Animal - Open Space最新文献

{"title":"Effects of hydrogenated fat-embedded calcium gluconate on lactation performance in multiple commercial dairy herds","authors":"M.V. Sanz-Fernandez ,&nbsp;D.J. Seymour ,&nbsp;J.B. Daniel,&nbsp;J. Doelman,&nbsp;J. Martín-Tereso","doi":"10.1016/j.anopes.2023.100048","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anopes.2023.100048","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Upon fermentation in the hindgut, gluconate acts as a prebiotic having shown benefits in multiple species. In previous studies, hydrogenated fat-embedded calcium gluconate (<strong>HFCG</strong>), developed to target the hindgut, improved milk and component yields in highly controlled research settings. The objective of the current study was to confirm these results in commercial dairy herds. Six farms, comprising a total of 907 lactating Holstein cows, were enrolled in a randomised cross-over design where the supplementation of HFCG (16 g/cow/d) was compared against a control. Farms were randomly assigned to one of the two possible treatment sequences and treatments were applied for ∼56 d. Milk yield and composition were measured on two milk test-days on approximately d 26 and 56 of each treatment period, and an average per animal per period was calculated. The effect of HFCG supplementation on performance was statistically analysed with two approaches: (1) using individually recorded milk yield and analysed milk composition from each test-day retrieved through the cattle improvement cooperative organization CRV (Arnhem, the Netherlands), and (2) using residual performance obtained by subtracting the observed from the predicted values estimated by the herd test-day model of CRV. Supplementing HFCG increased milk yield (3.6%; <em>P</em> = 0.02), protein content (1%; <em>P</em> = 0.01) and yield (4.6%; <em>P</em> = 0.01), and lactose yield (3.4%; <em>P</em> = 0.04); and tended to increase energy-corrected milk (3.1%; <em>P</em> = 0.10). The analysis of the residual performance retrieved similar trends, although with diminished statistical significancy. During the control period, milk yield, fat and protein yield, and urea content residuals were negative and significantly different from zero (<em>P</em> ≤ 0.05), indicating that farms underperformed relative to predictions. In contrast, during HFCG supplementation, farms performed as predicted. Overall, these results confirm the effectiveness of HFCG supplementation at improving performance at farm level.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":100083,"journal":{"name":"Animal - Open Space","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-08-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49706892","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Blood gas parameters of Brahman cattle","authors":"B.P. Santarosa ,&nbsp;S.T. Guerra ,&nbsp;D.O.L. Ferreira ,&nbsp;D.M. Polizel ,&nbsp;L.M. Padilha ,&nbsp;P.F.V. Pereira ,&nbsp;F.E. Dal Más ,&nbsp;A. Pimenta-Oliveira ,&nbsp;J.P. Oliveira-Filho ,&nbsp;R.C. Gonçalves","doi":"10.1016/j.anopes.2023.100047","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anopes.2023.100047","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Blood gas test evaluates hydroelectrolyte, acid-base balance, and lung function. The physiological parameters can be influenced by age and management and environmental factors, as well as the blood sample used: venous or arterial. The objective of this study was to analyze arterial and venous blood gas parameters of healthy Brahman cattle in Brazil, to determine reference values for this breed, comparing age and sex, in addition to evaluating the correlation between arterial and venous results. For the purpose of this research, 80 healthy cattle (40 males and 40 females) were grouped according to different age groups (Group I: from 5 to 30 days; Group II: from 31 days to 6 months; Group III: from 7 to 18 months; Group IV: from 19 to 36 months) and sex. The animals were examined by physical examination prior to the collection of the venous and arterial blood samples. Blood gas analyses were performed immediately after blood collections, using the I-STAT® portable device with EG7+ cartridge. There was a difference among age groups for rectal temperature (<strong>RT</strong>), respiratory rate (<strong>RR</strong>) and heart rate (<strong>HR</strong>), and age × sex interaction for RT and RR. Younger animals (Group I) had higher RT, HR and RR, regardless of sex. Females had higher RT than males, regardless of age. As for blood gas parameters, only oxygen pressure (<strong>PO₂</strong>) and arterial and venous concentrations of sodium ions (<strong>Na⁺</strong>) experienced the interaction between age × sex, while pH, carbon oxygen pressure (<strong>PCO₂</strong>), oxygen saturation (<strong>SO₂</strong>), potassium (<strong>K⁺</strong>), and