1,720,997 research outputs found
Health and welfare problems of finishing beef cattle: lameness and possible preventing solutions
Full text linkThe general purpose of this PhD thesis was to analyse the impact on beef cattle health and welfare of some housing and flooring solutions mainly adopted in the intensive rearing systems. In particular, it aimed at investigating claws health status of intensively finished beef cattle belonged to different breeds (Charolaise, Limousine and Holsteins) and housed on different flooring systems (deep litter, fully concrete slatted floor and rubber covered slatted floor). A further aim was the testing of possible preventing solutions against lameness. The thesis was divided in 6 chapters:
A general introductive chapter (Chapter 1) focused on the beef cattle production system in Europe, and in Italy in particular way. Moreover, it identified the most relevant housing and management factors that could impair the welfare of finishing beef cattle.
In the light of the rare published research concerning the claw disorder distribution in finishing beef cattle, the first step consisted in a post mortem inspection at the slaughterhouse that allowed to assess the claw condition of a large number of finishing beef cattle batches (Chapter 2). In particular, we assessed after trimming the prevalence of specific claw disorders and their location on the sole in hind feet of beef cattle which arrived at slaughter with no signs of impaired locomotion. Non-infectious disorders resulted the most common diagnoses among batches, mainly on the lateral claws and in the heel-sole junction area.
The second research aimed at assessing the prevalence of lameness, its severity degree (mild or severe) and its time of onset during finishing. This study focused the most prevalent intensive beef production system operating in Italy that consists of Charolais bulls fattened in deep litter or fully slatted floor pens (Chapter 3). Severe lameness events were always recorded in the last part of the fattening. Fully slatted floor increased the prevalence of severe lameness and the relative risk of early culling compared to deep litter. An increased space allowance for bulls in fully slatted floor acted as preventive measure against both mild and severe lameness.
Considering alternative housing solutions to the concrete fully slatted floor, the third study aimed to assess whether growth performance, health, behaviour and claw condition of finishing bulls belonging to two beef breeds with different slaughter weight like Charolaise and Limousine, would be affected by their housing on a concrete or on a rubber covered slatted floor (Chapter 4). On a perspective of the development of welfare friendly flooring systems tailor-made for specific beef cattle breeds, the use of rubber covered floor as an alternative to the concrete slatted floor should be advised only for bulls like Limousine that are finished at a final body weight (BW) around 600 kg. Despite the positive growth performance, health and welfare of Charolais bulls finished at a final BW above 700 kg were impaired by their housing on both concrete or rubberized slatted floors.
In order to prevent the negative impact of the new rubberized surfaces on the cleanliness of the animals, the last research was addressed to investigate the effects of an increased drainage area on hygiene, body condition, behaviour, claw- and leg health of fattening bulls kept in fully slatted pens equipped with rubber mats (Chapter 5). This 4%-unit increase was not enough to improve the hygiene of the floor, and thus of the animals even if it reduced the number of carcasses penalised at the slaughter for unacceptable hygiene. However, regardless of drainage area, several signs of good comfort on rubberized surfaces were recorded in any group of bulls such as few abnormal locomotor and transition movements, frequent social interactions and relaxing lying postures.
Successively, general discussion and conclusions focused the main outcomes (Chapter 6). Although our findings provide new insights about the relevant impact of lameness in beef cattle farms, additional investigations are need to identify other potential predisposing factors on farms for specific claw disorders and consequently the best housing, flooring and management solutions for bulls during their finishing
Individual antimicrobial treatments in veal calves: Effect on the net carcasses weight at the slaughterhouse and relationship with the serostatus of the calves upon arrival to the fattening unit
Full text linkIn recent years, the scientific community, institutions, and public opinion have shown a growing awareness towards the problem of antimicrobial resistance. Guidelines from the European Union aim at significantly reducing (even avoiding) the antimicrobial use for prophylactic and metaphylactic purposes in veterinary medicine and this represents an important issue for several intensive farming systems, such as the veal industry. This retrospective observational cohort study analyzed net carcass weight data at the slaughter of 618 veal calves belonging to 6 batches of animals fattened in an Italian commercial farm according to the number of individual antimicrobial treatments administered during the fattening cycle. Sixty-eight percent (419 animals) of the overall sample of calves received at least one individual antimicrobial treatment due to a disease event during the fattening, and 280 of these (45 % of the overall sample) had more than one treatment. On average, the net carcass weight of calves individually treated more than once was about 10 kg lower than that of untreated calves or treated only once. Moreover, the carcasses of calves that received more than one treatment were 16 times more at risk of being severely penalized in payment at the slaughterhouse due to a net weight below 110 kg than those of untreated calves. Serum analysis data of a subsample of 105 calves belonging to 3 out of the 6 batches collected within 5 days after their arrival to the veal farm identified 3 persistently infected animals by bovine viral diarrhea (BVD) virus and a prevalence of calves with serum immunoglobulin concentration below 7.5 g/L of 37 %. The presence of specific antibodies against infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR) and bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV) and a serum immunoglobulin level above 7.5 g/L at the onset of the fattening were the most important factors associated with a decreased risk of multiple individual antimicrobial treatments (and thus, disease development) or with a delay in disease onset during the fattening, thus leading to better performances at the slaughter. The outcomes of this study suggested that a relationship could exist between calf serostatus upon arrival to the veal farm and the possibility to avoid multiple individual antimicrobial treatments during fattening. Further research is needed to deeply study this association, as such knowledge would allow for planning effective preventing strategies to reduce the antimicrobial use in veal calves
Characterization and typologies of dairy goat farms in the Mediterranean region: A case of Italy and Turkey
No full textEffetto della transumanza di fine alpeggio sul comportamento e sulla produzione di latte di bovine di razza Frisona e Bruna
No full textThe Use of the General Animal-Based Measures Codified Terms in the Scientific Literature on Farm Animal Welfare
Full text linkShort Communication: Prognostic Values of a Multiparametric Risk Score in Maize Silage Undergoing Different Ensiling Conditions
Full text linkWe studied the effects of the use of Lactobacillus buchneri (Lb) and the maize pre-ensiling composition on the aerobic silage stability in a panel of 88 maize ensiled 60 days in 21 L buckets. Lb was dispensed at three dosages and compared to a control (pure water). The prognostic multiparametric risk score was used to find the risk factors related to the chemical composition of the fresh plant, associated with the onset of aerobic instability in maize silage. A multivariable Akaike’s Information Criterion in the backward Cox proportional hazard regression was estimated for pre-ensiled maize chemical traits. A Multiple Factorial Analysis (MFA) was calculated. The hazard ratios were 1.02, 1.34, 0.66, 0.65, 1.57, and 1.06 for dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), ether extract (EE), aNDF, lignin (sulfuric acid, sa), and water-soluble carbohydrates (WSC), respectively (p < 0.05, DM, p = 0.15). At the MFA, ash, CP, aNDF, ADF, and lignin (sa) were grouped with a positive Dim-1, while DM, EE, and starch were grouped with a negative coordinate; WSC stood alone with Dim-1 close to zero. CP, EE, aNDF, lignin (sa), and WSC resulted in the most relevant traits and were used to build the nomogram. The use of strains of Lb improved the aerobic stability for maize harvested at <300 g/kg of DM
Association between gastrointestinal tract, claw disorders, on-farm mortality and feeding management in veal calves
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Time of occurrence and prevalence of severe lameness in fattening Charolais bulls: Impact of type of floor and space allowance within type of floor
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