Developing an Animal Welfare Assessment Protocol for Cows in Extensive Beef Cow-Calf Systems in New Zealand. Part 2: Categorisation and Scoring of Welfare Assessment Measures
<p>Frequency analysis of categorised good feeding and environment measures on the 25 Waikato beef farms, for which scores were assigned as either 0: good, 1: marginal, or 2: poor welfare. See <a href="#animals-10-01592-t002" class="html-table">Table 2</a> for further information on how each measure was categorised into a score of 0, 1 or 2.</p> "> Figure 2
<p>Frequency analysis of categorised good health measures on the 25 Waikato beef farms, for which scores were assigned as either 0: good, 1: marginal, or 2: poor welfare. See <a href="#animals-10-01592-t003" class="html-table">Table 3</a> for further information on how each measure was categorised into a score of 0, 1 or 2.</p> "> Figure 3
<p>Frequency analysis of categorised appropriate stockpersonship measures on the 25 Waikato beef farms, for which scores were assigned as either 0: good, 1: marginal, or 2: poor welfare. See <a href="#animals-10-01592-t002" class="html-table">Table 2</a> for further information on how each measure was categorised into a score of 0, 1 or 2.</p> "> Figure 4
<p>Accumulated categorised scores of the 32 measures according to the 3-point scores for the 25 Waikato beef farms, sorted from the most to the fewest score 2.</p> ">
Abstract
:Simple Summary
Abstract
1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Protocol Used
2.2. Categorisation of Measures
2.3. Data Analysis
3. Results
3.1. Welfare Assessments Summary Statistics
3.2. Categorisation of Measures
3.3. Refined Thresholds
4. Discussion
5. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
Appendix A
Farms | Total Cattle Herds | Mated Cows | Wooden Tongue | Lameness | Bovine Viral Diarrhoea | Theileriosis | Mg Deficiency | Liver Flukes | Warts | Cancer Eye/Problem | Milk Fever | Skin Eczema | Vaginal Prolapse | Dystocia | Abortion |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Farm 1 | 850 | 160 | 0.6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.7 | 1.2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Farm 2 | 2040 | 489 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 0 |
Farm 3 | 189 | 35 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 2.9 | 2.9 | 0 |
Farm 4 | 70 | 100 | 1.4 | 2.9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Farm 5 | 293 | 80 | 0.3 | 0.7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.3 | 0 | 0.3 | 0 | 3.8 | 0 |
Farm 6 | 468 | 328 | 0.4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.8 | 0.6 |
Farm 7 | 55 | 12 | 0 | 1.8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16.7 | 0 |
Farm 8 | 470 | 300 | 0 | 0.4 | 0 | 2.1 | 2.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.3 | 0 |
Farm 9 | 580 | 320 | 0 | 0.9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.3 | 0.9 |
Farm 10 | 241 | 156 | 0 | 2.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.9 | 0.6 |
Farm 11 | 125 | 124 | 0 | 0 | 0.8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2.4 | 0 | 0 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.8 |
Farm 12 | 350 | 122 | 0 | 0.3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.8 | 2.5 | 0 |
Farm 13 | 181 | 153 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2.6 | 0 |
Farm 14 | 554 | 243 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.2 | 0 | 4.1 | 0 |
Farm 15 | 167 | 114 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.6 | 0 | 0 | 3.5 | 0 |
Farm 16 | 113 | 28 | 0 | 0.9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3.6 |
Farm 17 | 113 | 59 | 0 | 2.7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.7 | 0 |
