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A dairy farmer's decision to cull or keep dairy cows is likely a complex decision based on animal health and farm management practices. The present paper investigated the relationship between cow longevity and animal health, and between longevity and farm investments, while controlling for farm-sp ecific charac-teristics and animal management practices, by using Swedish dairy farm and production data for the period 2009 to 2018. We used the ordinary least square and unconditional quantile regression model to perform mean-based and heterogeneous-based analysis, re-spectively. Findings from the study indicate that, on average, animal health has a negative but insignificant effect on dairy herd longevity. This implies that cull-ing is predominantly done for other reasons than poor health status. Investment in farm infrastructure has a positive and significant effect on dairy herd longevity. The investment in farm infrastructure creates room for new or superior recruitment heifers without the need to cull existing dairy cows. Production variables that prolong dairy cow longevity include higher milk yield and an extended calving interval. Findings from this study imply that the relatively short longevity of dairy cows in Sweden compared with some dairy producing countries is not a result of problems with health and welfare. Rather, dairy cow longevity in Sweden hinges on the farmers' investment decisions, farm-specific characteristics and animal management practices.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of sampling technique and milk fraction on bovine milk microbiota data and to compare the microbiota in milk to microbiota on the teat end and in the teat canal. Representative milk samples are highly important for assessment of bacteriological findings and microbiota in milk. Samples were obtained from 5 healthy lactating dairy cows at udder quarter level during 1 milking. Swab samples from the teat. end and teat canal, and milk samples collected using different techniques and in different milk fractions were included. Milk was collected by hand stripping and through a teat canal cannula before and after machine milking, through a trans-teat wall needle aspirate after milking, and from udder quarter composite milk. The microbiota of the samples was analyzed with sequencing of the V1-V3 region of the 16S rRNA gene. In addition, somatic cell counts and bacterial cultivability were analyzed in the milk samples. Microbiota data were analyzed using multivariate methods, and differences between samples were tested using analysis of similarity (ANOSIM). Differences between samples were further explored via individual studies of the 10 most abundant genera. The microbiota on the teat end, in the teat canal, and in udder quarter composite milk, collected using a milking machine, differed in composition from the microbiota in milk collected directly from the udder quarter. No differences in milk microbiota composition were detected between hand-stripped milk samples, milk samples taken through a teat canal cannula, or milk samples taken as a trans-teat wall needle aspirate before or after milking. We conclude that for aseptic milk samples collected directly from the lactating udder quarter, sampling technique or milk fraction has minor effect on the microbiota composition.

It has been well established that milk yield is affected both by milking frequency and due to the removal of residual milk, but the influence of a combination of these factors is unclear. In this study, four mid-lactation cows were used in a 4 × 4 Latin square design to test the hypothesis that the effects of more frequent milking and residual milk removal on milk yield and composition are additive and alter milk fatty acid composition. Treatments comprised two or four times daily milking in combination with (or without) residual milk removal over a 96 h interval preceded by a 2 d pretreatment period and followed by a 8 d washout in each 14 d experimental period. Milk was sampled at each milking for the analysis of gross composition and SCC. Samples of available and residual milk collected on the last milking during each treatment period were collected and submitted for fatty acid composition analysis. Increases in milking frequency and residual milk removal alone or in combination had no effect on milk yield or on the secretion of lactose and protein in milk. However, residual milk removal during more frequent milking increased milk fat yield. Milking treatments had no major influence on the fatty acid composition of available milk, but resulted in rather small changes in the relative abundance of specific fatty acids, with no evidence that the additive effects of treatments were due to higher utilisation of preformed fatty acids relative to fatty acid synthesis de novo. For all treatments, fat composition of available and residual milk was rather similar indicating a highly uniform fatty acid composition of milk fat within the mammary gland.

