Browsing by Author "Bezerra, Victor Henrique Esterlino Ferreira Brusin"

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    Effects of the Application on Neonatal Beef Calves of Tactile Stimulation and Umbilical Antiseptic on their Pre-Weaned Welfare
    (2024-01-29) Bezerra, Victor Henrique Esterlino Ferreira Brusin; Ceballos Betancourt, Maria Camila; Windeyer, Claire; Pearson, Jenifer; Pajor, Ed
    In the western Canadian beef cow-calf production systems, beef calves are generally kept with their dams in extensive outdoor grazing systems. Due to this, the contact between stockpeople and calves is infrequent. Often, when it does happen, the calf is subjected to potentially aversive experiences associate with capture and restraint, as well as painful procedures such as injections, castration, and branding. Young calves are also at risk of getting various diseases, including neonatal calf diarrhea (NCD), bovine respiratory disease (BRD), and umbilical infections, with negative consequent effects on their welfare. Practices like tactile stimulation and the application of umbilical antiseptic have the potential to improve human-animal relationship, calf health, and productivity, and these practices remains understudied in the context of beef calf processing in western Canada. This thesis aims to evaluate the effects of the application of tactile stimulation and umbilical antiseptic on neonatal beef calves on their welfare level at the pre-weaned stage, using three different welfare indicators: behaviour, health, and productivity. Four experimental groups (TSUA, calves with tactile stimulation and application of umbilical antiseptic; TS, calves with tactile stimulation but no application of umbilical antiseptic; UA, calves without tactile stimulation but with application of umbilical antiseptic; and C, control calves without tactile stimulation or application of umbilical antiseptic) were evaluated to assess the association of these interventions with reactivity when interacting with humans in handling facilities, risk of disease treatment, mortality, and average daily gain. Of all the animal welfare indicators evaluated, only one behavioural indicator differed among treatments; flight speed was significantly lower for calves from TS group, indicating less reactivity, compared with other experimental groups. Other indicators were not significantly different among treatments. Overall, this study demonstrated limited evidence that tactile stimulation and umbilical disinfection, as applied in this study, impacted the welfare of pre-weaned Angus beef calves.