Importance of animal welfare in livestock: improving health and productivity
Keywords:
animal welfare, livestock, cattle, sustainability, profitabilityAbstract
Animal welfare care is essential for optimizing production and reflects an ethical responsibility that impacts how consumers perceive products. The growing demand for responsible practices has prompted producers to adopt international standards that support sustainability. This adoption not only facilitates entry into more profitable markets but also enhances long-term profitability. Additionally, management that reduces stress and ensures proper living conditions improves the quality of products such as milk and meat. Likewise, disease prevention, supported by good animal care, reduces veterinary costs, and ensures a healthier and more efficient production process. In summary, implementing good animal welfare practices not only optimizes economic outcomes but also improves product quality, promoting a more ethical and sustainable production.
References
BICALHO RC, Vokey F, Erb HN, Guard CL. 2009. Visual locomotion scoring in the first seventy days in milk: impact on pregnancy and survival. Journal of Dairy Science. 92(10): 4672-4683.
BENSON L. 2015. Educación en el manejo del bienestar animal. Revista de Bienestar Animal. 9(2):123-135.
BROOM DM. 2010. Animal welfare: An aspect of care, sustainability, and food quality required by the public. Journal of Veterinary Medical Education. 37(1):83-88.
BROOM DM. 2019. Animal Welfare in the Beef Industry. Journal of Animal Science. 97(4): 1895-1902.
BROWN-BRANDL TM, Eigenberg RA, Nienaber JA, Hahn GL. 2005. Comparison of heat tolerance of feedlot heifers of different breeds. Journal of Animal Science. 83(3)1562-1570.
COLLIER RJ, Dahl GE, VanBaale MJ. 2006. Major advances associated with environmental effects on dairy cattle. Journal of Dairy Science. 89(4):1244-1253.
FAO (2012). World Livestock 2012: Animal Welfare and Livestock Production Systems. FAO.
FERGUSON DM, Warner RD. 2008. Have we underestimated the impact of pre-slaughter stress on meat quality in ruminants? Meat Science. 80(1)12-19.
FRASER D. 2008. Entendiendo el bienestar animal: la ciencia en su contexto cultural. Wiley-Blackwell.
GANTNER V, Miji? P, Kuterovac K, Soli? D, Gantner R. 2011. The impact of animal welfare on dairy production. Mljekarstvo. 61(3):223-234.
GAUGHAN JB, Mader TL, Holt SM, Lisle A. 2010. A new heat load index for feedlot cattle. Journal of Animal Science. 88(1)232-241.
GERRARD CL, Parsons DJ, Wilson P. 2019. Consumer perceptions of farm animal welfare, meat quality, and traceability in Europe: An integrative review. Meat Science. 156:1-11.
GONZÁLEZ J, Martínez A, Romero C. 2016. Impacto de la vocalización en el comportamiento social de aves. Comportamiento y Ecología. 27(1):145-159.
GRANDIN T. 1997. Handling and Welfare of Livestock. CAB International.
GRANDIN T. 2001. Livestock Handling and Transport: Improving Animal Welfare. Cambridge University Press.
GRANDIN T. 2007. Improving Animal Welfare: A Practical Approach. Cambridge University Press.
GRANDIN T. 2008. Humane Livestock Handling: Understanding Livestock Handling.
GRANDIN T. 2014. Improving Animal Welfare: A Practical Approach. CABI Publishing.
GRANDIN T. 2019. Behavioral Principles of Handling Cattle and Other Grazing Animals under Extensive Conditions. The Veterinary Clinics of North America: Food Animal Practice. 35(1):1-12.
GREGORY NG, Grandin T. 2007. Animal Welfare and Meat Science. CAB International.
GREGORY NG. 2010. How to Farm for Meat Quality: A Comprehensive Guide. CAB International.
HEMSWORTH PH, Coleman GJ, Barnett JL. 2015. Human-Livestock Interactions: The Stockperson and the Productivity and Welfare of Intensively Farmed Animals. CAB International.
