Don't forget the dams! Dairy cows' responses to two separation methods after 3 months of cow-calf contact.

Weaning and separation remain among some of the biggest challenges for cow-calf contact systems, making the development of practical and low stress separation methods mandatory for future success of these systems. This study aimed to compare behavioral and physiological responses of dairy cows to separation from their calves after 3 mo of full-time contact with either the 2-step method (NF, 2 wks full-time contact while calves wore a nose flap, 1 wk fence-line contact before total separation, n = 18) or by gradual reduction of contact time between cow and calf (GR, 1 wk half day contact, 1 wk morning contact, 1 wk fence-line contact before total separation, n = 18). Vocalizations and searching behavior were observed on 4 d/wk from 1 wk before separation until 1 wk after total separation.

Dietary Behaviour of Pregnant Women in Ethiopia: The Missing Aspect of Care.

: Nutrition and adequate dietary intake during pregnancy strongly influence the health and well-being of the mother, as well as the physical and cognitive development of the unborn child. While previous studies have documented factors associated with the dietary behaviour of pregnant women in Ethiopia, a comprehensive overview is missing. : The aim of this study was to close this research gap.

Effect of the daily duration of calf contact on the dam's ultradian and circadian activity rhythms.

Cow-calf contact systems are attracting increasing interest among farmers and some are already being implemented into dairy farms. However, a comprehensive assessment of animal welfare in these systems is lacking. One reason for this is the large amount of time required for behavioral observations.

Mix it-cograzing with cattle reduces broiler losses and increases broiler range use.

Pasture access allows broilers to perform a wide range of behaviors and is a prerequisite in organic poultry production, but exposes broilers to various potential hazards including predators. Co-grazing broilers with cattle can reduce land use and could offer protection from avian predation. Thus, we aimed to assess the effects of co-grazing on broiler losses, range use, performance, contact dermatitis and broilers' manipulation of cow pats.

"Purplish Blue" or "Greenish Grey"? Indigo Qualities and Extraction Yields from Six Species.

Indigo quality is determined by its indigotin content. Another quality indicator is colour. For an evaluation of species, indigo samples from , , , , and cultivated in Austria and China were visually classified and analysed spectrophotometrically and using a L*a*b* measuring device.

Can a gradual weaning and separation process reduce weaning distress in dam-reared dairy calves? A comparison with the 2-step method.

The weaning and separation phase remains one of the biggest challenges for cow-calf contact systems, but a gradual process that better mimics the naturally occurring reduction in milk intake has not yet been scientifically investigated. Therefore, the aim of our study was to compare behavioral and physiological indicators of distress in 3-mo-old dam-reared dairy calves (with previous full-time cow-calf contact) weaned and separated either via gradual reduction of contact time with the dam (GR; 1 wk of half-day contact, 1 wk of morning contact, and 1 wk of fence-line contact before complete separation, n = 18) or via 2-step weaning using a nose flap (NF, 2 wk of access to the dam with a nose flap, 1 wk of fence-line contact before complete separation, n = 18). Behavior was recorded 1 wk before (or for lying 3 wk before) weaning start and during the 3 wk weaning and separation period with direct observations on 4 d/wk or via accelerometers (locomotor play, lying behavior).

Sustainable intensification of climate-resilient maize-chickpea system in semi-arid tropics through assessing factor productivity.

Global trends show that the rapid increase in maize production is associated more with the expansion of maize growing areas than with rapid increases in yield. This is possible through achieving possible higher productivity through maize production practices intensification to meet the sustainable production. Therefore, a field experiment on "Ecological intensification of climate-resilient maize-chickpea cropping system" was conducted during consecutive three years from 2017-2018 to 2019-2020 at Main Agricultural Research Station, Dharwad, Karnataka, India.

Incomplete milking before drying off does not impair the udder health of cows infected with minor pathogens.

When implementing the transition from regular milk production to the dry period, drying off is mostly conducted simply by abrupt cessation of milking. Efforts to reduce milk synthesis before cessation of milking aim to reduce stress in cows as well as to lower the risk of mastitis. A previous study demonstrated that incomplete milking during the last ten days of lactation gradually reduced the milk yield of healthy, high-yielding cows.

Pasture-based fattening does not cause severe nonperforating lesions in veal calves of dairy breeds.

Abomasal damage is a known health issue in intensive veal production and is associated with improper housing and feeding. Grass-based veal production could be an improvement, as access to pasture allows the expression of natural behaviors, such as species-specific foraging, and thus can contribute to calf welfare. However, data on the abomasal health of grazed calves have not yet been reported.

Crossing the Old Local Breed Deutsches Lachshuhn with the Layer Breed White Rock: Effects on Laying Performance of the Females and Fattening Performance of the Males.

We tested the novel cross of the old local breed Deutsches Lachshuhn and the layer breed White Rock, as well as purebred Deutsches Lachshuhn, for their suitability as dual-purpose chickens under 100% organic husbandry conditions, and compared their performance and welfare with the two dual-purpose crosses New Hampshire × Bresse and Bresse × White Rock, which are already established in Germany. Chicks were reared in mixed-sex groups until slaughter of the males at 15 or 18 weeks of life. Data on laying performance and animal welfare were recorded until the hens' 72nd week of life.

Effects of grazing platform stocking rate on productivity and profitability of pasture-based dairying in a fragmented farm scenario.

The area adjacent to the milking parlor, accessible for grazing by lactating dairy cows (i.e., the grazing platform [GP]), can be limited on fragmented pasture-based dairy farms.