This research communication describes how different detachment levels (0.48, 0.3 and 0.06 kg milk/min) at the quarter-level affect milk flow profiles and overall milking efficiency in automatic milking systems. We hypothesized a higher detachment level would result in greater mean flow rates without affecting the volume of harvested milk per cow during 24 h compared to lower detachment levels. The data suggest milk flow decreased to a rate below the overmilking limit within the 6-s delay time required for termination in all treatments, but the duration of overmilking was shorter for the greatest detachment level compared to the other treatments. We conclude that setting a detachment level at a greater milk flow rate reduces the duration of overmilking without affecting the amount of milk harvested when applied to cows in mid-lactation during quarter-level milking. We also suggest that the steepness of the decline phase of the milk flow curve might have a larger effect than the actual detachment level on the duration of overmilking.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of 17β-estradiol on mammary tight junctions in cows in late lactation. The experiment included five non-pregnant cows around day 290 in lactation. The cows received injections of 17β-estradiol for six days. The effect of exogenous 17β-estradiol on milk yield, milk composition and lactose in plasma and lactose in urine was investigated before, during and after the treatment. Milk yield decreased after 17β-estradiol injections and lactose in plasma and urine increased, showing an effect on the integrity of the mammary tight junctions. However, there was a delay between hormone injections and the decrease in milk yield and opening of tight junctions, indicating that other factors are involved. A high correlation between lactose in urine and blood plasma was found. More than 30% of the total lactose production was lost in urine after 17β-estradiol treatment.

The importance of rest and sleep is well established; we know, for example, that lack of sleep impairs immune function in rats and increases pain sensitivity in humans. However, little is known about sleep in dairy cows, but a lack of rest and sleep is discussed as a possible welfare problem in cattle. A first step toward a better understanding of sleep in dairy cows is to quantify the time cows spend awake and asleep in different stages of lactation. Using electrophysiological recordings on 7 occasions in wk -2, 2, 7, 13, 22, 37, and 45 in relation to calving, we investigated changes in rapid eye movement (REM) sleep time as well as non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep, drowsing, awake, and rumination in 19 dairy cows of the Swedish Red breed kept in single pens with ad libitum access to feed and water. The recordings on wk -2 and 45 were conducted during the dry period, and all others during lactation. The PROC MIXED procedure in SAS (SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC) was used to test for significant differences in REM, NREM, drowsing, awake, and rumination between the different stages of lactation cycle. Pairwise comparisons between all recording occasions showed that total REM sleep duration was shorter for cows in wk 2 relative to calving compared with wk -2, and the number of REM sleep bouts were fewer in wk 2 compared with wk -2. The REM sleep was recorded during both the day (0500-2100 h) and night (2100-0500 h), but predominantly performed at night compared with daytime, and the bout duration was longer during nighttime compared with daytime. A tendency was observed for time spent in NREM sleep to be shorter in wk 2 relative to calving compared with wk -2. The duration spent drowsing was shorter for cows in wk 2 and 13 relative to calving compared with wk -2. We found no effect of stage of lactation cycle on the duration of awake or ruminating. Our study is the first to assess sleep distribution during a lactation cycle, and our results show that stage of lactation is important to consider when moving forward with sleep investigations in dairy cows. The shortest REM sleep duration was found for cows 2 wk after calving and longest 2 wk before calving, and the difference was due a higher number of REM sleep bouts in the recording 2 wk before calving. The REM sleep and rumination predominantly occurred at night but were recorded during both day and night.

Discoveries of bacterial communities in environments that previously have been described as sterile have in recent years radically challenged the view of these environments. In this study we aimed to use 16S rRNA sequencing to describe the composition and temporal stability of the bacterial microbiota in bovine milk from healthy udder quarters, an environment previously believed to be sterile. Sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene is a technique commonly used to describe bacterial composition and diversity in various environments. With the increased use of 16S rRNA gene sequencing, awareness of methodological pitfalls such as biases and contamination has increased although not in equal amount. Evaluation of the composition and temporal stability of the microbiota in 288 milk samples was largely hampered by background contamination, despite careful and aseptic sample processing. Sequencing of no template control samples, positive control samples, with defined levels of bacteria, and 288 milk samples with various levels of bacterial growth, revealed that the data was influenced by contaminating taxa, primarily Methylobacterium. We observed an increasing impact of contamination with decreasing microbial biomass where the contaminating taxa became dominant in samples with less than 104 bacterial cells per mL. By applying a contamination filtration on the sequence data, the amount of sequences was substantially reduced but only a minor impact on number of identified taxa and by culture known endogenous taxa was observed. This suggests that data filtration can be useful for identifying biologically relevant associations in milk microbiota data.