calcium (<strong>iCa²⁺</strong>) concentrations of arterial and venous blood were influenced by the age of the animals. Calves in the Group I showed the main differences in blood gas parameters compared to adults (Groups III and IV). The neonates (Group I) had lower values of pH and SO₂, and higher values of PCO₂, K⁺ and iCa²⁺ of arterial and venous blood. High correlation could be observed in the values of pH, Na⁺, hematocrit and hemoglobin when measured in arterial and venous blood, therefore, one value can be obtained by the other. The other variables were very dispersed, confirming the differences pointed out in the literature between arterial and venous blood. Finally, the results of this study can be used as a reference for healthy animals of the Brahman breed.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":100083,"journal":{"name":"Animal - Open Space","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-08-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49706998","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The effect of oregano essential oil on Feed Passage Syndrome in broilers: 1. Assessment under field conditions","authors":"D.A. Martinez ,&nbsp;C.L. Ponce-de-Leon ,&nbsp;C. Vilchez-Perales","doi":"10.1016/j.anopes.2023.100046","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anopes.2023.100046","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Feed Passage Syndrome (<strong>FPS</strong>) is a prevalent condition that includes wet excreta, with undigested feed, and loss of feed efficiency, with multiple predisposing factors involved. Alternatives to antimicrobials, including phytogenics, are being studied to control this process. This study aimed to assess oregano essential oil (<strong>OEO</strong>) in broilers subjected to a natural field FPS challenge. Four broiler houses (two males; two females) presenting FPS were divided into two groups per house and assigned to a control or OEO-treated group through drinking water for five days. The FPS was characterized by &gt;30% wet droppings, &gt;50% with undigested feed, &lt;5% with desquamated mucosa, &gt;10% birds with enteritis, and 90% with undigested feed in the lower ileum, and flocks clinically positive for dysbacteriosis. After a five-day treatment, OEO-treated birds showed fewer abnormal droppings (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05), reduced the prevalence of dysbacteriosis (<em>P</em> = 0.0404), and a progressively recovering BW. The OEO treatment showed to influence the Gompertz growth curve parameters (growth rate, <em>P</em> = 0.0165; inflection point, <em>P</em> = 0.0359), potentially reducing the age at the target market weight in 0.8 days. In conclusion, the results indicate that the OEO treatment in drinking water for broilers naturally challenged with the Feed Passage Syndrome may improve excreta characteristics and attenuate the negative impact of the syndrome on the BW.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":100083,"journal":{"name":"Animal - Open Space","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-08-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49706684","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The effect of oregano essential oil on Feed Passage Syndrome in broilers: 2. Assessment under a challenge model","authors":"D.A. Martinez ,&nbsp;C.L. Ponce-de-Leon ,&nbsp;C. Vilchez-Perales","doi":"10.1016/j.anopes.2023.100045","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anopes.2023.100045","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Feed Passage Syndrome (<strong>FPS</strong>) in broilers is a multifactorial condition characterized by wet excreta and decreased feed efficiency, which can be triggered by various contributing factors. Alternatives to antimicrobials, including phytogenics, are being studied to control this process. This study assessed oregano essential oil (<strong>OEO</strong>) in broilers subjected to a FPS challenge model. Three treatments (negative control, neomycin-fed positive control, and OEO-fed group) were included. All treatments were challenged with reused litter, inoculums of <em>Eimeria</em> spp. and <em>Clostridium perfringens</em>, and excess dietary CP. OEO-fed birds showed improved performance, better excreta characteristics, lower frequency of congested mucosa, reverted hyperplasia of the bursa of Fabricius, better antioxidant status, and higher breast and carcass weights and dietary protein and energy efficiencies. The OEO treatment was shown to influence the growth pattern of the broilers. In conclusion, the OEO showed positive effects in broilers challenged with a FSP model.