| 1. |
- Ask, Katrina, et al.
(författare)
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Kinematic gait characteristics of straight line walk in clinically sound dairy cows
- 2021
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Ingår i: PLoS ONE. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1932-6203. ; 16
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The aim of this study is to describe the kinematic gait characteristics of straight line walk in clinically sound dairy cows using body mounted Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs) at multiple anatomical locations. The temporal parameters used are speed and non-speed normalized stance duration, bipedal and tripedal support durations, maximal protraction and retraction angles of the distal limbs and vertical displacement curves of the upper body. Gait analysis was performed by letting 17 dairy cows walk in a straight line at their own chosen pace while equipped with IMU sensors on tubera sacrale, left and right tuber coxae (LTC and RTC), back, withers, head, neck and all four lower limbs. Data intervals with stride by stride regularity were selected based on video data. For temporal parameters, the median was calculated and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated based on linear mixed model (LMM) analysis, while for limb and vertical displacement curves, the median and most typical curves were calculated. The temporal parameters and distal limb angles showed consistent results with low variance and LMM analysis showed non-overlapping CI for all temporal parameters. The distal limb angle curves showed a larger and steeper retraction angle range for the distal front limbs compared with the hind limbs. The vertical displacement curves of the sacrum, withers, LTC and RTC showed a consistent sinusoidal pattern while the head, back and collar curves were less consistent and showed more variation between and within cows. This kinematic description might allow to objectively differentiate between normal and lame gait in the future and determine the best anatomical location for sensor attachment for lameness detection purposes.
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| 3. |
- Bergsten, Christer, et al.
(författare)
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Importance of soft and hard flooring system for claw conformation, locomotion, claw- and leg health in heifers and first calvers
- 2009
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Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Importance of flooring system for heifers before calving and for first calvers, regarding claw conformation, locomotion, claw and leg lesions, was studied experimentally in a commercial dairy herd. Heifers of about 12 months of age, were blocked to breed and age, and randomly allocated to cubicles (hard) or to deep straw bedding (soft). Heifers on hard flooring had higher growth and wear rate of claws and a higher prevalence of sole haemorrhages and dermatitis than heifers on deep straw bedding, who got overgrown claws and more heel horn erosion. Leg lesions were only observed in the cubicle system. After the first housing period the animals claws were trimmed and they were grazed together for 4 months. Thereafter, they were all housed in a cubicle system and any differences between groups regarding any observed traits were no longer seen. Half the animals from each group from the previous heifer housing period were allocated to either concrete slats or rubber slatted flooring in the alleys. After 4 months observation period and at the end of housing season, the most prominent finding was a higher odds for lameness (OR=3,6; P<0,01), sole haemorrhage and sole ulcer (OR=2,2; P<0,05) and white line haemorrhage (OR=2,8; P<0,01) on animals on concrete slats compared to those on rubber slats. Although not significant, animals coming from deep straw bedding had a higher prevalence of sole haemorrhages and sole ulcers than those from the cubicles, especially when moved to the concrete slats compared to rubber slats. Soft floors are beneficial for cows claw and leg health and heifers changing from soft to hard flooring system needs longer acclimatization time and trimming of overgrown claws
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| 4. |
- Bergsten, Christer, et al.
