RDI projects
RDI projects
#savoniaAMK
Project Information |  |
| Name | Welfare and environmental factors of outdoor exercise in dairy cattles |
| Start | 1.4.2024 |
| End | 30.6.2027 |
| Website | - |
| Status | Running |
| Contact | Eeva-Kaisa Pulkka |
| Description | New animal welfare legislation comes into effect in the beginning of year 2024, and after thatinvestment subsidies are granted only to those dairy farms that are designed to able outdoorexercise or grazing of the cows. In general, outdoor loafing is regarded to be beneficial for animalwelfare, but research on the effects of outdoor loafing on animal welfare are surprisingly scarce.Requirements of the new legislation can be fulfilled also by providing a pasture access for thecows instead of outdoor loafing area. Especially in large herds the pasture area is often limitedwithin convenient distance from the barn, and this can lead to continuous grazing of a single area.This kind of loafing use of the pasture can quickly lead to situation where sward is over-grazed,which as for can lead to increased nutrient leaching and ammonia volatilization. Investments toanimal welfare can reduce cow morbidity and increase cow longevity, but poorly implementedoutdoor loafing can increase a risk of injury and cause higher environmental burden. In theLiikkuva lehmä -project we will investigate the effects of winter-time outdoor loafing on dairy cowwelfare in free-stall barns, how barn and outdoor conditions affect cow motivation to outdoorloafing, and the effects of outdoor loafing on pastures on pasture nutrient burden. Knowledgegathered in the project and the best practices collected from dairy farmers are compiled into aguide to aid planning dairy cattle outdoor loafing in a sustainable way. Results of the projectpromote responsible dairy cattle outdoor loafing that takes both animal welfare andenvironmental issues into account. |
| Partners | Toimijat: Luke, Kpedu, Savonia
Muut yhteistyötahot ja rahoittajat: Valio Oy, Osuuskunta Maitomaa, Arla-ryhmä, Keski-Pohjanmaan kunnat Kohderyhmä/hyötyjät: maitotilayrittäjät, heidän kanssaan työskentelevät neuvojat ja eläinlääkärit |
| Funded by | Maa-ja metsätalousministeriö 2014-2020 |