A review of factors affecting the welfare of weaned replacement heifers in pasture-based dairy production systems

Author:

Verdon MeganORCID

Abstract

The pasture-based replacement dairy heifer is typically housed and managed intensively from birth until weaning, but post-weaning is housed outdoors in paddocks under less intensive management. Little is published about the welfare of the weaned dairy heifer in pasture-based systems. The aim of this review is to consolidate the scientific literature and provide an overview of factors affecting the welfare of weaned heifers on pastoral dairies. Heifer welfare during transition to the milking herd can be optimised through calving support and by pre-exposing heifers to some of the stressful conditions associated with the milking herd. For the former, heifers should be well grown at calving (≥85% mature bodyweight) and could be mated to bulls that will produce a smaller calf (e.g. Jersey bulls, sexed semen to produce a female calf). Sires should be selected for high ease of calving predicted transmitting ability, and farms should develop and implement a calving intervention and assistance policy. Mixing heifers with milking cows prior to calving, exposing them to competitive grazing conditions and training them to the milking parlour may reduce overall stress burden and enhance adaptability, but research is needed to quantify the welfare and productive merit of this sort of program in seasonal pasture-based dairy systems. This review highlights a lack of recent data relating to the management of the replacement heifer between weaning and their first calving. Research needs to document and disseminate modern dairy heifer management practices in pasture-based systems, as these will affect heifer welfare. The following data need to be collected as a priority: (1) frequency that heifers are weighed or receive health assessments, (2) heifer grazing management, (3) frequency and age of surgical removal of supernumerary teats, (4) mortality rate from weaning until the first lactation, and (5) typical procedures to transition heifers to the milking herd, including management of the first calving. There is also a need to document the management and housing conditions of exported dairy heifers living in other countries.

Funder

Dairy Australia

Publisher

CSIRO Publishing

Subject

Animal Science and Zoology,Food Science

Cited by 6 articles. 订阅此论文施引文献 订阅此论文施引文献,注册后可以免费订阅5篇论文的施引文献,订阅后可以查看论文全部施引文献

同舟云学术

1.学者识别学者识别

2.学术分析学术分析

3.人才评估人才评估

"同舟云学术"是以全球学者为主线,采集、加工和组织学术论文而形成的新型学术文献查询和分析系统,可以对全球学者进行文献检索和人才价值评估。用户可以通过关注某些学科领域的顶尖人物而持续追踪该领域的学科进展和研究前沿。经过近期的数据扩容,当前同舟云学术共收录了国内外主流学术期刊6万余种,收集的期刊论文及会议论文总量共计约1.5亿篇,并以每天添加12000余篇中外论文的速度递增。我们也可以为用户提供个性化、定制化的学者数据。欢迎来电咨询!咨询电话:010-8811{复制后删除}0370

www.globalauthorid.com

TOP

Copyright © 2019-2024 北京同舟云网络信息技术有限公司
京公网安备11010802033243号  京ICP备18003416号-3