Preparatory work for the scientific opinion on welfare assessment of dairy cows in small scale farming systems

Abstract

E and Mounier L, 2015. Preparatory work for the scientific opinion on welfare assessment of dairy cows in small scale farming systems. EFSA supporting publication 2015:EN-852, 109 pp. The present document has been produced and adopted by the bodies identified above as authors. This task has been carried out exclusively by the authors in the context of a contract between the European Food Safety Authority and the authors, awarded following a tender procedure. The present document is published complying with the transparency principle to which the Authority is subject. It may not be considered as an output adopted by the Authority. The European Food Safety Authority reserves its rights, view and position as regards the issues addressed and the conclusions reached in the present document, without prejudice to the rights of the authors. 2 ABSTRACTObjectives of this preparatory work were (i) to collect data for the description and the categorisation of European Small-Scale Dairy Farms (SSDF) based on size, farming system and husbandry practices and (ii) to analyse the feasibility in SSDF of animal-based measures usually used for intensive farming. Criteria identified, through a public call for information and a literature review, to consider a farm as a SSDF were herd size (up to 75 cows including dry and lactating) and a categorisation as "non-conventional". To be eligible as non-conventional, a farm should fulfil at least two criteria of the four following criteria: the farm should be family-run, have low concentrate use, be in a local breed scheme and in a specific production scheme. Literature was reviewed for identifying the risk factors in SSDF and for adapting the welfare assessment to SSDF. An on-farm survey was carried out to assess the feasibility of the protocol and to collect data from 124 dairy farms in four European countries (Austria, France, Italy, and Spain). Assessors were asked to assess the feasibility of the protocol in general, the animal based measures and to suggest improvements where necessary. Farmers were asked about the usefulness of animal-based measures. From 124 dairy farms visited 119 were considered as SSDF. From assessor's experiences, animal-based measures may be applied in SSDF at least during the winter housing period. And there are no reasons to assume that methods and measures of welfare assessment in SSDF is substantially different from larger, intensively run farms. Feeding and access to pasture were the most relevant criteria for the farmers to warrant that animal welfare is ensured in their farm. A large majority of them agreed that animal based measure could be a relevant tool for the improvement of health and welfare and half of them would prefer an external assessment and advice rather than a self-tool assessment. © European Food Safety Authority, 2015 KEY WORDSDairy farms, non-conventional, animal based measures, risk factors, small scale farming DISCLAIMERThe present document has been produced and adopted by the bodies identified above as authors. This task has been ca...

Outcome of a public consultation on the review of the available description and categorization of small scale farming systems for dairy cows

“…3. As explained in the external report on the preparatory work for this opinion (Leeb et al, 2015), indigenous breeds kept by some farmers usually represent a small percentage of the total herd, which puts them at risk of disappearing as a sustainable breed. Thus the concept of indigenous breed encompasses the concept of endangered breeds.…”

“…The use of an indigenous breed was considered one possible criteria and, as explained in the external report on the preparatory work to this scientific opinion (Leeb et al, 2015), in order to avoid farms which retain rare/ local breeds as a hobby, it was agreed that a farm should have more than 50% of the cows belonging to a specific breed to be considered as a local breed farm. Furthermore, use of an indigenous breed is one of the possible criteria used in this opinion, but not the only one, to consider a farm as "nonconventional".…”

“…As explained in the mandate background, the aim of the opinion was not to compare welfare in particular farming systems or countries but to assess the feasibility and limitations of existing welfare assessment protocols in an on-farm survey run in small scale farming systems. As explained in the external scientific report on the preparatory work for this scientific opinion (Leeb et al 2015), the original idea to build a balanced sampling plan representative of the European population of small scale dairy farms was not possible due to limited resources and time and also because currently no database (neither international, nor national) on husbandry and management characteristics of dairy farms is publicly available. Therefore, it was agreed that the sample should cover the broadest diversity of the small scale farming systems.…”

“…Therefore, it was agreed that the sample should cover the broadest diversity of the small scale farming systems. It was decided that the survey could take place in the four countries of the consortium partners participating to the outsourced preparatory work (Leeb et al 2015) because farms within these countries are sufficiently different to represent a broad diversity. A public call for data was launched by the Food and Agriculture Organisation to collect general information about small scale farming.…”