Farm 18 | 900 | 273 | 0 | 0.3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 | 5.5 | 1.8 |
Farm 19 | 185 | 80 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5.0 | 8.8 |
Farm 20 | 799 | 400 | 0.1 | 1.4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0.5 | 0 | 2.5 | 4.8 |
Farm 21 | 554 | 140 | 0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.7 | 0.7 |
Farm 22 | 465 | 217 | 0 | 1.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.9 | 0 | 2.3 |
Farm 23 | 1585 | 412 | 0 | 0.4 | 0 | 0 | 0.4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.5 | 1.7 |
Farm 24 | 244 | 226 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2.2 | 8.8 |
Farm 25 | 122 | 66 | 1.6 | 4.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4.5 | 1.5 |
Sum | 11713 | 4637.0 | 5.2 | 26.5 | 0.8 | 3.7 | 2.5 | 1.2 | 1.5 | 8.8 | 0.7 | 1.0 | 5.7 | 66.1 | 37.0 |
Average | 468.52 | 185.5 | 0.2 | 1.1 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 2.6 | 1.5 |
Max | 2040 | 489.0 | 1.6 | 4.1 | 0.8 | 2.1 | 2.1 | 0.7 | 1.2 | 2.4 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 2.9 | 16.7 | 8.8 |
Stdev | 468.3531 | 128.0 | 0.4 | 1.1 | 0.2 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.6 | 3.3 | 2.5 |
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Category Score | Welfare Assessment | Required Actions |
---|---|---|
0 | Good/Acceptable | No intervention needed but keep monitoring |
1 | Marginal | Assess and plan for intervention. Increase monitoring |
2 | Poor/Unacceptable | Intervention needed immediately |
Welfare Principles | Welfare Criteria | Animal Welfare Measure/Indicator | Scoring Description | Categorical Ranking |
---|---|---|---|---|
Good feeding | Absence of hunger | Body condition score (thin cows) | % thin in herd of score (score 1–4 on 1–10 scale; [22]) | 0: 0–5.0% 1: 5.1–10% 2: >10% |
Rumen fill score (hungry cows) | % of animals with hollow/ empty rumen observed in the race | 0: 0–20.0% 1: 20.1–50% 2: >50% | ||
Absence of thirst | Distance and availability of water | Average distance to access water | 0: 0–250.0 m 1: 250.1 ≤500 m 2: >500 m. | |
Appropriate environment | Comfort around resting | Short tail | % of observed cows with shortened tail | 0: 0.0% 1: 0.1–2% 2: >2% |
Dirty body | Total number of animals assessed as having dirty tail, hind and flank | 0: 0–10.0% 1: 10.1–20% 2: >20% | ||
Thermal comfort | Shade | Subjective assessment of shade in the paddocks (presence of trees, shrubs, galleys, man-made canopies) | 0: sufficient 2: insufficient | |
Ease of movement | Absence of hazardous objects/environment | Hazardous objects observed in the yard and paddocks (i.e., tomos *, sharp objects lying around) | 0: no hazards 1: 1–2 hazards 2: 3 or more hazards or animals dying in any hazard) |
Welfare Criteria | Animal Welfare Measure/Indicator | Scoring Description | Categorical Ranking in New Zealand Study |
---|---|---|---|
Absence of injuries/physical impairment | Swelling Hair loss/hairless Abrasions | % of observed cows with swelling, hairless patches or abrasions/fresh scratches (>1 cm) | 0: 0.0% 8 81: 0.1–2% 2: >2% |
Absence of disease | Lameness | % of observed cows with uneven weight weight-bearing on a limb that is immediately identifiable and/or obviously shortened strides | 0: 0.0% 1: 0.1–2% 2: >2% |
Blindness Ocular discharges Nasal discharges | % of observed cows with ocular or nasal discharges extending 2cm, and those blind in one or both eyes | 0: 0.0% 1: 0.1–2% 2: >2% | |
Diarrhoea | % of observed cows with evidence of diarrhoea (more than a hand wide on both sides from base of tail) | 0: 0–10.0% 1: 10.1–20% 2: >20% | |
Dystocia | % of cows recorded with difficult births | 0: 0.0% 1: 0.1–2% 2: >2% | |