Alternative Food Networks in Latin America-exploring PGS (Participatory Guarantee Systems) markets and their consumers: a cross-country comparison.

Alternative food networks (AFN) are argued to provide platforms to re-socialize and re-spacealize food, establish and contribute to democratic participation in local food chains, and foster producer-consumer relations and trust. As one of the most recent examples of AFN, Participatory Guarantee Systems (PGS) have gained notable traction in attempting to redefine consumer-producer relations in the organic value chain. The participation of stakeholders, such as consumers, has been a key element theoretically differentiating PGS from other organic verification systems.

Photosensitisation and green egg yolks in laying hens caused by the feeding of ensiled alfalfa leaves.

1. The present study was carried out to determine the effects of feeding ensiled alfalfa leaves (ALS) as an alternative protein source to laying hens under the terms of an organic diet. Due to the occurrence of unexpected negative health effects and undesirable egg yolk pigmentation in the test groups the trial was prematurely stopped and further analysis was conducted to evaluate the responsible substances.

Large-scale mitogenome sequencing reveals consecutive expansions of domestic taurine cattle and supports sporadic aurochs introgression.

The contribution of domestic cattle in human societies is enormous, making cattle, along with other essential benefits, the economically most important domestic animal in the world today. To expand existing knowledge on cattle domestication and mitogenome diversity, we performed a comprehensive complete mitogenome analysis of the species (802 sequences, 114 breeds). A large sample was collected in South-east Europe, an important agricultural gateway to Europe during Neolithization and a region rich in cattle biodiversity.

Blood and adipose tissue steroid metabolomics and mRNA expression of steroidogenic enzymes in periparturient dairy cows differing in body condition.

In high-yielding dairy cows, the rapidly increasing milk production after parturition can result in a negative nutrient balance, since feed intake is insufficient to cover the needs for lactation. Mobilizing body reserves, mainly adipose tissue (AT), might affect steroid metabolism. We hypothesized, that cows differing in the extent of periparturient lipomobilization, will have divergent steroid profiles measured in serum and subcutaneous (sc)AT by a targeted metabolomics approach and steroidogenic enzyme profiles in scAT and liver.

Efficacy of Norway Spruce Ointments and Bacterial and Fungal Alterations in the Treatment of Castration Wounds in Piglets.

This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of Norway spruce ointments on wound healing of castration wounds in piglets. This study included 95 male pigs randomly divided into five treatment groups: Norway spruce balm (Vulpuran), Norway spruce resin (Abilar), pork lard (ointment base of Vulpuran), no treatment (negative control) and antibiotic blue spray (Cyclo spray, positive control). Wound healing parameters (such as healing time, wound size, reddening of wound edges and surrounding, swelling, secretion and wound contamination), microbiological status and the haptoglobin level as an inflammation parameter were investigated.

Post-genotyping optimization of dataset formation could affect genetic diversity parameters: an example of analyses with alpine goat breeds.

Background: Local breeds retained unique genetic variability important for adaptive potential especially in light of challenges related to climate change. Our first objective was to perform, for the first time, a genome-wide diversity characterization using Illumina GoatSNP50 BeadChip of autochthonous Drežnica goat breed from Slovenia, and five and one local breeds from neighboring Austria and Italy, respectively. For optimal conservation and breeding programs of endangered local breeds, it is important to detect past admixture events and strive for preservation of purebred representatives of each breed with low or without admixture.

The effects of farming systems (organic vs. conventional) on dairy cow welfare, based on the Welfare Quality® protocol.

Animal welfare in livestock production is of great interest to consumers. The organic farming approach strives to ensure animal welfare based on preventive measures, but there are very few scientific studies that compare the actual differences in animal welfare between organic and conventional farms. Those studies that have been carried out frequently focus on specific aspects of animal welfare, mostly health issues.

A Results-Oriented Approach for the Animal Welfare Measure of the European Union's Rural Development Programme.

Farm animal welfare is a major concern to the European Union's citizens, addressed in the Rural Development Programmes by a specific animal welfare support measure. Previous evaluation results reveal that the implemented action-oriented measures fail when it comes to improving animal health, an important dimension of animal welfare. Results-oriented measures could compensate for this deficiency, but little is known about their design.

Global data on earthworm abundance, biomass, diversity and corresponding environmental properties.

Earthworms are an important soil taxon as ecosystem engineers, providing a variety of crucial ecosystem functions and services. Little is known about their diversity and distribution at large spatial scales, despite the availability of considerable amounts of local-scale data. Earthworm diversity data, obtained from the primary literature or provided directly by authors, were collated with information on site locations, including coordinates, habitat cover, and soil properties.

Early Immunocastration of Pigs: From Farming to Meat Quality.

The study aimed to test a very early immunization of pigs to prevent boar taint with regard to its practicability and influence on production performance, its reliability in ensuring good meat and fat quality, and animal welfare. Immunization was already conducted at piglet production stage and could be easily integrated into routine vaccination (week 3) and weaning practices (week 7). The fattening and slaughter performance of the animals was not affected by the immunization regime and was within the usual range.

Gentle interactions with restrained and free-moving cows: Effects on the improvement of the animal-human relationship.

The animal-human relationship is essential for farm animal welfare and production. Generally, gentle tactile and vocal interactions improve the animal-human relationship in cattle. However, cows that are fearful of humans avoid their close presence and touch; thus, the animal-human relationship first has to be improved to a point where the animals accept stroking before their perception of the interactions and consequently the animal-human relationship can become positive.