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Faeces from cows with different milk yield and non-lactating cows were applied to soil to investigate whether soil N2O efflux is related to feeding-induced differences in faecal microbiome and abundances of nitrification and denitrification genes. Fungal 18S-rRNA gene abundance was the highest in the faeces of the non-lactating group. The 18S-rRNA/ergosterol ratio showed a strong positive correlation with the 18S-rRNA/fungal glucosamine ratio. The milk-yield groups did not affect the gene abundances of bacterial 16S rRNA, AOB amoA, nirS and nosZ clade I, or the 16S-rRNA/muramic acid (MurN) ratio. In contrast, nirK gene abundance was generally the lowest in the high-yield group. The 16S-rRNA/MurN ratio showed a strong positive correlation with the 16S-rRNA/bacterial PLFA ratio. Cow faeces application to soil increased microbial biomass and ergosterol contents as well as the gene abundances of 18S-rRNA and nosZ clade I, compared with the non-amended control soil. Cumulative ΣCO2 efflux was roughly twice as high as the control, without differences between the faeces treatments. Cumulative ΣN2O efflux showed a 16-fold increase after applying high-yield cow faeces to soil, which was above the sevenfold increase in the non-lactating faeces treatment. The ΣN2O efflux from soil was positively related to faecal MurN and total PLFA concentration but also to soil nirK at day 14. The comparison of genome markers with cell wall (glucosamine) and cell membrane components (ergosterol) showed that the fungal cells were much larger in energy-rich faeces than in C-limited soil. A cow diet reduced in protein decreased the ΣN2O efflux from faeces amended soil.

Reactive nitrogen (Nr) is both a principal factor regulating growth in biological systems and a significant pollutant for the environment. The objective of this paper is to reflect on the challenges of the nutrient management related to and priorities needed to clarify how Nr is employed appropriately whilst striving to mitigate emissions at the same time. To create orientation, valid data are needed reflecting the real-farming emissions (RFE) from individual farms to assess what is needed to balance partly contradicting goals, and to bridge the gap between current and envisaged levels. Furthermore, knowledge is required of which tools and measures are at the farmer's disposal to mitigate Nr emissions. Finally and of utmost importance, the farm management is in need of action knowledge, i.e. knowing how to select the most appropriate and cost-effective tools and measures for the specific conditions on each farm, while taking the possible impacts of their implementation on the balance between Nr-related productivity and threats into account. Dealing with such a complex issue requires a systemic approach, considering the farm system not only as a one-compartment model (1st scale) with quantifiable Nr inputs and outputs at the farm gate but as divisible into sub-systems (2nd scale). The Nr-flow through the sub-systems: feed, livestock, manure and utilised land area, represents an inner-farm Nr-cycle. Each sub-system can be further sub-divided into sub-sub-systems (3rd scale) such as feeding groups within livestock, which could be differentiated in individual animals (4th scale). This approach enables to determine where (and to what extent) nutrients may be allocated more effectively and more cost-efficiently. The allocation of Nr resources between sub-units within the respective sub-systems determines the efficiency in the use of Nr and thus the proportion of Nr contributing either to an increase in productivity or to Nr-related environmental pollution. Quantifying the N-flows through sub-systems of a farm on the 2nd scale is the starting point for benchmarking; providing orientation for the regulation of processes both inside and outside the farm system. It creates target figures for the farm management while identifying the gap between the current ranking level of the farm and its potential rank. Improving the recycling of Nr throughout the whole farm system and increasing the efficiency in the use of Nr on the 3rd and 4th scale are seen as major opportunities for the farm management to balance the trade-offs without comprising productivity. It is concluded that the lack of benchmark RFE values in relation to the amount of food and feed produced can be seen as one of the main barriers in the fight to mitigate environmental Nr emissions from agricultural processes. If benchmarking has not been established, the farm management lacks orientation regarding the target figures it should aim at. Without target figures it is not possible to formulate concise working hypotheses regarding the most effective and cost-efficient use of means that are to the farmer's disposal as well as strategies for an improved allocation of resources in a farm specific context.