(författare)
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Influence of Soft or Hard Floors before and after First Calving on Dairy Heifer Locomotion, Claw and Leg Health
- 2015
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Ingår i: Animals. - : MDPI AG. - 2076-2615. ; 5, s. 662-686
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Simple Summary: In this study the effect of different flooring systems on locomotion, claw conformation, loading, claw-and leg disorders was assessed in heifers from one year before to one year after calving. After calving, heifers kept on alleys covered with rubber flooring were found to develop less lameness, fewer claw disorders of the sole horn and fewer leg lesions than those kept on concrete alleys. Recruitment heifers reared on soft deep straw bedding had fewer sole horn lesions and more overgrown claws before calving, but were more prone to severe sole horn lesions after calving, than those reared in cubicles with hard concrete floors.Abstract: Claw health, an important dairy cow welfare parameter, may be affected by early-life foot/leg stresses. To investigate this, groups of pregnant heifers were allocated to deep straw bedding (Soft) or cubicles (Hard), both with scraped concrete feeding alleys. After the grazing season, they were re-housed in cubicle systems, half on slatted concrete (Hard) and half on slatted rubber (Soft) alleys. Claw measurements, contact area and pressure distribution claw/flooring, claw disorders and leg lesions were recorded at the start and end of each housing season. Locomotion and leg lesions were also scored monthly after calving. Prevalence of sole haemorrhages was higher among pregnant heifers in cubicles than in deep straw. After calving, first-calvers on Hard floors had higher odds for lameness (OR = 3.6; p < 0.01), sole haemorrhages/ulcers (OR = 2.2; p < 0.05), white-line haemorrhages (OR = 2.8; p < 0.01) and leg lesions (OR = 2.6; p < 0.02) than those on Soft floors. Lowest prevalence and severity of sole and white-line haemorrhages (non-significant) in first-calvers was found in those on Soft floors and reared on Hard floors and the highest prevalence and severity on those on Hard floors reared on Soft floors. Soft flooring after calving is of most importance for healthy feet and legs.
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| 5. |
- Graunke, Katharina, et al.
(författare)
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Does rubber flooring improve welfare and production in growing bulls in fully slatted floor pens?
- 2011
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Ingår i: Animal Welfare. - 0962-7286 .- 2054-1538. ; 20, s. 173-183
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This study compared the effects of concrete slats (CS), synthetic rubber slats on aluminium profiles (RS) and slotted rubber mats on concrete slats (RM) in fully slatted floor pens on behaviour, claw and leg disorders, claw horn growth, cleanliness and production parameters of growing dairy bulls from 225 to 650 kg average liveweight Each pen housed five bulls up to 400 kg average liveweight and four bulls thereafter. On CS, lying bouts were less frequent and longer than on RM and RS at 250 kg. Lying down phase I was longest on CS and shortest on RM. Interrupted attempts at lying down occurred twice as often on CS as on the rubber floors. Severity scores for white line haemorrhage and sole haemorrhage were higher in bulls on CS than on RM. Swelling on legs had highest scores on CS, whereas the severity score for heel horn erosion was lowest on CS. Floor type had no effect on dermatitis, leg hairlessness and skin damage. Both claw horn growth and wear were greater on CS than on RS and RM. Bulls on RS and CS were cleanest Slaughter age tended to be higher and carcase conformation score tended to be lower on CS than on rubber, whereas feed intake, feed efficiency and other carcase traits were unaffected. The results indicate that rubber flooring improves animal welfare compared with concrete.
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| 6. |
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| 7. |
- Hultgren, Jan, et al.
(författare)
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Walkway floor design, feed stalls, claw lesions and locomotion in Swedish cubicle-housed dairy cattle
- 2009
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Effects on claw lesions and locomotion of rubber vs. mastic-asphalt flooring in solid walkways, scrapers vs. no scrapers oil top of slatted concrete walkways, and feed stalls vs. no feed stalls were studied in a 2-yr 2x2 factorial experiment, using 183 Swedish Holstein cows in a research cubicle herd. In the first year, four cow groups were exposed to different treatments in separate pens with 21 Cubicles each. In the second year, new groups were formed (34 cows contributed both years) and four new treatments applied. Cows were claw-trimmed and lesion-scored before and after an exposure period of 107 to 245 d. Locomotion was assessed by scoring Posture while standing and walking. Statistical analysis of lesion risk at the foot level was performed by generalised linear mixed modelling of heel-horn erosion, sole or white-line haemorrhage, dermatitis, and separation in the white line or sole horn at the end of the study period, of locomotion at the week level, and of locomotion at the cow level. Most cows were scored as having a mildly disturbed locomotion at least once, but at the majority of weekly scorings, locomotion was non-disturbed. Use of scrapers vs. no scrapers, as well as solid rubber vs. solid mastic-asphalt flooring, reduced the risk of disturbed locomotion. Most claw lesions were mild and we found no effects on the risk of claw lesions at the end of the study. Feed stalls improved the locomotion in second-calvers, but impaired it in older cows and increased slightly the odds of haemorrhage in hind feet; otherwise, there were no significant differences between studied floor designs.
