We use cookies on our website. Some are necessary for the operation of the website. You can also allow cookies for statistical purposes. You can adjust the data protection settings or agree to all cookies directly.
Data Protection Declaration
Imprint
Improving animal welfare of goats in the stable and on the pasture
Project
Project code: TI-OL-08-PID1537
Contract period: 01.04.2001
- 31.12.2016
Purpose of research: Applied research
The animal well being of goats is on of the main goals in Organic husbandry. The stable and the pasture needs to fulfil the a) demands of the animals, b) makes the needs to make the work for the staff easy and c) does not harm the environment. This is not easy in practice. High animal welfare in goat keeping is not usual, even not in organic farming. Goats have very often no access to pasture grazing in the summer, are kept in too small stables, without entertainment facilities for playing and climbing. The feeding and drinking facilities, the air quality and not enough ligth lead to stress. Even on pasture, if available, are goats not always happy: no shrub browsing, no climbing facilities, no shelter while bad weather conditions, diseases and injury risks are only some of the problems. To minimize the injury risks, kids are already polled. These lambs have in milking systems only some days contact with the mother, are not always reared sufficiently and slaughtered in an early stage of age. Goats are very productive not because but in spite of the keeping conditions. The mortality and morbidity rates are too high in goat keeping: in conventional and organic systems. this does even lead to low profitability. The improvements of animal welfare in goat keeping is goal of the research of the Institute of Organic farming: on station as well as on farms. Not only the better-off of goats but also the better-off of profitability is target. The improvement of animal welfare in goat keeping has been developed from 2001 till 2014 on the experimental station in Trenthorst. Already in this time concepts have been developed to implement the results on practical farms: on organic as well as on conventional farms. Since 2015 is this the main research target of the goat research of the the institute. Methods of knowledge transfer like 'stable schools' of 'online decision trees' are tested.
- Goats need more space in-door as defined in the EU organic standards (1.5 sqm). 2.5 sqm are fine. - The out-door run is ok with 2.5 sqm but even not necessary (1.5 sqm would be enough), especially if summer grazing is possible. - Grazing needs good animal and pasture management. if this is done, yields / profitability is given and parasite risks are minimized. - Shrub hedges can improve animal welfare and nutrition and do not reduce milk yields, if not more than 10% of the daily intake. - Dam related kid rearing can improve animal welfare, reduce mortality and dispite this be economically. - The polling of goats is not necessary, as long as space, the equipment of the stables and pastures are suitable and the management adapted. - Climbing and resting space in the stable is good. - Feeding equipment must be available that does not harm the animals, allows easy and always access for all animals, and the are not desturbed by other goats or dogs. - Selection of feed stuff is one of the principle behaviors and has to be fullfilled. - Ear tags have to be attached, that they can not ripped out. - Fences should be in a manner that animals can not be entangled.
Section overview
Subjects
- Animal Husbandry
- Animal health
- Special animal species