Mortality rate | % of accidental deaths, cattle which died due to disease, and those killed as a result of disease/accidents on the farm in the last 12 months | 0: 0.0% 1: 0.1–2% 2: >2% | |
Ear tagging/notching | Specify no tag or use of anaesthetics regardless of tagging or notching procedure and with/without the use of anaesthetic). | Ear tagging 0: no tag or use anaesthetics 1: tag with no anaesthetics 2: notching/cutting with no anaesthetics | |
Painful procedures | Castration Disbudding | Specify age at castration and use of anaesthetics Specify age at disbudding and use of anaesthetics | 0: No castration/disbud 1: ≤2 months 2: >2 months |
Welfare Criteria | Animal Welfare Measure/Indicator | Scoring Description | Categorical Ranking in New Zealand Study |
---|---|---|---|
Stockpersonship animal-based measures on entering and exiting the race | Fearful/agitated Fall | % cows fearful/agitated in the race/forcing pen (climbing on others or attempting to escape) % cows lying in or falling in race/forcing pen or on exiting | 0: 0.0% 1: 0.1–2% 2: >2% |
Stumble | % cows stumbling when exiting the race/holding pens into paddocks | 0: 0–2.0% 1: 2.1–5% 2: >5% | |
Run | % cows running out of the race/holding pens into paddocks | 0: 0–5.0% 1: 5.1–10% 2: >10% | |
Animal handling stockpersonship and resource-based measures | Mis-catch (in chute/race) | % cows mis-caught with gates on any part of the body either in the race or chute head bale | 0: no mis-catch 1: mis-catch ≤1% 2: mis-catch >1% |
Hitting | % of cows hit or poked with moving aids | 0: no hitting 1: occasional/few hit 2: frequent hit/poke (>10% cows) | |
Noise of handlers Noise of equipment/machinery Dogs noise around the yard | Evaluate noise of handlers, noise of equipment (race or chute gate) and machinery (generators etc.) and observe the presence and noise frequency of dogs around the yard | 0: no noise/dogs 1: minor audible/occasional noise 2: unpleasantly/ persistent noisy handlers/equip/dogs | |
Health checks | Frequency of health checks on cows during pregnancy | 0: daily 1: once-twice/week 2: less than weekly | |
Yard flow of cattle | Yard flow of cattle influenced by handling facilities design/quality | 0: very effective cattle flow 1: effective but with flaws 2: difficult flow | |
Yarding frequency | Frequency of yarding of cows per year | 0: >4 times 1: 3–4 times 2: 0–2 times |
Welfare Principles | Measures | Mean (%) | Min (%) | Max (%) | Percentiles | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
25 | 50 | 75 | |||||
Good Feeding | Thin cows | 10.7 | 0 | 61 | 2.6 | 5.7 | 10.0 |
Poor rumen fill | 30.6 | 0 | 68 | 15.5 | 29.9 | 45.7 | |
Good Environment | Short tail | 4.2 | 0 | 21 | 0.6 | 3.0 | 6.0 |
Dirtiness | 21.3 | 4 | 50 | 10.7 | 20.6 | 29.4 | |
Watery faeces | 39.6 | 15 | 87 | 24.0 | 35.7 | 48.5 | |
Good Health | Swelling | 0.7 | 0 | 5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.1 |
Hair loss | 0.1 | 0 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
Abrasion | 0.1 | 0 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
Lameness | 2.7 | 0 | 12 | 0.5 | 1.5 | 3.6 | |
Blindness | 0.4 | 0 | 4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
Ocular discharge | 1.5 | 0 | 8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3.2 | |
Nasal discharge | 1.2 | 0 | 13 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.3 | |
Accidental deaths | 0.6 | 0 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 1.2 | |
Deaths from health | 2.0 | 0 | 7 | 0.9 | 1.6 | 2.9 | |
Culling for health | 1.2 | 0 | 6 | 0.0 | 0.8 | 2.0 | |
Stockpersonship | Fearful/Agitate | 2.7 | 0 | 7 | 1.3 | 2.3 | 4.1 |
