FAWB articles
Overcoming the economic impact of dystocia in cattle
An uneventful calving is a prerequisite for a good start in life for the calf and one worry less in the critical transition period of the cow. In contrast, dystocia – difficult labour requiring assistance for calf delivery – is known to cause serious consequences, both for the dam and the calf.
A talk with…Jim Clapp
Dr. Jim Clapp is a veterinary surgeon, currently employed as a research associate at Newcastle University School of Agriculture, in the UK.
A talk with…Colleen Fitzpatrick
Colleen Fitzpatrick is a PhD candidate at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan. Her research focus is on udder health in dairy cattle, particularly looking at the prevalence of coagulase-negative staphylococcus on Saskatchewan dairy herds. Her previous graduate research focused on pain mitigation in dairy cattle with cases of clinical mastitis.
Cows in labour deserve care and attention
Labour pain is inherent to the calving process and is, like in women, probably not completely avoidable. However, by having domesticated cattle - both physically and genetically - we have to accept our responsibility with regard to their health and welfare. As specified in the 5 freedoms of the Animal Welfare Council, we need to diagnose, prevent and treat pain as early as possible.
26% of Holstein cows suffer from dystocia
In a systemaic review, the prevalence and the risk factors for dystocia in dairy cattle were assessed. According to the literature, at least one out of four Holstein cows suffered from dystocia at calving
The impact of pain due to mastitis
For decades, the treatment of clinical mastitis was focused on resolving the clinical signs, so the cow can continue to be milked. With a growing understanding of the biology and epidemiology of mastitis, as well as tightening market requirements for milk quality, bacteriological cure and a low cell count have become the main objectives of mastitis treatment.
A talk with... Xavier Manteca, Farm Animal Welfare Education Center (FAWEC)
Prof. Xavier Manteca is professor at the School of Veterinary Science at Barcelona, where he teaches animal behaviour and animal welfare. He has been member of various working groups of the Panel on Animal Health and Welfare of the European Food Safety Authority and has published around 100 articles in prestigious international journals. He is the driving force behind the Farm Animal Welfare Education Center (FAWEC).
Marina von Keyserlingk and Daniel Weary win first Ruminant Well-being Award
Marina von Keyserlingk and Daniel Weary, University of British Columbia, Canada win the first Ruminant Well-being Award, worth €15,000. The award committee appreciated their fundamental contributions to cattle welfare over the course of 15 years of collaboration. The Ruminant Well-being Award is sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health and awarded by the World Association for Buiatrics (WAB).
Heart rate variability as a measure of dairy calf welfare
Chronic pain or stress in farm animals impacts both their welfare and productivity1. Measuring chronic pain or stress can be problematic using hormonal or behavioural changes because hormones are modulated by homeostatic mechanisms and observed behaviour can be highly subjective. Heart rate variability (HRV) may quantify chronic pain or stress in farmed animal and represents a more robust and objective measure of their welfare.
Empathic veterinarians score cattle pain higher
In human medicine, empathy is considered important because it facilitates the acquisition of information for diagnosis and decisions on therapies. For vets, recognition of animal pain is an essential prerequisite for the treatment of pain in animals.