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Meta-analysis - a systematic and quantitative review of animal experiments to maximise the information derived
Contributor(s):: Phillips, C. J. C.
Meta-analysis provides a tool to statistically aggregate data from existing randomised controlled animal experiments. The results can then be summarised across a range of conditions and an increased pool of experimental data can be subjected to statistical analysis. New information can be...
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Methodological aspects for the assessment of social behaviour and avoidance distance on dairy farms
Contributor(s):: Mulleder, C., Troxler, J., Waiblinger, S.
Some aspects of on-farm assessment of social behaviour and avoidance distance were investigated on 20 Austrian dairy farms. The avoidance distance of at least 75% of cows was assessed. Social behaviour of the cows was observed for one hour and the number of animals standing was recorded every 10...
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Observations of cattle restraint devices for stunning and slaughtering
Contributor(s):: Grandin, T.
Proper design of restraint equipment is essential to prevent stress on animals during handling, stunning and slaughter. A small design mistake which may appear to be insignificant to the engineer can be extremely detrimental to animal welfare. Operators of restraint equipment must be properly...
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On-farm assessment of the effect of management and housing type on behaviour and welfare in dairy cattle
Contributor(s):: Haskell, M. J., Rennie, L. J., Bowell, V. A., Wemelsfelder, F., Lawrence, A. B.
There is a trend toward increasing intensification in dairy farming in the United Kingdom. In particular, there is concern over systems in which cows are housed throughout the year, as the behavioural restriction implicit in these systems is associated with poor welfare in other species. The aim...
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On-farm welfare assessment in cattle: validity, reliability and feasibility issues and future perspectives with special regard to the Welfare QualityReg. approach
Contributor(s):: Knierim, U., Winckler, C.
This paper discusses the current state of development of on-farm cattle welfare assessment systems with special regard to the approach of Welfare QualityReg. that focuses on animal-related measures. The central criteria validity, reliability and feasibility are considered with regard to selected...
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On-farm welfare assessment systems: what are the recording costs?
Contributor(s):: Sorensen, J. T., Rousing, T., Moller, S. H., Bonde, M., Hegelund, L.
To illustrate that different approaches lead to different costs a cost calculation on four different welfare assessment systems for four different animal species has been carried out; an integrated pig herd (450 sows), a dairy cattle herd with automatic milking (90 cows), an organic egg...
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Overall assessment of animal welfare: strategy adopted in Welfare QualityReg
Contributor(s):: Botreau, R., Veissier, I., Perny, P.
Animal welfare is multidimensional; its assessment relies on complementary measures covering all dimensions. Welfare QualityReg. constructed a multicriteria evaluation model for its assessment at unit level (farms, slaughterhouses). Four welfare principles are distinguished ('Good feeding', 'Good...
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Peripartum health and welfare of Holstein-Friesian cows in a confinement-TMR system compared to a pasture-based system
Contributor(s):: Olmos, G., Mee, J. F., Hanlon, A., Patton, J., Murphy, J. J., Boyle, L.
The greatest challenge to the welfare of dairy cows occurs in the peripartum period. Given the perception that cow welfare is better in more natural environments, it was hypothesised that cows in a PASTURE-based production system (cubicle housing with grass silage pre-partum and rotational...
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Potential animal-centred indicators of dairy goat welfare
Contributor(s):: Mazurek, M., Marie, M., Desor, D.
This paper presents five tests based on behavioural and other animal-centred observations concerning dairy goat welfare. An emotional reactivity test (n=40) classified the animals into different groups according to their behaviour in response to fear-eliciting stimuli, and identified anxious...
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Preferences of housed finishing beef cattle for different floor types
Contributor(s):: Lowe, D. E., Steen, R. W. J., Beattie, V. E.
Six pairs of steers were allowed to choose between two types of floors in a paired choice test. The four floors tested were a fully slatted floor, a fully slatted floor covered with rubber mats, a solid floor with sawdust bedding, and a solid floor with straw bedding. All combinations of floor...
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Preliminary investigation into the use of expert opinion to compare the overall welfare of dairy cattle farms in different farm assurance schemes
Contributor(s):: Main, D. C. J., Whay, H. R., Green, L. E., Webster, A. J. F.