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":100083,"journal":{"name":"Animal - Open Space","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-08-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49706685","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Social interactions, precursors of damaging behaviours, object manipulation, straw rooting, and activity: a detailed data set in undocked pigs under protein restriction","authors":"L. Roch ,&nbsp;E.O. Ewaoluwagbemiga ,&nbsp;C. Kasper","doi":"10.1016/j.anopes.2023.100044","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anopes.2023.100044","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Damaging behaviours, such as tail biting, are common problems in pig production, compromising animal welfare and causing economic losses. Detailed studies are impeded by laborious direct observations. Tail biting is a broader phenomenon that begins long before lesions manifest, and behavioural problems caused by various stressors present themselves weeks before they escalate to damaging behaviour. Therefore, we collected detailed data on behaviours considered precursors to tail biting, such as oral and nasal manipulation of conspecifics. Dietary protein reduction is a promising way to reduce nitrogen emissions in pig manure, but its implications for animal welfare are not yet clear. The CP content in the diet was reduced to 80% of the recommendations. Pigs differ in their ability to utilise dietary proteins; therefore, there might be individual differences in how they cope with the protein reduction. Here, we present detailed data of focal observations of 95 pigs at an experimental farm with undocked tails. Pigs were observed directly by the same person for five minutes on four different days. All actions directed towards objects in the pen, interactions with and confrontations among pen mates, straw rooting behaviour and general activity were recorded. After the behavioural observations, wounds on different body parts and the cleanliness were noted by the same person observing the pigs. The protein efficiency of 94 pigs was obtained. The data set comprises six tables. The first table contains information on the animals, including the identities of their parents, farrowing group, sex, and protein efficiency. The other data tables contain four 5-min observations of each pig on 10 object-manipulation behaviours; 150 interaction behaviours, including reactions; 14 confrontation behaviours and their outcomes and reactions; 10 mounting behaviours, including reactions; two rooting behaviours; seven basic behaviours; and an index of general activity. The observations took place under comparatively good housing conditions. Pigs were given fresh straw daily, <em>ad libitum</em> access to feed, floor space above the legal requirements, and daily cleaning of pens, and they were closely monitored for signs of damaging behaviour; all of these are favourable conditions as they limit stress and the risk of damaging behaviour. These data can be used to further explore the relationships of specific behaviours and phenomena and their association with protein efficiency. The ethogram can be used as a template for further observations. Practitioners could use the data to support pigs’ need for occupation, such as by providing sufficient straw.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":100083,"journal":{"name":"Animal - Open Space","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-06-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49706920","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Lactational performance of cows fed extruded flaxseed in commercial dairy herds","authors":"A. Beauregard,&nbsp;M.-P. Dallaire,&nbsp;R. Gervais,&nbsp;P.Y. Chouinard","doi":"10.1016/j.anopes.2023.100043","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anopes.2023.100043","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The objective of the current on-farm trial was to assess the impact of feeding extruded flaxseed on milk yield and composition. Thirty commercial dairy herds located in the province of Québec, Canada were recruited. The experiment began with a baseline period of 2 months during which each cow received their regular diets. Data collected during this period were used as covariate. Farms were then randomly allocated into a control group (n = 15; 767 cows) which continued to receive their regular diets, or a treatment group (n = 15; 863 cows) which received diets supplemented with extruded flaxseed (0.7 kg/d per cow) during an experimental period of 7 months. Significance was declared at <em>P</em> ≤ 0.05 and tendencies at 0.05 &lt; <em>P</em> ≤ 0.10. Feeding extruded flaxseed did not affect feed intake but increased milk yield by 1.1 kg/d per cow, and feed efficiency by 6.5%. Dietary addition of extruded flaxseed increased milk fat (tendency) and lactose yield, whereas milk protein yield was similar between treatments. Estimated CH₄ intensity were reduced by 1.3 g/L of milk (−9.2%) in herds receiving extruded flaxseed. Feeding extruded flaxseed increased milk fat concentration of <em>cis</em>-9, <em>cis</em>-12, <em>cis</em>-15 18:3 and total n-3 fatty acids. Results of the current on-farm trial confirm observations made under experimental conditions that feeding moderate levels of extruded flaxseed improves production performance in dairy cows.