Hostname: page-component-76fb5796d-9pm4c Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-26T11:27:50.057Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Potential animal-centred indicators of dairy goat welfare

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 January 2023

M Mazurek ,
M Marie  and
D Desor
M Mazurek
Affiliation:
Nancy-Université, URAFPA, ENSAIA, BP 172, 54505, Vandœuvre lès Nancy, France
M Marie*
Affiliation:
Nancy-Université, URAFPA, ENSAIA, BP 172, 54505, Vandœuvre lès Nancy, France
D Desor
Affiliation:
Nancy-Université, URAFPA, ENSAIA, BP 172, 54505, Vandœuvre lès Nancy, France
*
* Contact for correspondence and requests for reprints: Michel.Marie@ensaia.inpl-nancy.fr
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

This paper presents five tests based on behavioural and other animal-centred observations concerning dairy goat welfare. An emotional reactivity test (n = 40) classified the animals into different groups according to their behaviour in response to fear-eliciting stimuli, and identified anxious animals. Movement parameters and behaviour, as well as quantitative (number of cries) and qualitative (pitch, intensity, length) sound parameters were recorded. A dominance test (n = 35) based on antagonistic reactions resulted in three hierarchical groups (subordinate, n = 9; intermediate, n = 6; and dominant, n = 20). A test performed in the milking parlour (n = 108) showed that the order of passage was strongly preserved and linked to limb pathology and dominance index. Finally, a lameness test (12.5% were lame) and a standing up test (8.5% had problems getting up) showed that these two parameters were highly correlated. After some simplifications, these tests could form a goat welfare evaluation method.

Keywords

animal welfarebehaviourdominancefeargoatindicators
Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Welfare , Volume 16 , Issue 2: Special Issue: Proceedings of the 3rd International Workshop on the Assessment of Animal Welfare at Farm and Group Level , May 2007 , pp. 161 - 164
Copyright
© 2007 Universities Federation for Animal Welfare

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Barroso, FG, Alados, CL and Boza, J 2000 Social hierarchy in domestic goat: effect on food habits and production. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 69: 35–53CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Beausoleil, N, Stafford, K and Mellor, D 2005 Sheep show more aversion to a dog than to a man in arena test. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 91: 219–232CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Blokhuis, HJ, Jones, RB, Geers, R, Miele, M and Veissier I 2005 Integration of animal welfare in the food quality chain: from public concern to improved welfare and transparent quality. In: van der Honing Y (ed) Proceedings of the 56th meeting of the European Association for Animal Production. 5-8 June 2005. Uppsala, SwedenGoogle Scholar
Broom, DM 1991 Animal welfare: concepts and measurement. Journal of Animal Science 69: 4167–4175CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
El Balaa, R and Marie, M 2004 Evaluation du bien-être animal dans les élevages de petits ruminants. 11emes Rencontres Recherches Ruminants. 8-9 December 2004. Paris, France. [Title translation: Animal welfare evaluation in small ruminant husbandry]Google Scholar
El Balaa, R and Marie, M 2006 Animal welfare considerations in small ruminant breeding specifications. Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Ethics 19: 91–102CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Johnsen, PF, Johannesson, T and Sandøe, P 2001 Assessment of farm animal welfare at herd level: Many goals, many methods. Acta Agriculturae Scandinavia Section A Animal Science Supplementum 30: 26–33Google Scholar
Vandenheede, M, Bouissou, MF and Picard, M 1998. Interpretation of behavioural reactions of sheep towards fear-eliciting situations. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 58: 293–310CrossRefGoogle Scholar