Pulse Brain · Growing Health Evidence Index
Peer-reviewed

Comparison of the welfare of beef cattle in housed and grazing systems: hormones, health and behaviour

Andrew S. Cooke; Siobhan Mullan; C. Morten; Jo Hockenhull; Phil Le-Grice; Kate Le Cocq; Michael R. F. Lee; L. M. Cardenas; M. Jordana Rivero

The Journal of Agricultural Science · 2023

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Summary

Animal welfare encompasses all aspects of an animal's life and the interactions between animals. Consequently, welfare must be measured across a variety of factors that consider aspects such as health, behaviour, and mental state. Decisions regarding housing and grazing are central to farm management. In this study, two beef cattle systems and their herds were compared from weaning to slaughter across numerous indicators. One herd ("HH") were continuously housed, the other ("HG") were housed only during winter. Inspections of animals were conducted to assess body condition, cleanliness, diarrhoea, hairlessness, nasal discharge, and ocular discharge. Hair and nasal mucus samples were taken for quantification of cortisol and serotonin. Qualitative behaviour assessments (QBA) were also conduc

Source type
Peer-reviewed study
DOI
10.1017/s0021859623000357
Catalogue ID
NRmo9rin9c-0wv
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