The aim of the present study was to classify the diversity of organic dairy farms in four European countries according to their structural characteristics and investigate the association of these farm types with implementation of herd health plans. A Multiple Correspondence Analysis (MCA), followed by Agglomerative Hierarchical Clustering (AHC), was used to classify the farms. Data for the analysis came from a survey of 192 organic farms from France, Germany, Spain and Sweden and contained farm and farmer descriptions from which the typologies were derived. Herd health plans was agreed for each farm, via a participatory approach involving the farmers, their veterinarians and other advisors (e.g. dairy advisors) by the use of an impact matrix. The MCA yielded two principal component axes explaining 51.3% of variance. Three farm groups were identified by AHC using the factor scores derived from the MCA. Cluster 1, the most numerous group (56.7% of the sample), had medium herd sizes with moderate use of pasture and moderate intensity of input use. Cluster 2, representing 17.7% of the sample, were the most extensive system and mainly of very small farm size. Cluster 3 (25.5% of the sample and only found in Sweden), had an intensive management approach, but relatively low stocking rate. The analysis also showed that organic dairy farms adopted differentiated strategies towards economic assets and animal health status, according to group membership. The typology therefore provides insights into the potential for advisory strategies relating to husbandry practices, different housing, pasture management and intensity, etc. adapted to different groups of farms. Regarding herd health plan implementation, Cluster 1 was the group with most implemented actions and Cluster 2 with lowest rate of implemented actions. These results may be used as background for directing (tailored) advice strategies, i.e. different types of organic dairy farms (clusters) may require different types of advisory services and recommendations adapted to the specific farm situation in order to deliver future improvements in animal health. info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersion

With regard to potential applications of genomic selection in small numbered breeds, we evaluated genomic models and focused on potential candidate gene annotations for weight and meat quality traits in the local Rotes Höhenvieh (RHV) breed. Traits included 6,003 birth weights (BWT), 5,719 200 d-weights (200dw), 4,594 365 d-weights (365dw), and 547 records for intramuscular fat content (IMF). A total of 581,304 SNP from 370 genotyped cattle with phenotypic records were included in genomic analyses. Model evaluations focused on single- and multiple-trait models with direct and with direct and maternal genetic effects. Genetic relationship matrices were based on pedigree (A-matrix), SNP markers (G-matrix), or both (H-matrix). Genome-wide association studies (GWASs) were carried out using linear mixed models to identify potential candidate genes for the traits of interest. De-regressed proofs (DRP) for direct and maternal genetic components were used as pseudo-phenotypes in the GWAS. Accuracies of direct breeding values were higher from models based on G or on H compared to A. Highest accuracies (> 0.89) were obtained for IMF with multiple-trait models using the G-matrix. Direct heritabilities with maternal genetic effects ranged from 0.62 to 0.66 for BWT, from 0.45 to 0.55 for 200dW, from 0.40 to 0.44 for 365dW, and from 0.48 to 0.75 for IMF. Maternal heritabilities for BWT, 200dW, and 365dW were in a narrow range from 0.21 to 0.24, 0.24 to 0.27, and 0.21 to 0.25, respectively, and from 0.25 to 0.65 for IMF. Direct genetic correlations among body weight traits were positive and favorable, and very similar from different models but showed a stronger variation with 0.31 (A), −0.13 (G), and 0.45 (H) between BWT and IMF. In gene annotations, we identified 6, 3, 1, and 6 potential candidate genes for direct genetic effect on BWT, 200dW, 365dW, and IMF traits, respectively. Regarding maternal genetic effects, four (SHROOM3, ZNF609, PECAM1, and TEX2) and two (TMEM182 and SEC11A) genes were detected as potential candidate genes for BWT and 365dW, respectively. Potential candidate genes for maternal effect on IMF were GRHL2, FGA, FGB, and CTNNA3. As the most important finding from a practical breeding perspective, a small number of genotyped RHV cattle enabled accurate breeding values for high heritability IMF.

