Animal welfare and production in conventional and cow-calf contact dairy systems in Ireland

Sarah E. McPherson

Research output: Thesisinternal PhD, WU

Abstract

Cow-calf contact (CCC) dairy systems, where physical contact is allowed between a calf and her dam or a foster cow, have increased in popularity with consumers and researchers in recent years. However, little research has been performed on CCC systems; the majority of recent research was performed in indoor housing systems with year-round calving. The overarching aim of this thesis was to assess and compare the welfare and production of cows and calves in conventional and CCC dairy rearing systems in Ireland, which has a pasture-based, seasonal-calving dairy system. Therefore, the objectives of this thesis were to: 1) estimate associations between cow and calf welfare and production performance indicators on conventional dairy farms in Ireland; 2) establish a behaviour baseline for group-housed, pre-weaned dairy calves reared under conventional management conditions during the pre-weaning period; 3) investigate the effects of two dam-calf CCC rearing systems on cow production performance, health, and udders, compared to the conventional, no-contact system, within the context of the Irish, spring-calving, pasture-based dairy system; and, 4) measure the physiological health, performance, and behaviour of cows and calves within three dairy systems (two CCC rearing systems and one conventional system) before and after weaning to estimate whether animals within the three investigated systems responded differently. To achieve the first goal, an on-farm welfare assessment survey was performed on farms in the south of Ireland. Different welfare-related variables pertaining to cows, calves, and farmer management were collected and later associated with farm production and health indicators. The second goal was achieved by conducting an experiment where calf behaviour was recorded using videos cameras and scored to generate a behaviour baseline of group-housed dairy calves, reared under normal management conditions, during the pre-weaning period. To achieve the last two goals of this thesis, a prolonged CCC experiment was conducted within the Irish pasture-based, seasonal calving dairy system, where three different calf-rearing systems were investigated (the conventional system and two CCC systems). Various measurements regarding cow and calf welfare and production were collected and investigated. Cow machine milk yield was negatively affected by CCC, both during and after the CCC period, and the process of weaning and separating bonded cow-calf pairs also negatively affected cow and calf performance. In conclusion, this thesis reflected upon animal welfare and production within the conventional dairy system in Ireland, and tried to estimate whether welfare and production could be improved if CCC was adopted.
Original languageEnglish
QualificationDoctor of Philosophy
Awarding Institution
  • Wageningen University
Supervisors/Advisors
  • Bokkers, E.A.M., Promotor
  • Webb, Laura, Co-promotor
  • Kennedy, E., Co-promotor, External person
Award date31 Jan 2025
Place of PublicationWageningen
Publisher
Electronic ISBNs9789465104157
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 31 Jan 2025

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