Cattle behaviour and welfare
A Nordic specialist course arranged by Danmarks JordbrugsForskning (the Danish Institute of Agricultural Sciences), Kvægbrugets Forsøgscenter (the Danish Cattle Research Centre and Dansk Kvæg (the Danish Cattle
Federation) Time and place
11-12 May 2004 at Forskningscenter Foulum (Research Centre Foulum), Blichers Allé 20, DK-8830 Tjele. Accomodation is arranged at Asmildkloster
Landbrugsskole (Asmildkloster Farm Institute), Asmildklostervej 1, DK-8800 Viborg. For those, who do not bring a car, we will arrange for transportation between the Research Centre and the Farm Institute.
Background
Experience shows that production economy can increase, when cattle welfare is improved. At the same time, the cattle well-being will be improved, which fits well into the spirit of the time and the cattle farmers image optimizaton.
Purpose
The purpose of the course is to extend the participants’ knowledge of cattle
behavioural and the exploitation of the theoretical background in the assessment of the cattle welfare. After the course:
• you will be familiar with the behavioural needs of cattle • you will familiar with the sensory faculties of cattle • have a good grasp of methods for measuring behaviour • know, what is normal and what is abnormal behaviour • know about the most important stress reactions
• be able to use the fault-finding tools Target group of the course
Nordic cattle advisors, building advisors, veterinary inspectors, agricultural instructors, Ph.D. students and others, who are interested in cattle behaviour and welfare.
Course topics
During the course, we will deal with the following topics: Environmental
perception. The natural behaviour of the cattle. Behavioural needs. Behaviour and the impact of stress reactions on production. Behaviour and the high-yielding cow’s working day. Cattle housing systems and management. Behaviour and welfare assessment at herd level. Behaviour of calves.
Please note
That after each topic, the participants will pick up the most important messages in groups, and discuss how the learning can be used in practice.
Language English
Course leader
Lene Munksgaard and Eva Søndergaard, Scientists at Danmarks
JordbrugsForskning, Foulum (the Danish Institute of Agricultural Sciences in Foulum). Number of participants 15 – 35 Course no. K-24 Price
DKK 4,800.00 excl. VAT. The price includes course papers and board & lodging as from 11 May 2004 at 09.00 a.m. through 12 May 2004 at 15.30 p.m.
If you would like us to arrange for lodging at Asmildkloster Landbrugsskole as from 10 to 11 May 2004, please inform us when you enroll. Price DKK 375.00. Enrollment
On or before 1 April 2004 to Marianne Borg, Udvikling og Centerservice (National Centre, Development and Centre Services, dept. for continuing education), tel. +45 8740 5502 or by e-mail to [email protected]
Tuesdag 11 May 2004
9.00 Welcome, introduction and presentation 9.30 1.0 Environmental perception
• Sight, sense of smell, hearing, taste and touch
By Mr Clive Phillips, Professor of Animal Welfare, School of Veterinary
Science, University of Queensland, Australia 10.30 Break
10.45 2.0 Natural behaviour
• Locomotion
• Eating and drinking behaviour
• Resting behaviour
• Social behaviour
By Mr Clive Phillips, Professor of Animal Welfare,
12.00 Lunch
12.45 3.0 Behavioural needs
Methods for assessing the behavioural needs
• Tests of choices
• Estimation of demand curves
The most important behaviour to consider
By Ms Margit Bak Jensen, Senior Scientist, Danmarks
JordbrugsForskning, Foulum (the Danish Institute of Agricultural Sciences at Foulum)
14.00 Coffee break
14.30 4.0 Behaviour and the impact of stress reactions on production
• What is a stressor?
• Behavioural and physiological reactions to stress
• Comparison of stressors (acute/long duration)
• Stress and production
By Ms Mette S. Herskin, Post Doc, and Lene Munksgaard, Senior Scientist , Danmarks JordbrugsForskning, Foulum (the Danish Institute of Agricultural Sciences at Foulum)
15.45 Break
16.00 5.0 Behaviour and the working day of high-yielding cow’s
• List of factors which influence the high-yielding cow’s working day
• Breeding
• Crowding
• Access routes and alleys
• Resting area
• Impact of the feed ration’s composition
• Eating and drinking behaviour
• Handling
• Milking – AMS and milking parlours Mr Peter Løvendahl, Senior Scientist,
Danmarks JordbrugsForskning behandler (the Danish Institute of Agricultural Sciences at Foulum) treats the husbandry item
Ms Lene Munksgaard, Senior Scientist, Danmarks
JordbrugsForskning (the Danish Institute of Agricultural Sciences at Foulum)
Mr Kenneth Krogh, Certificate in Cattle Production and Diseases, Dansk Kvæg (the Danish Cattle Federation) treat the remaining items
17.00 Break - sandwich 17.30 Item 5.0 continued
18.30 Departure to Asmildkloster Landbrugsskole (Asmildkloster Farm Institute)
19.30 Dinner and informal gathering
Wednesday 12 May 2004
7.30 Breakfast at Asmildkloster Landbrugsskole (Asmildkloster Farm Institute)
8.15 Departure to Forskningscenter Foulum (Foulum Institute of Agricultural Sciences)
8.30 Item 5.0 continued 9.30 Break
9.40 6.0 Cattle housing systems and management
• Floors
• Lighting
• Group-change
By Mr Clive Phillips, Professor of Animal Welfare, School of Veterinary Science, University of Queensland, Australia 11.10 Break
11.15 7.0 Behaviour of calves
• Cow – calf
• Milkfeeding systems
• Group-housing versus single-housing
By Ms Margit Bak Jensen, seniorforsker, Danmarks
JordbrugsForskning, Foulum (the Danish Institute of Agricultural
12.30 Lunch
13.15 8.0 Behaviour and welfare assessment at herd level
• Purpose and methods
• Behaviour as a welfare indicator
• Examples of results from welfare assessment carried out in dairy cattle herds with cubicles
By Ms Tine Rousing, Scientist, Danmarks JordbrugsForskning, Foulum (the Danish Institute of Agricultural Sciences at Foulum) 14.15 Coffee-break
14.30 9.0 Summary and conclusions
Improvement of cattle welfare in practice
By Mr Kenneth Krogh, Certificate in Cattle Production and Diseases, Dansk Kvæg (the Danish Cattle Federation) 15.00 Evaluation and conclusion
15.30 Departure
A short showing roundtrip in Foulum’s cattle barn and at
Kvægbrugets Forsøgscenter (the Danish Cattle Research Centre) will be arranged, if anybody is interested.
Please note, that foreign participants must have stayed in Denmark for at least 48 hours, before they are allowed to enter the cattle houses.