In the present work, macrorestriction analysis was applied to characterize 44 S. uberis field strains isolated from lactating cows suffering from mastitis in three dairy herds in Hesse State, Germany. Analysis of the obtained data by Pulse-Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE) showed that most of the isolates originating from different herds and cows were not related to each other. However, identical macrorestriction patterns were noted in 12 of 13 mastitic quarters in healing process, in three quarters even over the whole sampling period indicating persistent infection. In the present work, PFGE could detect variable levels of similarity ranging from 76 to 100%. The macrorestriction analyses revealed the presence of 10 S. uberis PFGE pattern with more than four bands difference. PFGE profiles with minor differences (only one to three bands) were considered to be subtypes. The use of sensitive genotyping methods like macrorestriction analyses by PFGE enables the differentiation among new and persistent infections. Nevertheless minor changes in macrorestriction profiles could occur which are clearly distinguishable from totally unrelated strains. Keywords: Bovine mastitis, Milk, Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, Streptococcus uberis

Production diseases in dairy cows are multifactorial, which means they emerge from complex interactions between many different farm variables. Variables with a large impact on production diseases can be identified for groups of farms using statistical models, but these methods cannot be used to identify highly influential variables in individual farms. This, however, is necessary for herd health planning, because farm conditions and associated health problems vary largely between farms. The aim of this study was to rank variables according to their anticipated effect on production diseases on the farm level by applying a graph-based impact analysis on 192 European organic dairy farms. Direct impacts between 13 pre-defined variables were estimated for each farm during a round-table discussion attended by practitioners, that is farmer, veterinarian and herd advisor. Indirect impacts were elaborated through graph analysis taking into account impact strengths. Across farms, factors supposedly exerting the most influence on production diseases were ‘feeding’, ‘hygiene’ and ‘treatment’ (direct impacts), as well as ‘knowledge and skills’ and ‘herd health monitoring’ (indirect impacts). Factors strongly influenced by production diseases were ‘milk performance’, ‘financial resources’ and ‘labour capacity’ (directly and indirectly). Ranking of variables on the farm level revealed considerable differences between farms in terms of their most influential and most influenced farm factors. Consequently, very different strategies may be required to reduce production diseases in these farms. The method is based on perceptions and estimations and thus prone to errors. From our point of view, however, this weakness is clearly outweighed by the ability to assess and to analyse farm-specific relationships and thus to complement general knowledge with contextual knowledge. Therefore, we conclude that graph-based impact analysis represents a promising decision support tool for herd health planning. The next steps include testing the method using more specific and problem-oriented variables as well as evaluating its effectiveness.

Managing a dairy farm requires a farm- and cow-specific assessment of the required resources and the revenues obtained from the production process. Due to scientific and practical reasons, the various types of data from a farm, e.g., economic and biologic data, commonly lack connectivity and compatibility at animal level. This means that the economic impacts associated with differences in rearing, productivity and culling as well as the economic values of cow-individual service lives often remain hidden under average figures. This work is based on a two-fold hypothesis: (1) large differences in cow profitability exist between farms but also between individual cows within one farm, and (2) knowledge about the farm-specific economic impact of service life characteristics provides new options for action. In this article, a farm-specific full-cost calculation that links routine herd management data and key economic figures gained from business sheets of the farm's dairy branch is introduced. The new methodology for the calculation of individual income over service life cost was exemplarily tested on a sample of 4,962 culled cows from 32 German dairy farms. Median income over service life cost of culled cows was negative for 19 farms (59 %) and varied largely between farms (-€3,502 to €3,323). Within a given economic situation, i.e., cows of the same farm, the number of lactations was identified as the major lever to cow profitability for most farms, followed by the individual milk yield level and the number of days in milk at culling during last lactation. This indicates that the economic sustainability of the farm is inherently linked to the ability of cows to cope with their environment. The vastly different monetary value associated with, e.g., productivity and longevity parameters and the heterogeneity in the ranking of their effect sizes between farms also show that the economic impacts of herd characteristics are highly farm-specific. Evaluation of the overall lifetime profitability of culled cows along with identification of economically poor farm-specific herd characteristics can help to pinpoint problems, optimize herd management, and prioritize investment necessities.