The aim of this study was to investigate if farmer awareness of longevity can explain why the longevity of dairy cows does not increase in Sweden, despite the fact that the genetic trend for longevity in Swedish dairy cattle is positive. In this study, farmers’ decisions were put in the forefront through a qualitative study with semi-structured interviews. The results showed that farmers seemed well aware of biological factors related to cow longevity, that they think the demands on dairy cows have increased over time and that they correlate the higher demands to shorter longevity. However, the farmers had not worked explicitly with longevity of their own herd. There are subjective management decisions behind a culling of a dairy cow, and the reporting of culling reasons does not mirror the farmer’s reasoning behind the decisions, which is a key factor determining longevity.

Conclusive data regarding behavioural indicators of different sleep states in adult dairy cows are lacking, i.e. agreement between behavioural indicators of sleep and corresponding electrophysiological measures. Behavioural estimates for quantifying total sleep time in calves have been developed, so this study examined whether these behavioural estimates also apply for adult cows. Behaviour observations and electrophysiological readings were recorded for a total of 13 cows during one recording session per cow lasting on average 4 h 22 min. Recording started when the cow was fully awake and finished when at least one probable sleep bout had been recorded. The behavioural estimates used in the study were: ‘lying with head lifted and still’ for non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep, ‘lying with head resting’ for rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and ‘lying with head lifted and moving’ for awakeness. As statistical measures of agreement between behavioural estimates and electrophysiological status (both recorded at 30 s intervals), Cohen's kappa as well as sensitivity and specificity measures were calculated. Additionally, misclassifications were evaluated to better understand agreement between the behaviour and electrophysiological sleep classification. Since interval length might have affected the agreement, the output data were also aggregated into 60, 90 and 120 s intervals and analysed using Wilcoxon sign-rank test to determine the most appropriate interval length. It was found that the behavioural estimates for assessing total sleep time in calves could not be applied to adult cows as they markedly overestimated NREM and REM sleep time. Behavioural estimates for NREM and REM sleep time were on average 124 ± 17 and 14 ± 4 min per cow, respectively, while the electrophysiological estimate for NREM and REM was on average 20 ± 5 and 10 ± 3 min per cow, respectively. Using the behavioural estimate ‘lying with head resting’, REM sleep could be identified with moderate precision, but this indicator alone likely underestimates total duration of REM sleep. Behavioural estimates for NREM sleep showed high sensitivity (81%) but low specificity (6%) while the behavioural estimates for REM sleep showed high sensitivity (70%) and moderate specificity (41%). For both categories, both sensitivity and specificity increased with increasing measurement interval length. Drowsing as identified from electrophysiological data was present mainly when the cows were lying with head lifted and still, whereas awakeness was present when the cows were lying with head lifted and moving.

Sufficient sleep time is important for both an adequate metabolic system and the immune function. Sleep in animals is often estimated by behavioural observations, or recorded on restrained animals with invasive electroencephalogram (EEG) techniques, which might affect sleep patterns. Earlier studies on sleep in cows showed that they sleep about 4 h per day and drowse almost twice the time. The aim of this study was to record and differentiate between vigilance states in dairy cows using a non-invasive EEG method. Brain activity (electroencephalography, EEG), eye movements (electrooculography, EOG) and muscle activity (electromyography, EMG) were recorded for 6 h per animal using surface-attached electrodes to measure different vigilance states. Behaviour registrations from direct observations were combined with the EEG data in order to confirm the identification of different vigilance states from the EEG, EOG and EMG recordings. 8 dry dairy cows, lactation number 1–8 and age 3–11 years, of the Swedish Red breed from the research herd at Kungsängen Research Centre, Uppsala, Sweden, were used in the study. The EEG recordings showed that non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep displayed low frequency waves, sometimes with slow wave activity. Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and alert wakefulness shared similar features of desynchronised waves with varying frequency and could be differentiated by reduced neck muscle activity during REM sleep. The main conclusion from this study is that it is possible to distinguish different vigilance states in dairy cows using surface-attached EEG electrodes.