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| 8. |
- Owusu Sekyere, Enoch, et al.
(författare)
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Dairy farmers' heterogeneous preferences for animal welfare-enhancing flooring properties: A mixed logit approach applied in Sweden
- 2021
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Ingår i: Livestock Science. - : Elsevier BV. - 1871-1413 .- 1878-0490. ; 250
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In this paper, we examine preferences for flooring properties that enhance animal welfare in dairy cattle barns among a sample of Swedish dairy farmers. The findings reveal that respondents differ in their choice of flooring properties that improve farm animal welfare. The findings also show that they consider low-slip risk and the softness of floors to be the most important properties. Findings from a latent variable model revealed that floor packaging and installation, workability and animal welfare are important factors that explain the respondents' preferences for different types of floors. The findings demonstrate that dairy farmers who prefer soft, low-slip and less abrasive floors are influenced by the way the floors are incorporated and installed into the building design, the ease with which other tasks can be performed after installing the flooring and the welfare that the specific flooring provides for the animals. The findings contribute relevant insights that are needed for the promotion and adoption of farm management practices that improve animal welfare.
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| 9. |
- Owusu Sekyere, Enoch, et al.
(författare)
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Economic impact of investment in animal welfare-enhancing flooring solutions - Implications for promoting sustainable dairy production in Sweden
- 2023
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Ingår i: British Food Journal. - 0007-070X .- 1758-4108. ; 125, s. 4415-4444
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- PurposeThe purpose of this paper was to assess the economic impact of investment in different animal welfare-enhancing flooring solutions in Swedish dairy farming.Design/methodology/approachThe authors developed a bio-economic model and used stochastic partial budgeting approach to simulate the economic consequences of enhancing solid and slatted concrete floors with soft rubber covering.FindingsThe findings highlight that keeping herds on solid and slatted concrete floor surfaces with soft rubber coverings is a profitable solution, compared with keeping herds on solid and slatted concrete floors without a soft covering. The profit per cow when kept on a solid concrete floor with soft rubber covering increased by 13%-16% depending on the breed. Practical implicationsPromoting farm investments such as improvement in flooring solution, which have both economic and animal welfare incentives, is a potential way of promoting sustainable dairy production. Farmers may make investments in improved floors, resulting in enhanced animal welfare and economic outcomes necessary for sustaining dairy production.Originality/valueThis literature review indicated that the economic impact of investment in specific types of floor improvement solutions, investment costs and financial outcomes have received little attention. This study provides insights needed for a more informed decision-making process when selecting optimal flooring solutions for new and renovated barns that improve both animal welfare and ease the burden on farmers and public financial support.
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| 10. |
- Owusu Sekyere, Enoch, et al.
(författare)
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Use and non-use values to explain farmers’ motivation of the provision of animal welfare
- 2021
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Ingår i: European Review of Agricultural Economics. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0165-1587 .- 1464-3618. ; 49, s. 499-525
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This paper examines how differences in motivation in terms of use and non-use values affect the choice of animal welfare improvement practices. The application is focused on Swedish dairy farmers’ preferences for different flooring systems’ attributes. Using multiple indicators and multiple causes and hybrid latent class models, the findings demonstrate that dairy farmers who favour flooring solutions that enhance farm animal welfare are motivated by a complex set of both use values relating to internal and external pressures and non-use values linked to animal freedom, ethical codes of farmers and building business-to-customer relationships. The findings imply that measures to stimulate more uptake of animal welfare improvement practices can be better targeted by using insights into motivational constructs of farmers and by adopting policy communication that captures the whole breadth of use and non-use motivational constructs held by farmers.
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