Short communication: The orientation of cubicles plays a role – greater deviation from the north–south direction, more technopathies in dairy cows

IF 4 2区 农林科学 Q1 AGRICULTURE, DAIRY & ANIMAL SCIENCE
M. Prevolnik Povše , D. Slatinek , I. Kramberger , D. Filipič , J. Starič , A. Toplak , U. Erker , A. Mergeduš , D. Škorjanc , J. Skok
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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Magnetic alignment (MA) is a biological phenomenon denoting spontaneous orientation of an animal’s body at rest, when fleeing a threat, hunting, etc. in relation to the Earth’s magnetic field lines, often parallel to the field lines, i.e. in a north–south (NS) direction. MA has been demonstrated in several animal species, including grazing and resting domestic mammals. Based on the assumption that cows prefer to orientate their bodies in the NS direction when resting and sleeping, we hypothesised that MA could contribute to the incidence of technopathies in dairy cows, i.e. various disorders caused by the stable equipment that pose a serious animal welfare problem. It was hypothesised that the incidence of technopathies increases when the cubicles (resting places) orientation deviates from the NS position. The incidence of technopathies was recorded in 34 free-stall dairy farms. The type (hairless patch, scratch, swelling, wound), location and size of the lesions were recorded in almost 1 200 dairy cows. Based on the number of cubicles available and the number of cows, the cubicle-per-cow index (CC index) was calculated and divided into two groups: CC index ≥ 1 for stables with at least one cubicle per cow and CC index < 1 if the number of cows exceeded the number of cubicles available. The orientation of the cubicles was determined by the azimuth (the angle between north and the chosen clockwise direction). The farms were categorised into two groups according to azimuth: NS (azimuth deviating ± 15° from north or south, i.e. 345-15° and 165-195°) and non-NS (azimuth 15-165° and 195-345°). We found that the frequency of cows with technopathies was 30% lower in the NS-orientated cubicles and the number of technopathies per cow was 40% lower in the NS-orientated cubicles than in the non-NS-orientated cubicles. In addition, a higher number of technopathies per cow was observed when the CC index was ≥ 1, with a significant difference in the non-NS-aligned cubicles. According to our results, cubicle orientation has some influence on the incidence of technopathies. Although biological phenomena such as MA are seemingly unimportant and usually overlooked, they should be considered in livestock production when planning the positioning of stable equipment/ cubicle.

简短交流:牛舍的朝向有影响--南北方向偏差越大,奶牛的技术病越多
磁对齐(MA)是一种生物现象,表示动物在休息、逃离威胁、狩猎等情况下身体相对于地球磁力线的自发定向,通常与磁力线平行,即南北(NS)方向。在多个动物物种(包括吃草和休息的家养哺乳动物)中都证明了磁场移动。基于奶牛在休息和睡眠时更喜欢将身体朝向 NS 方向的假设,我们推测 MA 可能是奶牛技术病症(即由牛舍设备引起的各种疾病,造成严重的动物福利问题)发病率的原因之一。我们假设,当隔间(休息场所)的朝向偏离 NS 位置时,技术病的发病率就会增加。在 34 个散栏式奶牛场记录了技术病的发病率。记录了近 1200 头奶牛的病变类型(无毛斑块、抓痕、肿胀、伤口)、位置和大小。根据可用的牛舍数量和奶牛数量,计算出每头奶牛的牛舍指数(CC 指数),并将其分为两组:每头奶牛至少拥有一个隔间的牛舍,CC 指数≥ 1;奶牛数量超过可用隔间数量的牛舍,CC 指数< 1。牛舍的朝向由方位角(北方与所选顺时针方向的夹角)决定。根据方位角将牧场分为两组:NS(方位角偏离北方或南方 ± 15°,即 345-15° 和 165-195°)和非 NS(方位角 15-165° 和 195-345°)。我们发现,与非NS方位的隔间相比,NS方位的隔间中奶牛患锝病的频率低30%,每头奶牛患锝病的数量低40%。此外,当CC指数≥1时,每头奶牛的锝病数量较高,在非NS朝向的隔间中差异显著。根据我们的研究结果,牛舍朝向对技术病的发生率有一定影响。虽然MA等生物现象似乎并不重要,通常也会被忽视,但在畜牧生产中,在规划稳定设备/隔间的定位时应考虑到这些生物现象。
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来源期刊
Animal
Animal 农林科学-奶制品与动物科学
CiteScore
7.50
自引率
2.80%
发文量
246
审稿时长
3 months
期刊介绍: Editorial board animal attracts the best research in animal biology and animal systems from across the spectrum of the agricultural, biomedical, and environmental sciences. It is the central element in an exciting collaboration between the British Society of Animal Science (BSAS), Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA) and the European Federation of Animal Science (EAAP) and represents a merging of three scientific journals: Animal Science; Animal Research; Reproduction, Nutrition, Development. animal publishes original cutting-edge research, ''hot'' topics and horizon-scanning reviews on animal-related aspects of the life sciences at the molecular, cellular, organ, whole animal and production system levels. The main subject areas include: breeding and genetics; nutrition; physiology and functional biology of systems; behaviour, health and welfare; farming systems, environmental impact and climate change; product quality, human health and well-being. Animal models and papers dealing with the integration of research between these topics and their impact on the environment and people are particularly welcome.
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