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COUNTRY LIFE IN BC • JULY 2019 Welfare, reproduction a complex relationship


UBC research attempts to identify reality and perception


For dairy cows, do welfare


and reproduction influence each other? Or can the two


Research by MARGARET EVANS


conditions be at odds with each other? Researchers in the Faculty of Land and Food Systems, UBC recently undertook a review to explore the relationship between reproduction and welfare and the perceptions of both. The complex relationship between welfare and reproduction in cattle” by Caroline Ritter, Annabelle Beaver and professor Marina A.G. von Keyserlingk, was recently accepted for publication in the journal Reproduction in Domestic Animals. “There is no doubt that the


relationship between reproduction and welfare is very complex,” says von Keyserlingk. “Although herd- level measures may give us an indication for poor health and reduced welfare (e.g., high somatic cell count in the bulk tank milk supply, low herd- level fertility rates, etc.), we believe that welfare also needs to be assessed on an individual level. However,


even on an individual level, the relationship is not straightforward; in some cases, there is a positive relationship between welfare and fertility, whereas in other cases, welfare and fertility are negatively correlated. For example, if cows suffer from heat stress,


their welfare is reduced and reproductive performance decreases. In other circumstances, cows with reduced fertility may experience enhanced welfare compared to other cows on the farm, for example, because they do not calve as often, an arguably stressful and painful experience.” Von Keyserlingk says that in addition to on-farm management, high productive and reproductive performance are sometimes prioritized at the expense of animal welfare. In the first weeks after calving, cows may struggle to meet their energy and milk demands and that might set them up for contracting illness. “The animal’s physiology might not be able to cope with the challenges of high milk yield and pregnancy simultaneously and welfare will be reduced.” The researchers also document that housing can limit natural behaviours,


Good production and good health equals good welfare. Or does it? [CATHY GLOVER FILE PHOTO]


especially in conditions such as tie stalls where cows cannot display estrus behaviour and restriction of movement may lead to lack of social interactions. But while tie stalls have been a bone of contention for years between producers and a percentage of the public, they continue to have management value. According to the report, some 39% of US dairy farms and 74% of Canadian dairy farms use tie stalls to enable farmers to efficiently monitor individual cow health and provide individual feeding requirements. (Statistics from the Canadian Dairy


Information Centre indicate that just 4% of barns in BC used tie stalls in 2018.) The issue of male calves sets up a number of welfare issues since many of them are sold through auction yards. “There are numerous issues


[regarding welfare] when transporting calves at very young ages, including increased risk of poor health,” she says. “... These welfare concerns can be reduced or obviated through the use of sexed semen.” Dairy farmers today have options to take advantage of modern reproductive techniques that can


contribute to enhanced welfare. “Female semen can be used


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to breed female (heifer) calves. Because heifer calves are smaller, this results in reduced calving difficulties. The use of female semen also reduces the number of male calves born on the farm and mitigates the welfare issues associated with early transport of male calves. The utilization of polled semen can also mean that calves will be born without horns and will not have to undergo the painful disbudding/dehorning process.” Yet defining welfare can still be challenging. While the general public supports a natural lifestyle for dairy cattle (pasture, social housing for calves, freedom of movement), farmers and many veterinarians put the emphasis on health and production. “Interestingly, there is also some evidence (although not all scientists are in agreement) that selective breeding of cattle for increased milk production has led to an overall decrease in fertility rates,” she says. “Milk production is considered by many to be an indicator of positive welfare, as is fertility. Yet there appears to be a negative correlation between these parameters, outlining the complexity of the relationship between fertility, production, and welfare state.” While good production and good health may seem to equal good welfare, positive welfare inclusive of natural behaviour is much more complex.


Margaret Evans is a freelance writer based in Chilliwack specializing in agricultural science.


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