Academic Journal
A Survey of Calf Housing Facilities Pre-Weaning, Management Practices and Farmer Perceptions of Calf Welfare on Irish Dairy Farms
| العنوان: | A Survey of Calf Housing Facilities Pre-Weaning, Management Practices and Farmer Perceptions of Calf Welfare on Irish Dairy Farms |
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| المؤلفون: | Sinnott, Alison M., Bokkers, Eddie A.M., Murphy, John Paul, Kennedy, Emer |
| المصدر: | Animals 13 (2023) 6 ; ISSN: 2076-2615 |
| سنة النشر: | 2023 |
| المجموعة: | Wageningen UR (University & Research Centre): Digital Library |
| مصطلحات موضوعية: | Irish agriculture, alternative housing, calf housing, calf management systems, calf welfare, dairy calf, farmer welfare, labour efficiency |
| الوصف: | It is unknown whether calf rearing facilities in the Republic of Ireland are fit for purpose, or if facilities sufficiently consider calf and farmer welfare. The aim of this study was to review current calf housing facilities and management practices on Irish farms to determine if calves are reared in structurally appropriate facilities with management decisions that safeguard calf and farmer welfare. Fifty-one farms located in the Munster region in the Republic of Ireland were visited twice: (1) Pre-calving (December–January) and (2) During peak calving (January–March). During visit one, herd owners completed a questionnaire regarding calf housing and management practices on-farm and each facility used to rear calves was measured (measurement of cubic air capacity, ventilation, pen area, drainage etc.) without calves being present. Visit two consisted of a short interview with the principal calf manager to validate previously asked questions and environmental based measurements of each calf house that had been recorded, with any deviation from the first visit noted (measurements of temperature, wind speed, light intensity, facility provisions in-house and in-pen; calves present). Average herd size was 254, operating a spring calving system with a median calving season length of 11.6 weeks. While most farms expanded (88%; N = 51), this did not appear to have negatively affected calf space allowances (9.9% houses overcrowded at a space allowance of 1.5 m2/calf; N = 121). Calves were most commonly housed in group sizes of <12 (71.6% of all groupings; N = 394), with farmers moving away from individual housing for a period immediately post-birth, to grouping them immediately instead (58.8%; N = 51). The number of farmers testing colostrum was 31.4% (N = 51). Although the calving season was compact, most farmers were unconcerned about the upcoming spring workload (58.8%; N = 51). Farms appeared sufficiently prepared for spring, with most using the same number or less sheds during visit two than declared in visit ... |
| نوع الوثيقة: | article in journal/newspaper |
| وصف الملف: | application/pdf |
| اللغة: | English |
| Relation: | https://edepot.wur.nl/629605 |
| DOI: | 10.3390/ani13061019 |
| الاتاحة: | https://research.wur.nl/en/publications/a-survey-of-calf-housing-facilities-pre-weaning-management-practi https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13061019 |
| Rights: | https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ ; Wageningen University & Research |
| رقم الانضمام: | edsbas.CB64B65D |
| قاعدة البيانات: | BASE |
| DOI: | 10.3390/ani13061019 |
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