Authors : A. Benatallah, F. Ghozlane and M. Marie
Abstract: This study aimed to identify risk factors that have contributed to the degradation of welfare Algerian dairy cows and of each aspect of welfare, the characteristics of farms linked to their degradation in a prospect of improvement. The observations were assessed by the Welfare Quality® Assessment Protocol in 100 dairy farms for 2011 selected on their geographic location, breed, herd size, housing system, milking type and litter. Linear Model were performed using the Genstat Version 15.0 Software (VSN International Ltd., UK) which was used to evaluate the association between farms characteristics and scores of eight criterion (absence of prolonged hunger and thirst, ease of movement, comfort around resting, absence of injury and diseases, expression of other behaviour and good human-animal relationship). The scores varied widely between farms (small and large) and between systems (p<0.001). Farms with hampered system (tied stalls), obtained lower scores for ‘absence of prolonged thirst’, ‘ease of movement’ and ‘expression of other behaviour’; farms with Holstein cows obtained lower scores for ‘absence of prolonged hunger’, ‘good human-animal relationship’ and ‘comfort around resting: particularly a long lying down times and high dirt frequency at three body areas (legs, udder and hindquarter). Also, the farms without litter and mechanically milked have obtained lower scores for ‘absence of injuries’ and ‘absence of disease’.
A. Benatallah, F. Ghozlane and M. Marie, 2015. Characteristics of Algerian Dairy Cows Associated with Degradation of Wellbeing Using the Welfare Quality® Assessment Protocol. Journal of Animal and Veterinary Advances, 14: 110-118.