Animal welfare on Argentinean dairy farms based on the Welfare Quality® protocol framework

Abstract

Animal welfare is a multidimensional concept that comprises animal health, mental state and natural living conditions and plays an essential role in dairy production. On dairy farms, animal welfare can be assessed with different available protocols. The goal of this study was to describe the animal welfare strengths and hazards of dairy farms in Argentina using the Welfare Quality® protocol as a framework. We conducted a literature search using the Scopus database to find articles related to the measures included in the protocol for Argentinean farms. Furthermore, we included data from national statistics. The data available were grouped according to the four principles of the protocol: good feeding, good housing, good health, and appropriate behavior. The results suggest that cows are well nourished; however, water provision is limited because grazing cows need to walk long distances, between 244 m and 460 m, to access a water point. Heat stress is a notable constraint affecting the welfare of cows, as the temperature-humidity index is greater than 72 for at least 100 days during the year. The prevalence of lameness and downer cows was estimated to be 2.2% and 0.7%, respectively, which are below the thresholds for ensuring good welfare. The annual average somatic cell count was 385,000/ml, close to the cutoff recommended for good health. The mortality rate of the cows was higher than recommended. The main strength of Argentinean dairy farms in relation to animal welfare is access to pasture throughout the year for 90% of the farms.