Baseline Assessment of Dairy Cow Welfare Using Animal and Resource-based Indicators in Camarines Sur, Philippines
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Abstract
The increasing interest in dairy cattle production raises animal welfare issues that need to be assessed and addressed on the farm. No prior studies have assessed the welfare status of dairy cows in small-hold dairy systems in Camarines Sur, Philippines; hence, this study. On-farm animal- and resource-based indicators were applied using the Welfare Quality® Assessment Protocol for dairy cattle to assess herd-level welfare, with binary data reported as percentages of farms. The welfare criteria for animal-based indicators were assessed by observing the dairy cows on the farm. Sixteen dairy farms were assessed, with a total dairy cow population of 125 (mean: 7.8, median: 7.5, mode: 8). The welfare criteria for resource-based indicators were assessed by evaluating the farm resources. The majority of the dairy farms visited have well-fed dairy cows (87%), with low injury rates (13-20%) and disease rates (0-13%). Additionally, they were provided with a comfortable (76-93%) and sufficient (67-100%) resting area, thereby avoiding agonistic behavior (0%). Some dairy farmers need education on the benefits of clean and accessible water and facilities (73-100%) to improve dairy cow welfare. The majority of dairy farmers considered the importance of comfort, protection from adverse weather (67-87%), and spatial requirements (67-100%). However, grooming facilities were absent, compromising dairy cow welfare. The animal-based indicators on the farm reflected better dairy cow welfare; however, some dairy farmers should improve the resource-based indicators to provide their cows with better welfare.
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