The aim of this study was to investigate raw milk hygiene and composition along the dairy chain in Burkina Faso. Milk samples were taken during the rainy and dry seasons from individual cows, farm tanks, milk collectors’ churns, dairy processing unit tanks and at local markets. The results showed lower total bacteria count (10–104 cfu/ml) in individual cow milk than later in the dairy chain. The total bacteria count in farm tank milk was 106 cfu/ml and 107 cfu/ml in tank milk at dairy processing units, in milk collectors’ churns and in market buckets. Somatic cell count (100,000–150,000 cells/ml) did not show significant variation between individual cow milk and in the rest of the chain. Higher pH and lower milk fat and lactose contents were found in market bucket milk than in farm and processing unit tank milks. It was concluded that milk from the cow is of good hygienic quality, but milk is often contaminated after milking, and the hygienic quality is very low when it reaches the consumers. Also, milk sold at local markets had low fat and lactose contents and high pH during the rainy season, indicating that the milk may have been diluted, which may further increase the hazards for human health.

The oxidative process in milk fat, resulting in spontaneous oxidized off-flavour (SOF), is commonly assumed to depend on contents of pro- and antioxidants in milk and availability of fatty acids acting as their substrate. An important antioxidant in milk is α-tocopherol whereas the most potent prooxidant is the metal ion copper. The separate effects of α-tocopherol, copper, and milk fatty acid profile, and their combined effect on SOF development were examined in milk from 44 multiparous cows fed different roughage types and different amounts of dietary, unsaturated fat. A clear association between concentrations of copper and poly-unsaturated fatty acids in milk and the risk for developing SOF was found. Heritability estimates suggest that occurrence of SOF is partly under genetic control which indicates that milk quality may be compromised if breeding bulls are selected that carry genotypes predisposing for milk prone to develop SOF.

The objectives of this experiment were to study changes in metabolism and milk production due to feed deprivation in peak-lactating primiparous cows and also to investigate whether cows selected for different milk fat content show differences in the response to feed deprivation. A total of 12 primiparous cows averaging 69±9 (S.D.) days in milk were subjected to a 48-h period of total feed deprivation and were monitored for 9 days after feed deprivation. The cows were chosen from a selection program in which high yielding dairy cows of the Swedish Red and White breed are selected for either high (HFI) or low (LFI) milk fat percentage, but with the same amount of energy in the milk. HFI cows showed a more pronounced insulin-response when plasma glucose increased after refeeding. Furthermore, β-hydroxybutyrate in plasma was higher in HFI cows. Plasma non-esterified fatty acid concentration increased more than 20 times in both HFI and LFI cows when feed was removed, plasma glucose and insulin decreased and plasma urea increased. Milk yield had decreased 24 h after feed removal and was at most decreased to 51% of the initial yield. Milk content of fat, protein and lactose was similar between the selection lines but sodium and potassium in milk was higher in LFI cows. It was shown that high-yielding primiparous cows have the ability to regain milk yield and composition after a short period of feed deprivation in peak lactation.

Turnout to pasture involves considerable changes in the feed intake and metabolism of dairy cows. The aim of this study was to investigate how these changes affect milk production and milk fat composition, in cows selected for high (HFI) or low (LFI) milk fat content producing the same yield of 4% fat-corrected milk. Furthermore, two different concentrates, with high or low inclusion of soya oil, were studied. The experiment was conducted with 44 multiparous mid-lactating cows over a 4 week period. Samples of milk and blood were obtained before turnout to pasture, during transition to pasture and when cows were adapted to pasture. Milk yield decreased with 3.6 kg energy-corrected milk (ECM) on average during the first 5 days after turnout to pasture. This decrease, together with a drop in plasma insulin and increased plasma non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), indicated nutritional insufficiency at turnout to pasture. Milk fat composition changed towards more long-chain fatty acids (LCFA) and fewer de novo ...

The aim of the study was to test three different hand-milking techniques (“pull down”, “thumb in”, and “full hand grip”) and their effects on milk production and teat treatment. This is important since milk production in many tropical areas still rely on hand-milking. The study was carried out at a peri-urban farm in the Bobo-Dioulasso area in Burkina Faso. Twelve indigenous Zebu cows in early lactation were used in the study. The sequences of the treatments (hand-milking techniques) and the milkers were balanced for carry-over effects between successive periods and days, respectively. The sequences were constructed by using special Latin squares. Yield and composition of saleable milk was not affected by milking technique but there were differences between the milkers in milk yield. There was also a significant interaction for saleable milk yield between milker and milking technique. Hemoglobin in milk was measured as an indicator of teat damage. The hemoglobin content was numerically higher in post-milking strip milk samples than in saleable milk. It was concluded that the amount of milk removed depends mainly on the milker and how well the milking technique works for the individual milker. No effect of milking technique was observed on teat treatment.