This paper describes an approach to assessing the overall welfare of cows on dairy farms. Veterinary and behaviour experts were shown results for ten selected welfare parameters for 25 pairs of dairy farms paired for farm assurance status but with similar geographical location and husbandry...
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Proceedings of the 2nd International Workshop on the Assessment of Animal Welfare at Farm and Group Level, University of Bristol, UK, 4-6 September 2002
Contributor(s):: Webster, A. J. F., Main, D. C. J.
This is a compilation of 40 articles on issues of animal welfare and its methods of assessment in farm animals like cattle, pigs, poultry and other animals. Syndicated reports, comments and book reviews are also included.
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Public opinion on UK milk marketing and dairy cow welfare
Contributor(s):: Ellis, K. A., Billington, K., McNeil, B., McKeegan, D. E. F.
Interview questionnaires were administered to the general public in central Scotland and northern England during summer 2007 to investigate consumer awareness of UK dairy production methods, welfare issues and recognition of 'quality assurance' product logos. Fifty percent of respondents gave UK...
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Rank correlated use of soft flooring by dairy cattle
Contributor(s):: Platz, S., Ahrens, F., Bendel, J., Meyer, H., Erhard, M. H.
The present study covers rank correlated use of soft flooring during partial replacement (45% of the total floor space) of concrete slatted floor by rubber covering. For this purpose, the rank position of 19 cows within a 50 Brown Swiss dairy cattle herd was evaluated by calculating the...
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Reactions of cattle to head-restraint at stunning: a practical dilemma
Contributor(s):: Ewbank, R., Parker, M. J., Mason, C. W.
The behavioural reactions and blood cortisol levels of cattle stunned using a penetrating captive-bolt pistol whilst standing free in a stunning box were compared with those obtained from cattle similarly stunned but with their heads held in a hydraulically operated chin-lift type of head...
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Relationships between building design, management system and dairy cow welfare
Contributor(s):: Bowell, V. A., Rennie, L. J., Tierney, G., Lawrence, A. B., Haskell, M. J.
As part of a larger on-farm dairy cow welfare and behaviour project, data were collected from 22 commercial dairy farms over two winters (between 2000 and 2001 and between 2001 and 2002). A further winter of farm sampling will complete the project (between 2002 and 2003), with five types of...
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Reliability of a subjective lameness scoring system for dairy cows
Contributor(s):: Brenninkmeyer, C., Dippel, S., March, S., Brinkmann, J., Winckler, C., Knierim, U.
Four observers were trained in lameness assessment using a subjective scoring system with five categories, and observer agreement was investigated four times at different stages of training and experience. Inter-observer reliability increased with time and reached acceptable levels in the last...
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Reliability of categorical versus continuous scoring of welfare indicators: lameness in cows as a case study
Contributor(s):: Tuyttens, F. A. M., Sprenger, M., Nuffel, A. van, Maertens, W., Dongen, S. van
Many animal welfare traits vary on a continuous scale but are commonly scored using an ordinal scale with few categories. The rationale behind this practice is rarely stated but appears largely based on the debatable conviction that it increases data reliability. Using 54 observers of varying...
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Repeatability of some animal-related variables in dairy cows and buffaloes
Contributor(s):: Rosa, G. de, Tripaldi, C., Napolitano, F., Saltalamacchia, F., Grasso, F., Bisegna, V., Bordi, A.
The aim of this study was to evaluate the intra-observer repeatability of some animal-related variables that could be used in welfare-assessment protocols at the farm level. Recordings were performed on seven dairy farms (four for cattle and three for buffaloes). The animals were observed on...
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Responses to short-term exposure to simulated rain and wind by dairy cattle: time budgets, shelter use, body temperature and feed intake
Contributor(s):: Schutz, K. E., Clark, K. V., Cox, N. R., Matthews, L. R., Tucker, C. B.
Our objective was to examine how short-term exposure to wind or rain, or the combination of wind and rain, influences behavioural and physiological responses and the motivation for shelter. Twenty-four, non-lactating, pregnant Holstein-Friesian cows were individually housed and allocated one of...
