Indicators to assess goat welfare on-farm in the semiarid region of Brazilian Northeast

Leite, Luana Oliveira; Stamm, Fabiana de Orte; Garcia, Rita de Cássia Maria

doi:10.1590/0103-8478cr20161073

Cited by 7 publications

(19 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…According to Alam et al [ 24 ], indigenous goats exposed to zero, four and eight hours of heat stress showed a significant difference in their rectal temperatures. Further, similar findings occurred in Osmanabadi, Malabari and Salem Black goat breeds of southern India [ 21 ], Barbari goats of Northern India [ 33 ], and Brown-Pardo-Sertaneja, Azul, Graúna and Moxotó breeds of Brazil [ 50 , 51 , 52 , 53 ].…”

Section: Physiological Mechanisms Of Goats Towards Adaptation or Reaction To Heat Stresssupporting

confidence: 63%

Heat Stress and Goat Welfare: Adaptation and Production Considerations

Sejian

Silpa

Nair

et al. 2021

Animals

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This review attempted to collate and synthesize information on goat welfare and production constraints during heat stress exposure. Among the farm animals, goats arguably are considered the best-suited animals to survive in tropical climates. Heat stress was found to negatively influence growth, milk and meat production and compromised the immune response, thereby significantly reducing goats’ welfare under extensive conditions and transportation. Although considered extremely adapted to tropical climates, their production can be compromised to cope with heat stress. Therefore, information on goat adaptation and production performance during heat exposure could help assess their welfare. Such information would be valuable as the farming communities are often struggling in their efforts to assess animal welfare, especially in tropical regions. Broadly three aspects must be considered to ensure appropriate welfare in goats, and these include (i) housing and environment; (ii) breeding and genetics and (iii) handling and transport. Apart from these, there are a few other negative welfare factors in goat rearing, which differ across the production system being followed. Such negative practices are predominant in extensive systems and include nutritional stress, limited supply of good quality water, climatic extremes, parasitic infestation and lameness, culminating in low production, reproduction and high mortality rates. Broadly two types of methodologies are available to assess welfare in goats in these systems: (i) animal-based measures include behavioral measurements, health and production records and disease symptoms; (ii) resources based and management-based measures include stocking density, manpower, housing conditions and health plans. Goat welfare could be assessed based on several indicators covering behavioral, physical, physiological and productive responses. The important indicators of goat welfare include agonistic behavior, vocalization, skin temperature, body condition score (BCS), hair coat conditions, rectal temperature, respiration rate, heart rate, sweating, reduced growth, reduced milk production and reduced reproductive efficiency. There are also different approaches available by which the welfare of goats could be assessed, such as naturalistic, functional and subjective approaches. Thus, assessing welfare in goats at every production stage is a prerequisite for ensuring appropriate production in this all-important species to guarantee optimum returns to the marginal and subsistence farmers.

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Section: Physiological Mechanisms Of Goats Towards Adaptation or Reaction To Heat Stresssupporting

confidence: 63%

Heat Stress and Goat Welfare: Adaptation and Production Considerations

Sejian

Silpa

Nair

et al. 2021

Animals

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“…pdf> for goats, or <https://air.unimi.it/ bitstream/2434/269114/2/AWINProtocolSheep.pdf> for sheep). Some parameters based on the literature on goat health (CAROPRESE et al, 2009) and type and cleanliness of facilities for small ruminants in Brazilian Northeast were also added (SEBRAE, 2009;ALENCAR et al, 2010;CODEVASF, 2011;LEITE et al, 2017).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…AWIN Goat protocol was designed to assess the welfare of adult lactating dairy goats raised in intensive and semi-intensive systems, with a primary focus on animal-based indicators (AWIN GOAT, 2015). Although there was no specific protocol for meat goat does, the authors suggested indicators that could be used to evaluate the welfare of these animals in Brazilian Northeast (AWIN GOAT, 2015;AWIN SHEEP, 2015;LEITE et al, 2017). Therefore, the aim of the present study was to apply a protocol to evaluate the welfare of meat goat does in Brazilian Northeast farms, comparing animals kept on semi-intensive and extensive farms, quantifying the welfare problems in both groups and describing some considerations related to the protocol.…”