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":100083,"journal":{"name":"Animal - Open Space","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-05-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49713028","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Autophagy modulation in primary culture of porcine satellite cells","authors":"A. Vincent,&nbsp;I. Louveau,&nbsp;F. Dessauge","doi":"10.1016/j.anopes.2023.100042","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anopes.2023.100042","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Autophagy is a lysosomal degradation pathway with a role in the turnover of cell components via self-digestion. Over the past decade, it has been recognised as an essential process to maintain cellular and energy homeostasis. Nevertheless, little attention has been paid to this process in farm animals. In pigs, the role of autophagy in skeletal muscle homeostasis and more specifically on the formation of multinucleated muscle fibres needs to be determined. Primary culture of satellite cells, the resident muscle stem cells, is an appropriate model to investigate macroautophagy (hereafter autophagy), the main autophagy process. The objective of the current study was to evaluate tools to monitor autophagy in this cell model and to specify the role of autophagy on cell differentiation. Samples of <em>longissimus</em> muscle were collected from 3- to 4-day-old piglets. After isolation, satellite cells were plated in growth medium, allowed to proliferate up to 80% confluence and then placed in an appropriate culture medium to differentiate into myotubes. Cells were explored from day 0 to day 3 of differentiation. Autophagy-related proteins and Adenosine Mono Phosphate-activated protein kinase (<strong>AMPK</strong>), a major sensor for cell energy, were detected by Western blotting. Expression of genes related to autophagy were also quantified by qPCR. The Microtubule-associated protein 1 light-chain 3β forms ratio increased during cell differentiation whereas phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase and sequestosome 1 proteins decreased significantly. Mitochondrial protein expression also decreased significantly with satellite cell differentiation. Then, cell treatment with an inhibitor of autophagy flux, Bafilomycin A1, confirmed that autophagy was activated during the conversion of myoblasts into myotubes along with AMPK activation in our satellite cell culture model. In conclusion, we provided tools for porcine autophagy investigation in tissues or cells and demonstrated that basal autophagy and energy metabolism are concomitantly modulated during porcine myogenesis <em>in vitro</em>.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":100083,"journal":{"name":"Animal - Open Space","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-04-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49706995","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Factors influencing concentrate feeding: dairy farmers' perceptions of dairy production system characteristics and market relations","authors":"P.G.L. Lima ,&nbsp;F.I. Bánkuti ,&nbsp;J.C. Damasceno ,&nbsp;G.T. dos Santos ,&nbsp;J.A.R Borges ,&nbsp;F.C Ferreira","doi":"10.1016/j.anopes.2023.100041","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anopes.2023.100041","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>This study aimed to investigate factors that influence the use of concentrate in dairy farms based on farmers' perceptions of dairy system characteristics and relationships with the dairy industry. Data were collected through questionnaires administered on-site to 155 dairy farmers in Paraná State, Brazil. Partial least squares structural equation modeling was used to analyze the data. Dairy farmers' perceptions were measured by the theoretical constructs, concentrate feeding, forage, genetics, management, and market. The results revealed that dairy farmers' decision to adopt concentrate feeding was mainly determined by the genetic construct (defined by herd genetics and breeding technology) and the market construct (defined by the ability of farmers to negotiate milk prices with the industry and the number of interested buyers). Concentrate feeding was also found to be influenced by farmers' perceptions of the management construct (management of costs and animal performance) and the forage construct (forage source and farmers' self-confidence in providing forage to cows throughout the year). These findings suggest that strategies aimed at stimulating concentrate feeding in dairy farms should focus on the following factors (listed in order of importance): genetic improvement, farmer–industry relations, financial and herd management, and forage supply and availability.