Can we improve product composition, animal health, and welfare by non-feed management provisions in dairy production?

摘要

Dairy production today seems to be situated between industrial production (e.g., robot milking, feeding stations) and ecological farming. Applying more natural production processes can unite both trends. Some precaution, however, is needed: not everything nominated "ecological" deserves that label. The phrasing "more natural production processes" indicates that: - we only can approach a goal, but never reach it; - moral decisions are involved. An example for a moral decision is to accept the use of pastures in dairy production. Exercise improved fertility, mobility, and resulted in less somatic cells as well as leg and hoof disorders. But exercise and daylight were confounded [Gustafson 1994]. However, cows on pasture are more joyful. The usual objection is that joyful is not a scientific criterion. Yes, to accept pasture because cows are more joyful is based on a moral decision. And today characteristics like joyful are on their way to become a hard measurable variables - thanks to the efforts ofWermelfelder [2002a b]