A key objective of organic pig production is the use of feedstuffs originating entirely from organic and also, if possible, from in house or local production, respectively. However, the supply of protein for the organic pig production so far has not been achieved. Additionally, the European guidelines for organic livestock include a daily offer of roughage for pigs. Young harvested and possibly additionally macerated alfalfa (Medicago sativa), conserved as silage, can be used as a protein source as well as roughage. The potential of alfalfa silage as feedstuff was examined in a feeding trial: 3 feeding groups x 2 gender x 6 repetitions (2 animals/repetition) with 36 fattening pigs crossbred: (Duroc x Pietrain) x (German Landrace x Large White), initial body weight: 29 kg. The control group (A) was fed with a complete feed mixture and the silage groups (B and C) were fed with a supplementary feed mixture (adjusted to the alfalfa silage). Group B and C received alfalfa silage as chopped (B) and as extruded (C) ad libitum. Animals were slaughtered at 100–105 kg live weight. Feed intake, fattening performance and carcass characteristics were determined. The proportion of alfalfa silage in the total daily DM ration of the experimental groups was ~ 20% in the starter phase, ~ 40% in the grower phase and up to 50% in the finishing phase. In this way, approximately 100 kg of concentrated feed per pig and fattening period could be saved in comparison to the control group. Fattening performance and carcass characteristics of the silage groups (groups B and C) did not significantly differ from those of the pigs in control group (A), which was served concentrated feed only. However, the daily gain of all feeding groups (an average of 600 g) was at a relatively low level. Young harvested alfalfa can be an appropriate regional protein source and additionally a possible roughage for organically fattening pigs.

The transfer of knowledge and information gained from scientific investigations into farm practice is a primary constituent of applied agricultural science. The importance of this for both agricultural practice and agricultural science is in stark contrast with the fact that only very few studies have been conducted so far which have focussed on the framework required to achieve a successful transfer of knowledge. Both the necessary prerequisites for and potential barriers to the successful transfer of knowledge regarding the issue of animal health have been the topic of this study taking different stakeholder perspectives into account. Based on a socio-cognitive approach to knowledge transfer, different communication techniques (e.g. estimations of animal health situations, environmental stakeholder analysis and dialogue cafes) were used to depict and record the views on and understanding of different stakeholders on the issue of animal health. The analysis revealed divergence in the understanding of animal health, unclear responsibilities and self-referential judgements as barriers in the process of knowledge transfer. In the face of these constraints it is concluded that a targeted transfer of knowledge with respect to the issue of animal health is considerably compromised, requiring the creation of a framework which would provide the conditions for knowledge transfer. A common strategic goal, limiting the prevalence of production diseases, would help to bypass the current lack of a universally accepted definition of animal health. At the same time, this would function as a quality reference value in line with growing interest in animal welfare in livestock production.

Background: Veterinary remedies are intended to support animals in their recovery from diseases. Treatment outcome depends not only on the general effectiveness of the remedies themselves, but also on other prerequisites. This is true for antibiotics, but even more so for treatments with homeopathic products which are characterised by their individualised approach. While the effectiveness of homeopathy has been addressed in various clinical control trials, the practical conditions under which homeopathic products are used on dairy farms have not yet been investigated. This study provides an initial insight into the existing prerequisites on dairy farms for the use of homeopathy (i.e. the consideration of homeopathic principles) and on homeopathic treatment procedures (including anamnesis, clinical examination, diagnosis, selection of a remedy, follow-up checks, and documentation) on 64 dairy farms in France, Germany and Spain. The use of homeopathy was assessed via a standardised questionnaire during face-to-face interviews. Results: The study revealed that homeopathic treatment procedures were applied very heterogeneously and differed considerably between farms and countries. Farmers also use human products without veterinary prescription as well as other prohibited substances. Conclusions: The subjective treatment approach using the farmers’ own criteria, together with their neglecting to check the outcome of the treatment and the lack of appropriate documentation is presumed to substantially reduce the potential for a successful recovery of the animals from diseases. There is, thus, a need to verify the effectiveness of homeopathic treatments in farm practices based on a lege artis treatment procedure and homeopathic principles which can be achieved by the regular monitoring of treatment outcomes and the prevailing rate of the disease at herd level. Furthermore, there is a potential risk to food safety due to the use of non-veterinary drugs without veterinary prescription and the use of other prohibited substances. Keywords: Dairy cattle, lege artis treatment, Monitoring treatment outcome, Use of homeopathy info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

