Welfare assessment in beef cattle: a multidisciplinary approach.

The purposes of this study were to evaluate beef cattle welfare with a multidisciplinary approach as housing conditions and management practice change and to investigate the correlations between the parameters used and their applicability. A total of 15 Piemontese bulls reared in a tied stall housing system (farm A), 15 Piemontese and 15 Blonde d’Aquitaine reared in pen for groups (farm B and C, respectively) and 15 Irish cross-breed reared in paddock (for the first 40 days) and pen for groups (for the next 6 months) were considered. The ‘RIBECA’ scoring system (a welfare protocol formulated by CRPA; Centro Ricerche Produzioni Animali) was used for the assessment of animal- (e.g. BCS, ocular/nasal discharge, avoidance distance) and resource-based (e.g. pen features, animal crowding) measures. Hair 20β-diidrocortisol, complete blood and serum profile and dROMs (Reactive Oxygen metabolites) were also analysed. Observations and blood samples were performed 2 times: 3 weeks after the arrival of the animals on the farm (T0) and after 5 months (T1). Data were analysed by One-way ANOVA, Kruskal-Wallis test, Student’s t and Wilcoxon tests. Animal-based score was not significantly different between the farms, while total welfare score (animal- and resource-based measures) was ‘poor’ for farm A, ‘fair’ for farms B and D and ‘very good’ for farm C. Farm D animals were the most fearful; blood findings suggest that this group showed the worst adaptation: WBC, neutrophils, N/L, albumin, CK, glucose, creatinine and LDH increased at T1; P<0.01. Farm C animals were well adapted: WBC, monocytes, eosinophils and basophils decreased at T1; P<0.01, 20β-diidrocortisol and dROMs were lower in this group; P<0.01. Farm A and B animals did not show significant differences. These results suggest that the parallel use of total welfare scores and laboratory stress indicators allows a better assessment of animal welfare.