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confidence: 99%

On-farm welfare assessment in meat goat does raised in semi-intensive and extensive systems in semiarid regions of Ceará, Northeast, Brazil

et al. 2020

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The aim of this study was to apply a protocol based on the Animal Welfare Indicators (AWIN) protocols for small ruminants in Brazilian Northeast farms to evaluate the welfare of meat goat, comparing animals kept on semi-intensive (S) and extensive (E) farms. Fifteen farms located in the Metropolitan Region of Quixadá and Quixeramobim, Ceará, Brazilian Northeast, were recruited. Assessments were performed at group and individual level. Significant differences between S and E farms was set at P<0.05 to all tests. At group level, there was a significant difference between groups, with more goats from E farms affected by heat stress and more animals from S farms presenting oblivion. Resource-based indicators, type of drinkers and access to shelter, differed significantly between S and E systems, with goats on S farms allocated in places with access to water more frequently during night period and protected from wind. Type of facility was more complex for animals on S farms (n=2) than on all E farms due to internal divisions, with S farms presenting feeders, drinking fountains, salt shakers, and slatted or cemented floor. At individual level, abscess and ocular discharge were more frequently observed on S farms and ears lesions were more frequent on E farms, probably due to distinct management of goats. Similarities between results showed that farmers in both production systems faced problems related to heat stress, lack of forage and health issues.

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“…Recently, efforts have been devoted to the development and validation of systems for the evaluation of welfare through animal-based measures, such as the European Animal Welfare Indicators (AWIN), created for sheep, goat, horses, donkeys, and turkeys [12]. Indeed, significant advances in the welfare of small ruminants have recently been achieved [13,14,15].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Assessment of Housing Conditions, Management, Animal-Based Measure of Dairy Goats’ Welfare and Its Association with Productive and Reproductive Traits

Tiezzi¹,

Tomassone

Mancin³

et al. 2019

Animals

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Simple SummarySmall ruminant production systems are generally perceived by consumers to be associated with a high standard of welfare, notably in relation to aspects of traditional breeding. However, their performances have reached the same levels of the dairy cow sector, with similar negative externalities. We aimed to evaluate the welfare of dairy goats of 32 farms located in Northwestern Italy by the application of an on-farm assessment protocol. The farms were classified as ‘intensive’ or ‘semi-intensive’ according to the access to pasture. Overall, we observed an adequate level of animal wellbeing both in intensive and semi-intensive farming systems. This is possible thanks to the increased knowledge on goat breeding characteristics, and to the fact that veterinarians and farmers understood the importance of welfare protection to achieve a better health, although some challenges remain, such as the farmers’ approach toward animals. The importance of the farmer’s role is highlighted by the positive association between the milk yield and the presence of the owner on the farm.AbstractThe aim of the study was to evaluate the welfare of dairy goats of 32 farms located in Northwestern Italy, applying an on-farm assessment protocol, centered on animal-, resources- and management-based measures. The farms were classified as ‘intensive’ or ‘semi-intensive’ according to access to pasture. During each on-farm visit, a checklist was compiled, based on specific scores for housing and management conditions, and animals’ nutritional status, health, and behavior. Finally, the possible association between welfare measures and productive and reproductive traits was assessed. Overall, we observed an adequate level of animal wellbeing both in intensive and semi-intensive farming systems. This is possible thanks to the increased knowledge on goat breeding characteristics, and to the fact that veterinarians and farmers understood the importance of welfare protection to achieve a better health. Higher milk production was associated to some management practices (presence of the owner on the farm, high frequency of bedding change), and to seasonal breeding (which was mainly performed in the intensive farming). Moreover, it was associated to a quantity of urea in the milk comprised between 33 and 44 mg/dL. In intensive farms, the prevalence of caseous lymphadenitis was significantly higher compared to non-intensive farms. The semi-intensive breeding system positively influences the animals’ behavior.

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Indicators to assess goat welfare on-farm in the semiarid region of Brazilian Northeast

Cited by 7 publications

References 15 publications

Heat Stress and Goat Welfare: Adaptation and Production Considerations

Heat Stress and Goat Welfare: Adaptation and Production Considerations

On-farm welfare assessment in meat goat does raised in semi-intensive and extensive systems in semiarid regions of Ceará, Northeast, Brazil

The Assessment of Housing Conditions, Management, Animal-Based Measure of Dairy Goats’ Welfare and Its Association with Productive and Reproductive Traits

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