While glucogenic substances in ketosis prevention are commonly used, there is a lack of clinical studies about the effectiveness of ketosis therapy in particular by means of sodium propionate and herbal extracts. Fresh cows between 5 and 50 days in milk of 25 Swiss and German dairy farms were tested weekly for ketone bodies in blood. From 283 cows, 121 (42.8%) exceeded the threshold of 1.0 mmol/l blood-β-hydroxybutyrate (BBHB). Thereof 84 cows were randomly assigned to three treatments on each farm. Treatment SP-H was composed of sodium propionate (120 g per application) and an aqueous extract of seven herbs (13.5 g drug equivalent per application), treatment SP comprised pure sodium propionate (120 g per application) and treatment PL was a placebo. All preparations were fluid (in total 350 ml per application) and were supplemented with organic molasses (2%) and water. Applications were given orally twice a day shortly after milking for a period of four days. During an observation period of two weeks, milk yield and milk parameters (acetone, protein, urea), body condition score and BBHB were recorded. All three treatment groups had similar initial conditions, except for a non-significantly lower ketone body concentration in blood and milk in group PL. The results indicated a reduction of ketone bodies in all three treatment groups. Mean values in group SP never differed significantly from those of group PL regarding the observed parameters. During the first week of observation milk-acetone (MAC) concentration was reduced in all treatment groups: mean values in group SP-H were on the lowest level and differed significantly from those in group SP (p=0.035) and PL (p

The aim of the study was to assess the suitability of very young harvested alfalfa as a protein source for laying hens. Alfalfa was harvested at a very early stage of maturity, chopped and conserved as silage. A subset of the crop was additionally treated with a twin-screw extruder prior to ensiling. For the feeding trial, four groups were investigated. The control group (A) was fed with a complete feed mixture, groups B and C were offered the chopped and extruded silage, as well as a supplemental feed mixture and group D received pellets which consisted of the extruded silage and the supplemental feed mixture. The silage was calculated to form 20 % (in relation to the dry matter) of the daily diet of the animals. For this purpose, the offered supplemental feed mixture was matched with regard to the nutrient content to the desired silage intake. The feed was offered ad libitum. The silage consumption represented 10 to 20 % of the dry matter intake and is apparently influenced by the offer of the outdoor access. Laying performance, egg weight and body weights of the animals in the experimental groups reached the level of the control group. It was concluded that the use of significant amounts of very young harvested alfalfa which was ensiled is possible without losses of performance in the organic feeding of laying hens. The additional extrusion treatment of the wilted crop had no benefit, either for the ensiling or for the animals’ productivity.

A study was carried out to gain quantitative information on the diet-dependent faecal microbial biomass of dairy cows, especially on the biomass fractions of fungi, Gram-positive (G+) and Gram-negative (G-) bacteria. Groups of high-yield, low-yield and non-lactating cows were investigated at four different farms. A mean faecal microbial biomass C (MBC) concentration of 33.5 mg g-1 DM was obtained by the chloroform fumigation extraction method. This is similar to a mean microbial C concentration of 31.8 mg g-1 DM, which is the sum of bacterial C and fungal C, estimated by cell-wall derived muramic acid (MurN) and fungal glucosamine (GlcN), respectively. However, the response of these two approaches to the feeding regime was contradictory, due to feeding effects on the conversion values. The higher neutral detergent fibre (NDF) and acid detergent fibre (ADF) concentrations in the non-lactating group led to higher (P < 0.05) concentrations of cellulose and lignin in their faeces in comparison with the lactating cows. This change in faecal chemical composition in the non-lactating group was accompanied by usually higher ratios of G+/G- phospholipid fatty acids (PLFA), ergosterol/MBC and fungal C/bacterial C. Although bacteria dominate the faecal microbial biomass, fungi contribute a considerable mean percentage of roughly 20% to the faecal microbiome, according to PLFA and amino sugar data, which requires more attention in the future. Near-infra red spectroscopic estimates of organic N and C fractions of cow faeces were able to model microbial biomarkers successfully, which might be useful in the future to predict its N2O emission potential and fertilizer value. peerReviewed

Internationally, different Video Image Analysis Systems (VIAS) are established to enable categorization of beef carcasses according to a marbling score as determining part of trading categories. Different established standardized cutting positions of longissimus thoracis, among other reasons, hamper the use of VIAS in European countries. The objective of the study was to explore the potential of a VIAS-based grading system VBG 2000 for the estimation of marbling of carcasses cut according to German standards. The correlation coefficient between the camera assessed marbling scores (n = 354 halves of carcasses) at the 10th rib section at the left and right side achieved 0.89 (P .01) and 0.80 (P .01) for camera assessed marbling scores between the right 12th/13th and 10th/11th rib interface of longissmus thoracis. Thus, modification of the cut position towards the US standard provides comparable results, and assessing VIA based marbling scores at the 10th rib is correlated to the 12th rib.

