Management practices that influence the welfare of calves on small family farms

Relić, Renata (author), Starič, Jože (author), Ježek, Jožica (author)

In this Research Reflection we review management practices in small family farms with less than 100 cows. Small farms represent the majority of farms in the EU and the world, and they are of great importance for the economy of a country. On cattle farms, the welfare of calves is of primary importance for the profitability of the herd, and poor management is one of the main factors influencing calf health and survival. Data on the risk factors for calf welfare issues in small-scale farms are limited. For this purpose, the literature data from six world countries were presented and compared, including Serbia and Slovenia where a survey related to the issue was carried out within the COST Action FA1308, DairyCare. Some practices within the following areas in calf management were considered: calving management, care for new-born calves, use of painful procedures, colostrum management, cow–calf separation, calf feeding, weaning, calf housing, and general monitoring. In each of the countries, the health and welfare of calves are threatened by some omissions in rearing practices and the major are related to the new-born calf management, the feeding and watering management, and the application of hygienic measures. Many farmers are well aware of the importance of proper calf rearing; others would need more incentive to improve calf management. Each country should pay attention to the education of farmers about the most common deficiencies in calf management.

• Language: English
• Keywords: Calves, health, management, small farms, welfare
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: VF - Veterinary Faculty
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2020
• Number of pages: Str. 93-98
• Numbering: Vol. 87, suppl. S1
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-118705
• UDC: 636.2.09
• ISSN on article: 0022-0299
• DOI: 10.1017/S0022029920000539
• COBISS.SI-ID: 26059523
• Publication date in RUL: 31.08.2020

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Journal of Dairy Research
• Shortened title: J. Dairy Res.
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• ISSN: 0022-0299
• COBISS.SI-ID: 6400007

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.
• Licensing start date: 31.08.2020

Projects

• Funder: EC - European Commission
• Project number: COST Action FA1308
• Name: DairyCare