Sheep are often kept on marginal lands and inadequate nutrition is therefore a common problem that affects their welfare. Their digestive system, which utilises a complex microflora in a large fermentation chamber to extract nutrients from low quality forages, is robust against short-term deprivation of energy and protein requirements. The ability of sheep to withstand short term food and water deprivation, such as occurs when they are transported long distances to slaughter, largely depends on their condition at the start. Animals with low levels of reserves or that have been stressed during handling and gathering pre-transport will be most susceptible to the stress of a long journey. Long term feed deficiencies are unlikely to cause major changes in stress-related behaviour because sheep evolved as prey animals, and effects of feed deficiency on welfare are usually assessed by the effects on body condition, or by changes in hormones and metabolites associated with body tissue reserves, such as leptin and creatinine. As well as undernutrition, sheep are also regularly exposed to situations where toxic substances may compromise their welfare. This includes toxic plants, but many are specific to local conditions and this chapter only describes some examples. Of growing concern is the exposure of sheep to toxic pollutants from industrial emissions, which have been mainly of interest because of their potential to contribute to human accumulation of these elements, but which are now known also to compromise the welfare of the sheep themselves.

Body condition scoring (BCS) gives an indication of the nutritional status of an animal and it is thus an invaluable management tool in domestic livestock systems. It is, however, subjective. This study aimed at identifying biochemical indicators which could be objectively used as an indicator of undernutrition in ruminants. Blood samples were collected from 50 cattle with BCS ≤ 1 and from 50 cattle with BCS ≥ 2.5, using a 0-5 scale, and analysed for albumin, urea, creatinine, fructosamine, beta-hydroxybutyrate, non-esterified fatty acids, total serum protein and haematocrit. Rumpfat and ribfat thickness and marbling relative index were determined ultrasonographically in 15 of the low BCS group and 13 of the high BCS group. The laboratory measure with the best predictive ability for severe undernutrition was albumin, which correctly classified 94 % of cattle, using a cut-off of 31.5 g / ℓ. In contrast to a previous study, our study did not find the fructosamine : albumin ratio to be an accurate test to indicate undernutrition in cattle. Ultrasonic measurement of subcutaneous rumpfat and ribfat proved to reliably predict undernutrition, but may, however be impractical for routine use under most field conditions.

The objective of this investigation was to study (1) the numbers of leukocytes, (2) the proportions of lymphocytes expressing CD4, CD8, WC1, B or IL2R and (3) neutrophil phagocytosis and oxidative burst activity in blood around parturition in three groups of dairy cows fed different levels of a total mixed ration during the last eight weeks before calving. All cows were fed ad libitum during the first eight weeks of lactation. Serum concentration of the acute phase protein serum amyloid A (SAA), the milk somatic cell count (SCC) and disease incidence were also recorded. Special emphasis was given to the weeks just before and just after calving as dairy cows are known to be immune suppressed during this period. Dry period diet had only minor effects on leukocyte numbers, and did not influence neutrophil phagocytosis and oxidative burst. In addition, no effect was observed on disease incidence or SAA concentrations. However, an increase in the proportion of B-lymphocytes and a decrease in the proportion of WC1+ T lymphocytes were observed after calving in cows fed high or low energy rations during the dry period, but not in cows fed a medium energy ration. The weeks just before and after parturition were characterised by neutrophilia, eosinopenia, lymphopenia and monocytosis, but time had no effect on neutrophil phagocytosis and oxidative burst. The proportions of CD4+, CD8+, B+ and IL-2R+ lymphocytes increased in early lactation relative to the mid dry period. In addition, the concentration of SAA increased dramatically at calving. The results emphasise the need for more studies to clarify the complex interactions between nutrition and immunity during the peripartum period in dairy cattle.