This paper addresses whether it is worthwhile investing time in a more comprehensive documentation and analysis of farm specific data for mastitis treatment. Whilst most farmers keep some records, many refrain from investing more effort in making them more detailed. Therefore, information on farm-specific antibiotic consumption, effectiveness of treatments and the costs of mastitis are lacking; as well as the ability to identify and realise possibilities for improvement. An observational study was conducted on 30 dairy farms, to obtain an overview of farming practice, recording detailed data (using herd management software) on: milk records, diagnostics, preventive and therapeutic treatments and cost of mastitis, on an individual cow level. Out of a total of 30,633 cows, 67% received medication for the treatment or prevention of mastitis over a year. Antibiotics were chosen for 96% of udder treatments; including those for dry cows. Over 32% of the antibiotics used during lactation belonged to the 'highest priority critically important antimicrobial' category. Success of therapeutic treatment (assessed by individual somatic cell count (SCC)) ranged from 18% to 59% and total costs of mastitis per cow and year from € 158 to € 483. The high variations in antibiotic consumption, treatment outcomes and cost of mastitis between farms, showed that average or incomplete figures risk giving the wrong impression of a farm. It is thus worthwhile to invest in documentation and analysis of data, so that it is clear where action is required and which investments can be expected to be financially feasible. Benefits emerge from knowledge of antibiotic consumption allowing monitoring and reduction in antibiotic use (as demanded by consumers and legislation), improvements in animal health and welfare thanks to regular checks of how effective a treatment is, and economic benefits due to knowledge of the costs caused by mastitis.

This study reflects on the recognised need for more joined-up, high-quality research on phytotherapy that addresses the current societal challenges in finding alternatives to the use of antibiotics. The study applied a multidisciplinary participatory approach in an expert workshop exercise within the FP7 EU IMPRO project. Prior to this study, a literature review was elaborated on research in the field of phytotherapy as applied to farm animals, cooperation between research bodies and initiatives to reduce the use of antibiotics by using phytotherapeutic remedies. The review was delivered to the participants of the workshop so as to receive feedback on it and enrich the discussion. Different expertise, background in research or veterinary practice, and varying positions regarding phytotherapy were the criteria in targeting participants. A structured workshop was subsequently organised, with questions to experts addressing scientific validation of phytotherapy, effective treatment under farm conditions and necessary developments for the future. Challenges identified by the experts were as follows: poor study designs, lack of reproducibility of studies, poor standardisation of products, cost–benefit concerns, lack of veterinarian training and poor data availability. To overcome obstacles, the need for improved study designs for clinical trials was given priority in order to prove the efficacy of remedies and to implement a monitoring system which enables the assessment of the effectiveness of treatments in farm practice. Reflections in this report are intended to be a resource for scientists, policy makers and end users for an effective use of phytotherapy at farm level.

Production diseases, such asmetabolic and reproductive disorders,mastitis, and lameness,emerge from complex\ud interactions between numerous factors (or variables) but can be controlled by the right management decisions.\ud Since animal husbandry systems in practice are very diverse, it is difficult to identify the most influential components in the individual farm context. However, it is necessary to do this to control disease, since farmers are severely limited in their access to resources, and need to invest in management measures most likely to have an\ud effect. In this study, systemic impact analyses were conducted on 192 organic dairy farms in France, Germany,\ud Spain, and Sweden in the context of reducing the prevalence of production diseases. The impact analyses were\ud designed to evaluate the interrelationships between farm variables and determine the systemic roles of these\ud variables. In particular, the aim was to identify the most influential variables on each farm. The impact analysis\ud consisted of a stepwise process: (i) in a participatory process 13 relevant system variables affecting the emergence\ud of production diseases on organic dairy farms were defined; (ii) the interrelationships between these variables\ud were evaluated by means of an impact matrix on the farm-level, involving the perspectives of the farmer,\ud an advisor and the farm veterinarian; and (iii) the results were then used to identify general system behaviour\ud and to classify variables by their level of influence on other system variables and their susceptibility to influence. Variables were either active (high influence, lowsusceptibility), reactive (low influence, high susceptibility), critical (both high), or buffering (both low). An overall active tendency was found for feeding regime, housing conditions, herd health monitoring, and knowledge and skills, while milk performance and financial resources tended to be reactive. Production diseases and labour capacity had a tendency for being critical while reproduction management, dry cow management, calf and heifer management, hygiene and treatment tended to have a\ud buffering capacity. While generalised tendencies for variables emerged, the specific role of variables could vary\ud widely between farms. The strength of this participatory impact assessment approach is its ability, through filling\ud in the matrix and discussion of the output between farmer, advisor and veterinarian, to explicitly identify deviations\ud from general expectations, thereby supporting a farm-specific selection of health management strategies\ud and measures.

