Behaviour of veal calves in individual crates and in group pens.

Wilt, J.G. de

doi:10.18174/njas.v34i2.16810

Cited by 4 publications

(5 citation statements)

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“…In general, group-housed calves are more difficult to load than individually kept calves (Trunkfield, 1990;Albright et al, 1991;Lensink et al, 2001). Albright et al (1991) suggested that Source: Longenbach and Heinrichs (1998).…”

Section: Vi) Handling Unweaned Calvesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Welfare of cattle during transport

Nielsen¹,

Álvarez²,

Bicout³

et al. 2022

EFS2

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In the framework of its Farm to Fork Strategy, the Commission is undertaking a comprehensive evaluation of the animal welfare legislation. The present Opinion deals with protection of cattle (including calves) during transport. Welfare of cattle during transport by road is the main focus, but other means of transport are also covered. Current practices related to transport of cattle during the different stages (preparation, loading/unloading, transit and journey breaks) are described. Overall, 11 welfare consequences were identified as being highly relevant for the welfare of cattle during transport based on severity, duration and frequency of occurrence: group stress, handling stress, heat stress, injuries, motion stress, prolonged hunger, prolonged thirst, respiratory disorders, restriction of movement, resting problems and sensory overstimulation. These welfare consequences and their animal-based measures are described. A variety of hazards, mainly relating to inexperienced/untrained handlers, inappropriate handling, structural deficiencies of vehicles and facilities, poor driving conditions, unfavourable microclimatic and environmental conditions, and poor husbandry practices leading to these welfare consequences were identified. The Opinion contains general and specific conclusions relating to the different stages of transport for cattle. Recommendations to prevent hazards and to correct or mitigate welfare consequences have been developed. Recommendations were also developed to define quantitative thresholds for microclimatic conditions within the means of transport and spatial thresholds (minimum space allowance). The development of welfare consequences over time was assessed in relation to maximum journey duration. The Opinion covers specific animal transport scenarios identified by the European Commission relating to transport of unweaned calves, cull cows, the export of cattle by livestock vessels, the export of cattle by road, rollon-roll-off ferries and 'special health status animals', and lists welfare concerns associated with these.

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Section: Vi) Handling Unweaned Calvesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Welfare of cattle during transport

Nielsen¹,

Álvarez²,

Bicout³

et al. 2022

EFS2

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“…Calves need to rest and sleep in order to recover. They use several postures which include one in which they rest the head on the legs and another in which the legs are fully stretched out (De Wilt, 1985; Ketelaar‐de Lauwere and Smits, 1989; Ketelaar de Lauwere and Smits, 1991). Sleep disruption may occur if comfortable lying positions cannot be adopted or if there is disturbance to lying animals because they are trodden on or otherwise disturbed by other calves.…”

Section: Assessmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Welfare of calves

Nielsen¹,

Álvarez²,

Bicout³

et al. 2023

EFS2

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This Scientific Opinion addresses a European Commission request on the welfare of calves as part of the Farm to Fork strategy. EFSA was asked to provide a description of common husbandry systems and related welfare consequences, as well as measures to prevent or mitigate the hazards leading to them. In addition, recommendations on three specific issues were requested: welfare of calves reared for white veal (space, group housing, requirements of iron and fibre); risk of limited cow-calf contact; and animal-based measures (ABMs) to monitor on-farm welfare in slaughterhouses. The methodology developed by EFSA to address similar requests was followed. Fifteen highly relevant welfare consequences were identified, with respiratory disorders, inability to perform exploratory or foraging behaviour, gastroenteric disorders and group stress being the most frequent across husbandry systems. Recommendations to improve the welfare of calves include increasing space allowance, keeping calves in stable groups from an early age, ensuring good colostrum management and increasing the amounts of milk fed to dairy calves. In addition, calves should be provided with deformable lying surfaces, water via an open surface and long-cut roughage in racks. Regarding specific recommendations for veal systems, calves should be kept in small groups (2-7 animals) within the first week of life, provided with ~20 m 2 /calf and fed on average 1 kg neutral detergent fibre (NDF) per day, preferably using long-cut hay. Recommendations on cow-calf contact include keeping the calf with the dam for a minimum of 1 day post-partum. Longer contact should progressively be implemented, but research is needed to guide this implementation in practice. The ABMs body condition, carcass condemnations, abomasal lesions, lung lesions, carcass colour and bursa swelling may be collected in slaughterhouses to monitor on-farm welfare but should be complemented with behavioural ABMs collected on farm.

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“…Gregory et al reported that slips and falls were the main problems during loading [178], and Bravo et al found that slips and vocalizations were more common during unloading, whereas slips and turning around occurred more frequently during loading [179]. It has also been reported that group-housed calves are more difficult to load than individually kept calves [69,180,181]. While Albright et al found that grouphoused calves were more explorative when loaded onto a vehicle [180], and Trunkfield and Broom reported more balking and turning in group-housed calves than in individually housed calves [69].…”

Section: Fitness For Transportmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It has also been reported that group-housed calves are more difficult to load than individually kept calves [69,180,181]. While Albright et al found that grouphoused calves were more explorative when loaded onto a vehicle [180], and Trunkfield and Broom reported more balking and turning in group-housed calves than in individually housed calves [69]. Lensink et al observed that group-housed calves stopped more often during loading, as indicated by the number of pushes performed by the handlers [181].…”

Section: Fitness For Transportmentioning

confidence: 99%

Current Knowledge on the Transportation by Road of Cattle, including Unweaned Calves

Buckham-Sporer,

Earley,

Marti

2023

Animals

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Transport conditions have the potential to alter the physiological responses of animals to the psychological or physical stress of transport. Transportation may introduce multiple physical and psychological stressors to unweaned calves and adult cattle, including noise, overcrowding, food and water deprivation, extreme temperatures, commingling with unfamiliar animals, handling by unfamiliar humans, and being placed in a novel environment upon arrival. Apart from these factors, the type of road and even driving skill may affect the welfare of animals. One of the concerns regarding cattle transport is that the handling and marketing of animals prior to a journey may lengthen the period of feed withdrawal. Furthermore, feed withdrawal can impact animal welfare through hunger and metabolic stress. Transportation is also associated with a decrease in animal performance as well as an increase in the incidence of bovine respiratory disease. It is well established that the transportation of cattle is a stressor that causes a quantifiable response; however, excessive stress during transport resulting in physiological or pathological changes can be reduced with best management practices. The objective of this review was to analyse the available scientific literature pertaining to the transport by road of cattle, including unweaned calves.

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Behaviour of veal calves in individual crates and in group pens.

Cited by 4 publications

References 0 publications

Welfare of cattle during transport

Welfare of cattle during transport

Welfare of calves

Current Knowledge on the Transportation by Road of Cattle, including Unweaned Calves

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