The objective of this experiment was to study dry matter intake (DMI), body condition, milk yield, and milk composition in cows with different body condition at the time of parturition. Twenty four multiparous cows with genetic merit for high or low milk fat content were assigned to one of three diets during the dry period. The treatments consisted of 6, 9, or 14.5 kg dry matter of a total mixed ration providing 71, 106, or 177 MJ/d of metabolizable energy and are referred to as low (L), medium (M), and high (H) dry period rations, respectively. These diets were introduced when the cows were dried off from the previous lactation, at least 8 wk before expected parturition. After parturition all cows were fed another total mixed ration ad libitum. The dietary treatments generated differences between the groups in body weight as well as in body condition score at parturition. There were no differences in DMI in early lactation, but during wk 6 to 12 DMI was lower among H cows, which was linked to a prolonged negative energy balance in this group. The milk yield was 38.5 +/- 0.8 kg of energy-corrected milk the first 4 wk postpartum and did not differ between treatments or selection lines. Body weight loss mainly occurred in lactation wk 1 to 4 and was greatest in H cows. The mobilization of body tissues was reflected in a higher milk fat content of C18:0 for the H cows during wk 1 to 4. There were no marked effects of treatments on milk fat content or milk protein content, which indicates that cows in early lactation have a potential to compensate for low nutrient intake during the dry period if they are offered a high-quality diet. The observed differences between treatments in DMI wk 6 to 12 could not be explained by differences in milk yield or mobilization of body tissues. Milk fat content was 4.7% in cows with genetic merit for high milk fat content and 4.2% in cows with genetic merit for low milk fat content. There was a tendency for higher body weight in cows with genetic merit for low milk fat content throughout the experiment.

International audience; The metabolic response to different feeding levels during the dry period was studied in 24 multiparous dairy cows of the Swedish Red and White breed. The cows represented two lines, selected for high or low milk fat percentage, at the same amount of energy produced in milk. The cows were fed one of three, different amounts of the same total mixed diet during the dry period, starting 8 wk prior to the expected parturition. The rations provided 71, 106, or 177 MJ metabolizable energy per day. After parturition the cows were offered another total mixed diet ad libitum for the first 12 wk of lactation. Glucose challenges were performed 3 wk prior to and 3 wk after parturition. Prepartum the glucose clearance rate was related to feeding level. Insulin response to the glucose challenge was reduced during the postpartum period, compared to the prepartum period. During about 6 wk prepartum, the insulin level in plasma was related to feeding level. At the sampling 3 wk prior to parturition the plasma level of leptin also was related to the feeding level. After parturition both leptin and insulin were reduced. In early lactation plasma leptin concentration was not related to adiposity as reflected by body condition scoring. It was suggested that lactation as such affected the leptin concentration in plasma.

Several studies have shown benefits of long-day (16 h) photoperiod in lactating dairy cows, but have not identified a suitable light intensity for the dark hours. It is known that the locomotion pattern of dairy cows is altered at low light intensities and this may translate to reduced cow traffic and milking frequency, which would have a negative impact on system productivity. However, it is also recognised that a significant disturbance of rest may have a negative impact on the health and productivity of high-yielding dairy cows. This study examined the effect of three different night-time light intensities (LOW: 11 ± 3, MED: 33 ± 1 and HIGH: 74 ± 6 lx) on number of gate passages, milking frequency and milk yield in dairy cows in automatic milking systems. The study was conducted in Sweden during the winter of 2012–13 and the treatments were applied in a crossover design to three herds with an automatic milking system. Minimum day time light intensity was 158 lx. Data on gate passages, milking frequency and milk yield for 172 ± 49 (mean ± s.d.) cows during the last 22 days of each 34-day study period were analysed for treatment differences and differences in daily distribution over 24 h, during day time and night time. Light intensity did not affect total number of gate passages per 24-h period and cow, but number of gate passages per hour and cow was in all treatments lower during night time than during day time. Milking frequency was increased in MED compared with both HIGH and LOW (P < 0.05). Milk yield decreased with reduced light intensity, and differed significantly between HIGH and LOW treatments, 45 ± 1 kg and 44 ± 1 kg, respectively (P < 0.001). Our conclusion is that reducing light intensity to 11 lx at night time does not affect cows’ general activity as gate passages remained the same for all treatments. However, milk yield decreased with reduced light intensity, which might be related to a lower feed intake. We argue that providing night light for dairy cows, as required by many welfare acts, might be related to production level rather than welfare aspects and that the recommendations should be revised.