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":100083,"journal":{"name":"Animal - Open Space","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49713234","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A dataset to study group-housed sows’ individual behaviours and production responses to different short-term events","authors":"M. Durand ,&nbsp;C. Largouët ,&nbsp;L. Bonneau de Beaufort ,&nbsp;J.Y. Dourmad ,&nbsp;C. Gaillard","doi":"10.1016/j.anopes.2023.100039","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anopes.2023.100039","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The relational database SOWELL was created to better understand the behaviour and individual responses of gestating sows facing different short-term events induced: a competitive situation for feed, hot and cold thermal conditions, a sound event, an enrichment (straw, ropes and bags available) and an impoverishment (no straw, no objects) of the pen. The data were collected on 102 crossbred sows equipped with activity sensors, group-housed in video-recorded pens (16–18 sows per pen), with access to automatons. Feeding and drinking behaviours were extracted from the electronic feeders and drinkers’ recordings. Social behaviours, physical activities and locations in the pen were recorded thanks to manual video analysis labelling at the individual scale. Accelerometer fixed on the sows’ ears also recorded individual physical activities. The physical activity was also determined at a group scale by automatic video analysis using deep learning techniques. BWs, back fat thickness, and body condition (cleanliness, body damages) were recorded weekly during the whole gestation. Last gestation room data regarding environmental conditions (temperature, humidity, noise level) were recorded using automatic sensors. The database can fulfil different research purposes, namely sows’ nutrition for example to better calculate the energy requirements regarding environmental factors, or also on welfare or health during gestation by providing indicators.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":100083,"journal":{"name":"Animal - Open Space","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-03-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49706917","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Typology of Brazilian dairy farms based on vulnerability characteristics","authors":"Rosa Maira Tonet ,&nbsp;Ferenc Istvan Bánkuti ,&nbsp;Julio Cesar Damasceno ,&nbsp;Tiago Teixeira da Silva Siqueira ,&nbsp;Melise Dantas Machado Bouroullec ,&nbsp;Maria Marta Loddi","doi":"10.1016/j.anopes.2023.100040","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anopes.2023.100040","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Vulnerability has been a recurring theme in animal production research around the world, as it can lead to a series of outcomes, such as abandonment of the activity. Nevertheless, in Brazil, the fifth-largest milk producer in the world, studies assessing dairy farmers' vulnerabilities are scarce. Better understanding of dairy farm vulnerability may contribute to reducing the consequences of vulnerability. In view of these limitations, we sought to analyze the typology of dairy farms based on vulnerability characteristics. We applied on-site questionnaires to 128 dairy farmers located in Paraná State, Brazil. Structural, productive, and socioeconomic data were collected and subjected to factor analysis. Two vulnerability indicators were identified: F1, productive and economic indicator; and F2, feed self-sufficiency indicator. Hierarchical cluster analysis of factor scores revealed three groups of dairy farms: Group 1, highly vulnerable; Group 2, less vulnerable; and Group 3, non-vulnerable. Dairy farms with higher vulnerability represented most of the sample, followed by less vulnerable and non-vulnerable dairy farms. Our findings indicated that the productive and economic characteristics of farms contributed the most to explaining differences in vulnerability, followed by feed self-sufficiency characteristics. Social characteristics of farmers were not important in differentiating the analyzed sample. There was an interdependent relationship between vulnerability indicators, namely productive and economic characteristics and feed self-sufficiency.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":100083,"journal":{"name":"Animal - Open Space","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-03-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49713232","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}