The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of production disease related indicators on 192 organic dairy farms in Germany, Spain, France and Sweden. The following indicators were used: raised somatic cell count (>100,000 cells/ml, subclinical mastitis), high fat/protein ratio (risk of ketosis), low milk fat (risk of acidosis), prolonged calving interval, clinical lameness, and mortalities of calves and cows. Prevalence of the assessed indicators varied widely between farms and countries. The median prevalence (interquartile range) were 51.3% (15.4) for subclinical mastitis, 10% (7.7) for risk of ketosis, 3.2% (4.7) for risk of acidosis, 42% (20.7) for prolonged calving interval, and 14.2% (20.4) for clinical lameness. The incidence risk of calves dying between 1 and 90 days of age was 0.002 (0.043) per month of risk. Cow mortality was 0.026 (0.048) per year at risk. The assessment has shown that a comprehensive set of indicators can be calculated from readily available data, sparing the need to establish new and costly procedures. Future research should focus on strategies for using the information most effectively to reduce the level of production diseases in organic dairy farms.

Feed intake, feeding and rumination time are important parameters in the identification of suboptimal feeding conditions and possible health disorders. The automatic recording of individual feeding behavior constitutes a reasonable tool for early detection of deviations in feeding behavior and feeding deficiencies. For this reason, a new system for measuring feeding behavior of dairy cows has been developed. The sensor-based system DairyCheck consists of a halter with two incorporated electrodes, a data logger, an accelerometer, power supply, and evaluation software. Measurement of feeding behavior ensues through surface electromyography (EMG), whereby electrical potential oscillations during jaw movements are recorded. Data are transmitted directly via radio transmission to a computer with automatic evaluation software. Automatic analysis software is based on an algorithm to identify single jaw movements and differentiate between active feeding phases and non-active dormant phases. For validation, feeding behavior of 14 cows as determined by both the EMG system and visual observation was analyzed. Results showed adequate agreement of the results of both assessments. However, further progress and research are necessary for automatic data interpretation with a self-learning algorithm, to develop this EMG-based system into an appropriate management tool in the field of precision dairy farming.

With the aim to identify European health and welfare strategies in organic pig production, we summarized information about health and welfare status and potential hazards for organic fattening pigs. The results were primarily based on studies of organic production or comparisons between organic and conventional production. Conventional Danish herds consumed three times as much antibiotics (anthelmintics not included) as the organic herds, whilst there was no difference in mortality rate nor more pigs in need of treatment in the organic herds. Slaughter data indicated that organic pigs had fewer respiratory problems, skin lesions (including abscesses and hernias) and tail wounds compared to conventional pigs. On the other hand, remarks because of joint lesions and white spot livers were more common among organic pigs. The risk of parasitic infections in organic fattening pigs has been confirmed. To control endoparasites, outdoor areas should be rotated with as long interval as possible, i.e. by including the pigs in the crop rotation. Outdoor housing with functional wallows and access to grass and roots or outdoor runs and roughage can enhance pig welfare and reduce pen-mate-directed oral activity and aggression. Minimizing negative environmental impact may conflict with animal welfare, i.e. raising the pigs indoors may not only reduce plant nutrient losses but also reduce the pigs’ activity options. With an increasing number of specialized organic units, implementation of age-segregated production and buying piglets from only one or few units is necessary to maintain a good health in transferred pigs.

