Specific animal-based indicators that can be used to predict animal welfare have been the core of protocols for assessing the welfare of farm animals, such as those produced by the Welfare Quality project. At the same time, the contribution of technological tools for the accurate and real-time assessment of farm animal welfare is also evident. The solutions based on technological tools fit into the precision livestock farming (PLF) concept, which has improved productivity, economic sustainability, and animal welfare in dairy farms. PLF has been adopted recently; nevertheless, the need for technological support on farms is getting more and more attention and has translated into significant scientific contributions in various fields of the dairy industry, but with an emphasis on the health and welfare of the cows. This review aims to present the recent advances of PLF in dairy cow welfare, particularly in the assessment of lameness, mastitis, and body condition, which are among the most relevant animal-based indications for the welfare of cows. Finally, a discussion is presented on the possibility of integrating the information obtained by PLF into a welfare assessment framework.

Production of the autochthonous Portuguese sheep breed Bordaleira de Entre Douro e Minho (BEDM) is directly associated with the concept of sustainable agriculture. This concept focuses on the adaptation of animal populations to adverse environmental conditions, high biological efficiency and traditional management. Native BEDM sheep can be divided into the following two types on the basis of their geographic location in Portugal and how they are managed: the Várzea, which is found mainly in the lower Entre Douro e Minho region, and the Mountain type, which traditionally prefers common areas. In the present work, we analysed records of liveweight, 15 body measurements and eight indexes of the BEDM sheep, to explore the ability to distinguish different characteristics between BEDM sheep populations. The records that were obtained and analysed by principal component analysis for 412 BEDM sheep (68 males and 344 females) included the following: heights at withers (HW), at back (HB), at rump (HR) and at chest (HC); lengths of trunk (LT), of rump (LR), of head (LH) and of perineum (LP); widths of head (WH), of chest (WC), of biiliac (WBIIL) and of biischiatic (WBIIS); perimeters of the shin (PS), thorax (PT), and abdomen (PA); and finally indexes such as cephalic index (CI), thoracic index (TI), pelvic index (PI), body index (BI), relative chest depth index (RDCI), lateral corporal index (LCI), relative shin thickness index (RTSI) and dactyl–thoracic index (DTI). The Várzea BEDM was morphologically superior to the Mountain variety, with this superiority more evident in females. Height measurements, especially HW in adult females, provided an excellent measurement reference for biometrical breed studies. Functional index values confirmed the BEDM Mountain variety’s appropriateness for mountainous regions. Relationships among body measurements suggested that the breed standard needed to be updated. The research presented here was used by the Portuguese Ministery to split BEDM into two new breeds; the traditional variety called Várzea now represents the new BEDM breed, whereas the Mountain variety represents the new Churra do Minho breed.

Holstein-Frisia. Índice de temperatura humedad. Frecuencia respiratoria. Temperatura rectal. Producción de leche. resUMenLas vacas lecheras son animales muy sensibles a los cambios ambientales y requieren alojamientos cada vez más sofisticados para prevenir la aparición de estrés térmico en épocas calurosas que eviten importantes pérdidas económicas por la disminución de producción. El objetivo del presente estudio consistió en la valoración en explotación de indicadores ambientales y de indicadores fisiológicos de estrés de las vacas y su influencia sobre la producción de leche. Se monitorizaron la temperatura y la humedad relativa del aire a intervalos de una hora, a través de sondas digitales colocadas en 4 explotaciones durante 365 días. Paralelamente se recogieron indicadores fisiológicos (temperatura rectal y frecuencia respiratoria) en los animales, en invierno y en verano. Los resultados mostraron temperaturas superiores a 25° C durante 48 días del año, siendo los períodos más críticos primavera y verano. La humedad relativa tuvo una variación de 10 % entre invierno y verano. El índice temperatura humedad (ITH) superó el valor de 72 en 51 días anualmente y el período más crítico de la jornada fue entre las 12:00 y las 16:00 horas (P4), con un ITH medio de 68,0. El paso del ITH de 72 por encima de 78 significó un incremento de 1,3 °C y 37,3 respiraciones por minuto en las vacas lecheras. Se encontró una correlación alta entre la frecuencia respiratoria, temperatura rectal y ambas con el ITH, por lo que estos indicadores fisiológicos resultan ser excelentes predictores de estrés térmico. Los animales expuestos a ITH superior de 78 sufrieron una pérdida de producción de leche de 1,8 kg/vaca/día. Dairy cows have become very sensitive animals to environmental changes, requiring increasingly sophisticated accommodations to prevent the stress that would lead to major production and economic losses. The aim of this study was to assess environmental and physiological indicators of stress in cows and their influence on milk production. The temperature and relative humidity was monitored at intervals of one hour through digital probes placed in four farms for 365 days. Alongside two animal physiological indicators (rectal temperature and respiratory rate) were collected, in winter and summer. The results showed the presence of 48 days in a year with temperatures above 25 °C, with the most critical periods occurring in spring and summer. The relative humidity ranged from just 10 % between winter and summer. The Temperature Humidity Index (THI) exceeded the value of 72 on 51 days per year. The most critical period of the day recorded was between 12:00 to 16:00 p.m. (P4) where the average of THI was 68.0. From THI value below 72 to above 78, a rise of 1.3 °C and 37.3 breaths/minute was observed in the monitored dairy cows. We found a high correlation between respiratory rate and rectal temperature and of both with the THI, highlighting these physiological indicators as excellent predictors of heat stress. The animals ...

SUMMARY:Body measurements in Portuguese Holstein-Friesian breed and its association with the dimensions of the cubicles were investigated. During a period of 5 months, body measurements and cubicles size data from 55 commercial Portuguese dairy herds were collected including in total 1054 individual cows. Data were analyzed using the general linear model and principal components. The most relevant body measurements were: height at withers (141.1±4.72 cm), height at rump (144.2±4.47 cm), length of trunk (170.8±8.31 cm), width of biiliac (55.9±4.17 cm) and perimeter of the thorax (206.8±10.43 cm). In general, the first class of parity showed significant different measures (P<0.001) associated with the development of animals. Head to head cubicle length and cubicle width were 223.0±11.0 cm and 113.0±5.0 cm respectively; whereas in cubicle against wall length was 227.0±18.0 cm and width 111.0±7.0 cm. The highest correlations were found for body measures between the different heights and between the height at chest and perimeter of the thorax. The analysis showed no relation between body measurements and dimensions of the cubicles. Principal component analysis of the different body measurements and cubicles dimensions expressed 51.4% of the total variability, in which the first factor represented 40.2% and the second factor 11.1%.