Antimicrobials have been widely used in livestock since the
Horns of livestock, particularly, cattle, sheep, and goats are sometimes removed for safety and economic reasons (1). Producers routinely remove the horns of beef and dairy cattle to decrease
All livestock will be handled in some way throughout their lifetime while in production. The way in which livestock are handled has a major impact on animal welfare and productivity (1). Positive interactions with handlers will improve animal well-being and productivity while improper interactions will negatively impact the animal’s welfare by causing stress and fear (1,2). Stress and fear increase the safety risks to both animals and stock people, and decrease meat quality (e.g. “dark cutters” for beef; pale, soft, exudative (PSE) and dry, firm, dark (DFD) for pork; 2). (more…)
Farmers want their birds to be in the best shape possible and strive to care for them as best they can, using the equipment, technologies, and knowledge available to them. Selecting a production system and housing design is a complex, multi-factorial issue that requires great consideration. The issue of cage systems vs. cage-free is not as simple as some would like to think. Let’s take a look at why. (more…)
Confinement of breeding sows is one of the most controversial issues in livestock production (1). In the United States, the majority (~70%) of sows are housed in confinement facilities (1,2). The most common housing system for pregnant sows