In piglet production, Escherichia coli (E. coli) and the presence of lipopolysaccharides (LPS) were considered as predominant causative agents in the aetiology of important diseases of sows and piglets. The aim of the study was to assess the effects of feeding different roughage sources to sows in gestation on the microbiota and endotoxin concentration in colostrum and on the specific immune response of their piglets. In two trial runs, a total of 144 sows were assigned to one of the six dietary treatments: the Control group receiving a concentrate diet and five groups with a restrictive supply of the control diet in combination with straw (S), hay (H), clover grass silage (GS), maize silage (MS) or Jerusalem artichoke (JA). During lactation no roughage was offered. Colostrum samples were analysed for bacteriological and immunological parameters. Blood samples were taken from two piglets per corresponding litter to examine the concentration of C-reactive protein (CRP) and of specific antibodies to LPS of E. coli (strain J5). Roughage feeding had an effect neither on the total bacterial count nor on the content of E. coli in colostrum of sows. The concentration of LPS in colostrum was reduced in Group MS. The concentration of CRP in the colostrum samples was low and independent of the feeding regime (max. 9.3 µg/ml). However, the administration of roughage components rich in crude fibre (Groups H and S) decreased the level of CRP in colostrum significantly. The analysis of the specific immunoglobulin to LPS of E. coli (strain J5) showed a higher concentration of IgG-anti-LPS in blood serum of piglets from sows of Group JA. The results suggest that the inclusion of selected roughage components may have the potential to affect the immunocompetence of sows and their corresponding piglets.

This paper reviews the available information on the different health and animal welfare issues in organic pigs in relation to weaning. It addresses the most relevant health and welfare problems and reviews their potential hazards and associated risk factors. Regarding health, problems related to post weaning diarrhoea, cold stress, skin lesions, endoparasites and post weaning multisystemic wasting syndrome are described. Reasons for distress and frustration in weaned piglets are identified as mainly separation from the mother, a new environment, mixing and fear of humans. Finally, hazards and risk factors for health and welfare in organic weaners are related to animal characteristics, housing systems, feed/nutrition and management. Generally, it is concluded that diseases around weaning are multifactorial in nature, with several factors contributing simultaneously as stressors at the time of weaning. In order to solve problems around weaning, the complexity and the individuality of farm systems need to be taken into account.

The feasibility of using near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) for rapid prediction of nitrogen and carbon fractions of dairy cow feces was investigated. Fecal samples were collected from different farms characterized by differences in milk performances and feeding regimes. Dried fecal samples were first analyzed by chemical analysis for fractions of carbon and nitrogen in terms of ammonium-N (NH 4 -N), water soluble nitrogen (WSN), undigested dietary nitrogen (UDN), bacterial and endogenous debris nitrogen (BEDN), organic matter (OM), total C, neutral detergent fiber (NDFom), acid detergent fiber (ADFom), and lignin(sa). After chemical analysis, the samples were scanned by near infrared reflectance spectroscopy. The fecal spectrum and reference data of the chemical analysis were calibrated and cross validated using the partial least squares regression method. In addition, 24 fecal samples were collected for external validation. The derived coefficient of determination ( R 2 ) for calibration and standard error of calibration (SEC) were measured for total N and for NH 4 -N, WSN, UDN, OM and also for total C as 0.97 and 0.07, 0.92 and 0.02, 0.91 and 0.13, 0.90 and 0.04, 0.95 and 0.51, and 0.97 and 0.29, respectively. The NDFom, ADFom and lignin(sa) showed high R 2 values with 0.97, 0.85, and 0.92. However, SEC values were measured as 1.09, 1.49, and 0.77. The co-efficiency of determination in the cross validation (SECV) attained 3.16, 2.16, and 1.24, respectively, which were on a higher level in comparison to the other fractions. The lowest R 2 was found for BEDN measured as 0.78, with lower SEC as 0.15 and SECV as 0.17. Ratio of SEC to SD concerning the nitrogen fractions ranged between 0.29 and 0.50 and between 0.15 and 0.45 regarding the carbon fractions. The coefficient of determination for external validation was similar to the result obtained from cross validation for all parameters. This study suggested that NIRS is a suitable method for the determination of carbon and nitrogen fractions in dairy cow feces. The inclusion of a higher number of samples is expected to further improve the calibration equations.