HEMSWORTH PH, Coleman GJ. 2011. Human-Livestock Interactions: The Stockperson and the Productivity and Welfare of Intensively Farmed Animals. CAB International.
HODGKINSON SM, Morris ST, Wilson PR. 2008. The effects of natural light on cattle behaviour in barn systems. Applied Animal Behaviour Science. 110(1-2):25-33.
KADZERE CT, Murphy MR, Silanikove N, Maltz E. 2002. Heat stress in lactating dairy cows: A review. Livestock Production Science. 77(1):59-91.
LAWRIE RA, Ledward DA. 2006. Lawrie's Meat Science. Woodhead Publishing.
LIMA AM. 2008. La comunicación en el manejo de animales. Comportamiento Animal. 76(4):835-846.
LOFGREN I, Mills DS, Pfaff M. 2021. Entrenamiento positivo en el manejo de animales de granja. Revista de Ciencias Aplicadas del Bienestar Animal. 24(3):217-226.
MADER TL, Davis MS, Brown-Brandl TM. 2006. Environmental factors influencing heat stress in feedlot cattle. Journal of Animal Science. 84(3):712-719.
MANCINI RA, Hunt MC. 2005. Current research in meat color. Meat Science. 71(1):100-121.
MITLÖHNER FM, Morrow JL, Dailey JW, Wilson SC, Galyean ML, McGlone JJ. 2001. Shade and water misting effects on behavior, physiology, performance, and carcass traits of heat-stressed feedlot cattle. Journal of Animal Science. 79(1):2327-2335.
MOBERG GP. 2000. Respuesta biológica al estrés: implicaciones para el bienestar animal. Bienestar Animal. Pp. 9-39. CABI Publishing.
OIE (2019). Terrestrial Animal Health Code: Animal Welfare. Organización Mundial de Sanidad Animal.
OLYNK NJ, Tonsor GT, Wolf CA. 2010. Consumer willingness to pay for livestock credence attribute claim verification. Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics. 35(2):261-280.
PATTERSON A. 2019. Diseño acústico en instalaciones para ganado. Revista de Investigación en Ingeniería Agrícola. 134:5-12.
PETHERICK J C, Phillips CJC. 2009. Animal Welfare in Extensive Systems. Springer.
PEW Research Center. 2021. Uso de las redes sociales en 2021. Pew Research Center.
PHILLIPS CJC, Lomas CA. 2001. The perception of cattle regarding light and dark. Animal Science. 72(1):1-12.
RUSHEN J, de Passillé AM, von Keyserlingk MAG, Weary DM. 2011. The Welfare of Cattle. Springer.
SMITH G, Grandin T. 2004. Animal handling and stress reduction techniques for livestock. Veterinary Journal. 168(3):202-215.
TERLOUW EM, Arnould C, Auperin B, Berri C, Le Bihan-Duval E, Deiss V, Mounier L. 2005. The relationship between pre-slaughter stress and meat quality in pigs and cattle. Meat Science. 69(3):529-537.
THOMPSON PN, Stone A, Schultheiss WA. 2006. Use of treatment records and lung lesions at slaughter for epidemiological investigations of respiratory disease in South African feedlot cattle. Preventive Veterinary Medicine. 73(2-3):137-151.
VRANKEN H, Verbeke W. 2018. Impact of global trends on the meat industry: Global consumer demands, sustainability, and transparency. Agricultural Systems. 168:44-53.
VON Borell E. 2001. The biology of stress and its application to livestock housing and transportation assessment. Journal of Animal Science. 79(E-suppl):260-267.
VON Keyserlingk MAG, Weary DM. 2017. Feeding behavior and animal welfare: state of the science and future directions. Animal Production Science. 57(7):1471-1479.
WARRISS PD. 2000. Meat Science: An Introductory Text. CAB International.
WELFARE Quality®. 2009. Welfare Quality® assessment protocol for cattle. Lelystad, The Netherlands: Welfare Quality® Consortium.
WEST JW. 2003. Effects of heat-stress on production in dairy cattle. Journal of Dairy Science. 86(6):2131-2144.
