Comprehensive Animal Husbandry and Welfare Support Notes

Dairy Cattle Management and Terminology

  • Gate Open Knowledge: Fundamental terminology is essential for veterinary students to engage effectively with farm staff and clinical staff during EMS (Extra-Mural Studies).

  • Key Terminology:

    • Bull Calf: A young male dairy animal.

    • Dry Cow: A cow that is not currently being milked. This period occurs between lactations, specifically during the end of pregnancy.

    • Heifer: A young female cow that has not yet given birth to a calf.

    • Bull: An intact adult male.

    • Castrated Male: A male animal that has had its testicles removed.

  • The Lactation Cycle:

    • Lactation Length: A standard lactation period for a dairy cow is approximately 1010 months or roughly 300300 days.

    • The Dry Period: Usually lasts for 6060 days (the last 22 months of pregnancy). This period is critical to allow the cow's body to rest and prepare for healthy calving, as the fetus consumes significant energy during the final month of gestation.

  • Calf Management and Colostrum:

    • Colostrum: The first milk produced after birth, rich in antibodies. It must be provided to the newborn calf promptly.

    • Thawing Colostrum: When using frozen colostrum, it should be thawed in a water bath at a maximum recommended temperature of 5050 degrees (50 ∘C50\,^{\circ}\text{C}). The colostrum itself should be fed at the calf's body temperature, which is approximately 3737 degrees (37 ∘C37\,^{\circ}\text{C}).

Dairy Breeds and Production Systems

  • Dairy Breeds (Milk Production Focus):

    • Holstein: The most famous high-producing breed (associated with the "Milka" chocolate image).

    • Friesian: Often referred to as British Friesian.

    • Jersey: Part of the Channel Island breeds, smaller in stature with high milk fat content.

    • Brown Swiss: Known for robust milk production.

    • Other Breeds: Swedish Red, Norwegian Red, Simmental, and Fleckvieh (these latter two are sometimes considered dual-purpose but are used for milk).

  • Beef Breeds (Meat Production Focus):

    • Angus: A well-known beef breed.

    • Hereford: A common and important breed in the UK and Europe.

    • Charolais: A large-bodied meat breed.

    • Belted Galloway: Often referred to as "Belted," recognizable by a white stripe; strictly for beef production.

    • Anatomic Differences: Dairy cows are selectively bred for udder development and milk volume, while beef cows are bred for muscle development.

  • High Input vs. Low Input Systems:

    • High Input / High Output: Cows are housed year-round with "zero grazing" (or housed in winter with limited summer grazing). All feed (concentrates) and resources are provided by humans. Typical output is approximately 12,00012,000 liters of milk.

    • Low Input / Low Output: Often referred to as New Zealand style or extended grazing. Cows feed on natural grass with minimal concentrates. Output is lower, approximately 4,0004,000 liters, representing a more natural production level. Common in parts of Australia, New Zealand, Italy, and some areas of the UK.

Housing Systems for Dairy Cattle

  • Loose Housing (Straw Yards):

    • Description: Cows are kept together in a large open space with bedding.

    • Advantages: Allows for socialization and freedom of movement.

    • Disadvantages: Higher risk of mastitis if bedding is not changed frequently; higher labor and cost requirements.

  • Cubicles (Free-Stalls):

    • Description: Individual stalls sized to the cow with specific flooring (mattresses or sand).

    • Advantages: Greater hygiene, prioritized comfort, and reduced risk of mastitis.

    • Disadvantages: Limited social interaction compared to loose housing.

  • Calf Hutches:

    • Description: Individual or pair housing units for calves.

    • Advantages: Easy management of individuals, no competition for food, easier handling, reduced bullying, and significant reduction in crossing contamination or disease spread.

    • Disadvantages: Significant reduction in socialization (though "pair housing" or hybrid systems attempt to mitigate this), higher labor requirements, and increased cost for multiple units.

Pig Husbandry and Terms

  • Pig Terminology:

    • Farrowing: The process of a pig giving birth to piglets.

    • Gilt: A female pig before her first farrowing.

    • Sow: A female pig after her first farrowing.

    • Boar: An intact male pig over puberty intended for breeding.

    • Weaner: A pig after the weaning process.

    • Grower: A pig in the growth stage following weaning.

    • Finisher: A pig ready for slaughter.

  • Breeds: British Landrace, Large White, Hampshire, and Saddleback (Hampshire and Saddleback often look similar).

  • Nutritional Requirements:

    • Lysine: This is often the limiting amino acid for pigs (comparatively, Taurine is essential for cats).

  • Welfare and Behavior:

    • Tail Biting: A stereotypic and aggressive behavior caused by stress factors.

    • Stress Factors: Overcrowding, disease, boredom, poor enrichment, and poor ventilation.

    • Importance of Ventilation: Pigs do not adapt well to heat stress. Proper ventilation is the primary environmental factor to consider in indoor pig farming; failure leads to aggression, infections, and wounds.

Sheep Husbandry and Parturition

  • Equipment:

    • Elastrator: A device used to apply rubber bands for castration or tail docking. The rubber band cuts off the blood supply, leading to ischemic necrosis, which causes the tissues to fall off.

    • Lambing Ropes / Lumbar Snare: Used to assist in parturition (the birthing process) to safely extract lambs.

    • Ear Tag Applicator: Used for identification purposes.

General Husbandry Concepts and Welfare

  • Hardy Breeds: Defined as breeds that can tolerate adverse conditions or factors outside of their comfortable metabolic range without extreme stress.

    • Example: UAE camels are considered more hardy compared to Alpacas or Llamas.

    • Example: Local Gulf sheep are hardier in desert conditions than European breeds.

    • Stratification in UK Sheep: Hill breeds are hardier than Midlands breeds, which are hardier than Lowland breeds.

  • Handling Equipment:

    • Cattle Crush: A narrow, stationary cage used to immobilize cattle for routine tasks such as vaccination, tagging, and weighing.

    • Horse Crush (Bismarck): A similar immobilization device tailored for horses.

Questions & Discussion

  • Question (Audience): Why does poor ventilation lead to tail biting in pigs?

  • Response: Poor ventilation is a major environmental stressor. Pigs are highly susceptible to heat stress, and when their environmental needs are not met, they develop stereotypic behaviors and become aggressive, leading to tail biting and subsequent infections.

  • Question (Audience): How do you distinguish between Hampshire and Saddleback pig breeds?

  • Response: These breeds do look very similar. While posters and AI-generated images may show similarities, students should refer to the original lecture slides to identify specific key differences in their use and markings.

  • Question (Audience): What is the maximum temperature for the water bath used to thaw colostrum?

  • Response: The maximum temperature should be 5050 degrees (50 ∘C50\,^{\circ}\text{C}). While the milk itself is fed at 3737 degrees (37 ∘C37\,^{\circ}\text{C}), the water bath can be slightly higher (4040 to 5050 degrees) to facilitate thawing without denaturing proteins.