Application of Methods to Assess the Welfare of Dairy Cows on Farms in Serbia
Abstract
The last few years, in Serbia are carried out researches in order to collect data of farm animals welfare in different systems of breeding. This paper presents the results of the analysis of the welfare of dairy cows on a farm with free system of rearing. The assessment is based on the degree of satisfaction of animal needs, while the scoring was carried out for appropriate physical, microclimatic and hygienic conditions of housing, social needs, health of animals and the relationship of owners/workers to animals. The results show that the inclusion of a number of parameters can contribute to obtaining more accurate assessment. Also, parameters used for assessment should be adapted to the breeding system and can be used for continuous monitoring of the animal welfare status on the farm.
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