We aimed to verify whether a low number of relevant animal-based indicators was able to discriminate 33 semi-intensive (grazing during the day and confinement during the night with access to an outdoor paddock; S-INT) and 8 intensive farms (permanent confinement with access to an outdoor paddock; INT) located in the Mexican semi-desert. In addition, we implemented the resource-based assessment scheme Animal Needs Index (ANI) with the identified animal-based indicators to compare the overall level of welfare in INT and S-INT. In particular, we used a protocol made up of 2 parts. The first comprised 4 evaluation sheets (locomotion, flooring, environment, management) and resource-based indicators derived from ANI, and the second one comprised a set of validated animal-based measures focusing on physical conditions and clinical signs of disease derived from the Animal Welfare Indicators scheme and reported in 2 additional sheets. The scoring system was also derived from ANI, with partial scores for each sheet to be summed to obtain the total score. A total of 1,116 dairy goats were assessed. All the observations and recordings were performed by an expert veterinarian evaluator assisted by an auxiliary, and longevity was retrieved from the farm records. The prevalence of animals displaying dirtiness, ocular discharge, abscesses, and claw overgrowth were higher in INT than in S-INT. Disbudding was routinely performed in INT only. Therefore, scurs, indicating improper disbudding, were recorded only in INT. In addition, the longevity of goats raised in S-INT was higher than in INT. Conversely, the prevalence of goats affected by anemia (i.e., FAMACHA scores >2) or lean (i.e., body condition score <2) tended to be higher in S-INT than in INT. No significant differences between the 2 groups of farms were detected for wounds, nasal discharge, integument alterations, fecal soiling, uterine prolapse, and subclinical mastitis. The results obtained using only animal-based measures were confirmed when resource-based variables were also included in the assessment, as 3 out of 6 sheets of the evaluation scheme (i.e., flooring, environment, and health-physical conditions) were scored higher in the S-INT than in the INT. As a consequence, the total score was also higher for S-INT than for INT. We conclude that the selected set of validated animal-based measures was able to discriminate between farms from different production systems. In particular, higher welfare levels were observed in S-INT farms, where the animals were allowed to spend most of the day on natural pasture, compared with INT farms, where the animals were constantly confined. Nevertheless, a certain degree of improvement should also be promoted in terms of anemia and body condition in S-INT farms.

® se recabó la información por encuesta estructurada, medición de recursos y a partir de la observación animal, con ajustes a las condiciones del sistema de producción y respetando el orden y tiempo sugerido por el protocolo. En el análisis de la información se aplicaron los algoritmos de árbol de decisiones, suma ponderada y funciones I-Spline y la integral de Choquet. La clasificación final coloca a todas las UP como aceptables y corroborado en el simulador de WQ ® en línea. La calificación en cada Principio (P) fue de 39 puntos para P1, 48 para P2, 23 en P3 y P4 con 28 puntos. Aun cuando el protocolo es una herramienta útil para la valoración del bienestar animal en el sistema de producción a pequeña escala del altiplano mexicano, la aplicabilidad no es total, por ello se hace necesario el desarrollo de protocolos propios, validados y probados científicamente que representen más fehacientemente la realidad del bienestar animal en este sistema. PALABRAS CLAVE: Vacas lecheras, Bienestar animal, W elfare Quality ABSTRACTAnimal welfare data from production units in Mexico is scarce. An evaluation was done of degree of wellbeing in producing dairy cows by applying the European Welfare Quality ® (WQ ® ) protocol in four municipalities in the state of Hidalgo, Mexico. A total of 1,187 cows were evaluated in producing, dry or pregnant stages. Fifty-two (52) production units were chosen for being smallscale family systems and because producers voluntarily chose to participate. Data collection for the WQ ® formats was by structured survey, resource measurement and animal observation, adjusted to the evaluated production systems and following the order and times suggested in the protocol. Four algorithms were used in data analysis: decision tree; weighted sum; i-spline functions; and Choquet integrals. All the evaluated production units were classified as acceptable, which was corroborated in the WQ ® online simulator. The scores for each Principle (P) were 39 points for P1, 48 for P2, 23 for P3, and 28 for P4. This protocol is clearly a useful tool for evaluating animal wellbeing in small-scale production systems in the high plains of Mexico. However, it is not completely applicable to these systems. Validated, scientifically-tested protocols are needed that more reliably represent the reality of animal wellbeing in these systems.

El efecto a largo plazo de la separación madre-cría en ganado lechero ha sido poco estudiado, no obstante que se ha descubierto que dicho efecto a corto plazo (pocas horas después de la separación) tiene serias repercusiones en el comportamiento y fisiología tanto de la madre como de la cría. Por lo anterior, en esta investigación se estudió el comportamiento social de 30 becerras Holstein destetadas (78 ± 10 kg de peso y 79 ± 7 días de edad), separadas previamente de sus madres a las 24 h post-parto (T1) o inmediatamente después del parto (T2), durante siete semanas. El tiempo de separación madre-cría no afectó el rango de jerarquía social de la cría en las siguientes siete semanas postdestete, ya que el análisis estadístico no mostró diferencias significativas en el Índice de desplazamiento (IDO) e índice de éxito (IDE), tampoco en las variables conductuales. Sin embargo, algunos autores indican que dicho efecto puede mostrarse en la edad adulta, una vez que las crías han alcanzado su madurez sexual, por lo que más investigación al respecto es requerida.