Influence of Housing and Management on Claw Health in Swiss Dairy Goats.

ABSTRACT: Due to a rising demand for goat milk and goat milk products worldwide, it is likely that dairy goat production will be intensified in the future, with larger herds per farm. In Switzerland, as in many other countries with intensive farming systems, dairy goats are typically housed on deep litter, with little access to hard abrasive surfaces. Such housing conditions will result in wall horn overgrowth. The aim of this study was to gain profound knowledge on the occurrence of overgrown wall horn, its impact on claw health and locomotor behavior, and possible adverse effects on animal welfare. Additionally, housing and management factors that may contribute to non-physiological claw conditions were evaluated. To compare claw conditions after the summer grazing period and the winter indoor hou

SUBMITTER: Sailer LM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8300172 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature