05 Dec 2023
Viewed by 905
Abstract
The use of sensors to analyze behavior in sheep has gained increasing attention in scientific research. This systematic review aims to provide an overview of the sensors developed and used to detect rumination behavior in sheep in scientific research. Moreover, this overview provides [...] Read more.
The use of sensors to analyze behavior in sheep has gained increasing attention in scientific research. This systematic review aims to provide an overview of the sensors developed and used to detect rumination behavior in sheep in scientific research. Moreover, this overview provides details of the sensors that are currently commercially available and describes their suitability for sheep based on the information provided in the literature found. Furthermore, this overview lists the best sensor performances in terms of achieved accuracy, sensitivity, precision, and specificity in rumination detection, detailing, when applicable, the sensor position and epoch settings that were used to achieve the best results. Challenges and areas for future research and development are also identified. A search strategy was implemented in the databases PubMed, Web of Science, and Livivo, yielding a total of 935 articles. After reviewing the summaries of 57 articles remaining following filtration (exclusion) of repeated and unsuitable articles, 17 articles fully met the pre-established criteria (peer-reviewed; published between 2012 and 2023 in English or German; with a particular focus on sensors detecting rumination in sheep) and were included in this review. The guidelines outlined in the PRISMA 2020 methodology were followed. The results indicate that sensor-based systems have been utilized to monitor and analyze rumination behavior, among other behaviors. Notably, none of the sensors identified in this review were specifically designed for sheep. In order to meet the specific needs of sheep, a customized sensor solution is necessary. Additionally, further investigation of the optimal sensor position and epoch settings is necessary. Implications: The utilization of such sensors has significant implications for improving sheep welfare and enhancing our knowledge of their behavior in various contexts. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ruminant Welfare Assessment)
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Planned Papers

The below list represents only planned manuscripts. Some of these manuscripts have not been received by the Editorial Office yet. Papers submitted to MDPI journals are subject to peer-review.

Title: Understanding Compost-Bedded Pack Barn Systems in Tropical Climate Regions: A Review of the Current State-of-the-Art
Authors: Rafaella Resende Andrade; Ilda de Fátima Ferreira Tinôco; Flávio Alves Damasceno; Carlos Eduardo Alves Oliveira; Mariana Silva Concha; Ozana de Fátima Zacaroni; Gianluca Bambi; Matteo Barbari
Affiliation: Department of Biosystems Engineering, College of Agronomy, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia 74690-900, GO, Brazil (R.R.A.)
Abstract: The main challenge in milk production has been to maintain a focus on efficient processes that enhance production outcomes, while aligning with animal welfare and sustainability and being valued by society. As an alternative to improve cow welfare in production and provide better handling of the waste generated by the activity, the system called compost-bedded pack barn (CBP) is an alternative that has been widely adopted in countries with temperate climates and higher milk production. This CBP has been attracting global interest, including from countries with tropical and subtropical climates, such as Brazil, where many producers have started to use it due to the response in terms of milk productivity. A CBP can be designed either in a) an open facility with natural ventilation or positive pressure ventilation system or b) totally closed facilities, equipped with negative pressure ventilation systems and permanent thermal control. The latter system is being implemented in Brazil, despite insufficient knowledge about its efficiency. The objective of this study was, through a review, to gather and describe the most recent information on the use of open and closed CBP systems for dairy cattle housing, mainly how it is applied in tropical climate regions. To achieve the proposed objective, this review study included the following topics related to CBPs: (i) implementation; (ii) bedding; (iii) general construction and architectural characteristics; iv) ambient thermal conditioning. Knowledge gaps and directions for future research are also identified.

Title: Effects of High Concentrate-induced Subacute Ruminal Acidosis Severity on Claw Health in First Lactation Holstein Cows
Authors: Kofler Johann; Qendrim Zebeli
Affiliation: University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, 1210 Vienna, Austria

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