Fall/lie | 0.9 | 0 | 8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.8 | |
Stumble | 1.6 | 0 | 21 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.7 | |
Run exit | 13.0 | 0 | 51 | 2.6 | 7.8 | 15.1 |
Measure | Categories and Number of Farms in Each Category | ||
---|---|---|---|
Mis-catch | No mis-catch | ˂1% of cows mis-caught | >1% of cows |
18 | 4 | 3 | |
Hitting | No hitting | Few cows hit | >10% hit (frequent hit) |
18 | 4 | 3 | |
Noise of handlers | No noise | Minor audible noise | Noisy handlers |
4 | 18 | 3 | |
Noise of Equipment/machinery | No noise | Minor audible noise | Very noisy |
9 | 6 | 10 | |
Dogs noise around the yard | No dogs around yard | Quiet dogs | Noisy dogs |
7 | 8 | 10 | |
Health checks | Daily inspection 11 | Once or twice a week 9 | Longer than once/week 5 |
Yarding frequency | >4 times/year 5 | Between 3–4 times/year 20 | Below 3 times/year 0 |
Yard design flow | Effective | Minor problems | Significant problems |
13 | 7 | 5 |
Welfare Principles | Measures | Mean | Orange Thresholds | Red Threshold (for the Bottom 15% Farms) | Thresholds Imposed by Categorisation for Poor Welfare Score (Score 2) | Ratio of Red Threshold Over the Imposed Categorisation Value |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Feeding | * % thin cows | 10.7 | 5.3 | 19.3 | >10% | 1.9 |
% hungry cows | 30.6 | 19.1 | 75.3 | >50% | 1.5 | |
Environment | * Short tail | 4.2 | 2.6 | 8.1 | >2% | 4.1 |
Dirtiness | 21.3 | 17.5 | 36.1 | >20% | 1.8 | |
Diarrhoea | 39.6 | 35.6 | 58.6 | >20% | 2.9 | |
Health | * Swelling | 0.7 | 0.4 | 1.5 | >2% | 0.8 |
* Hair loss | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.4 | >2% | 0.2 | |
* Abrasion | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.4 | >2% | 0.2 | |
* Lameness | 2.7 | 1.7 | 5.0 | >2% | 2.5 | |
* Blindness | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.9 | >2% | 0.5 | |
* Ocular discharge | 1.5 | 0.9 | 3.1 | >2% | 1.6 | |
* Nasal discharge | 1.2 | 0.6 | 2.2 | >2% | 1.1 | |
Dystocia | 2.6 | 1.8 | 4.9 | >2% | 2.5 | |
Mortality rate | 3.9 | 3.3 | 6.4 | >2% | 3.2 | |
Stockpersonship | Fearful/Agitated | 2.7 | 2.2 | 4.9 | >2% | 2.5 |
* Fall | 0.9 | 0.5 | 1.8 | >2% | 0.9 | |
* Stumble | 1.6 | 0.7 | 2.8 | >5% | 0.6 | |
* Run | 13.0 | 7.7 | 24.4 | >10% | 2.4 |
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Kaurivi, Y.B.; Hickson, R.; Laven, R.; Parkinson, T.; Stafford, K. Developing an Animal Welfare Assessment Protocol for Cows in Extensive Beef Cow-Calf Systems in New Zealand. Part 2: Categorisation and Scoring of Welfare Assessment Measures. Animals 2020, 10, 1592. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10091592
Kaurivi YB, Hickson R, Laven R, Parkinson T, Stafford K. Developing an Animal Welfare Assessment Protocol for Cows in Extensive Beef Cow-Calf Systems in New Zealand. Part 2: Categorisation and Scoring of Welfare Assessment Measures. Animals. 2020; 10(9):1592. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10091592
Chicago/Turabian StyleKaurivi, Y. Baby, Rebecca Hickson, Richard Laven, Tim Parkinson, and Kevin Stafford. 2020. "Developing an Animal Welfare Assessment Protocol for Cows in Extensive Beef Cow-Calf Systems in New Zealand. Part 2: Categorisation and Scoring of Welfare Assessment Measures" Animals 10, no. 9: 1592. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10091592
APA StyleKaurivi, Y. B., Hickson, R., Laven, R., Parkinson, T., & Stafford, K. (2020). Developing an Animal Welfare Assessment Protocol for Cows in Extensive Beef Cow-Calf Systems in New Zealand. Part 2: Categorisation and Scoring of Welfare Assessment Measures. Animals, 10(9), 1592. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10091592