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56 Results Found

  • Article
  • Open Access
6 Citations
3,859 Views
17 Pages

Does Nursing Behaviour of Sows in Loose-Housing Pens Differ from That of Sows in Farrowing Pens with Crates?

  • Dierck-Hinrich Wiechers,
  • Swetlana Herbrandt,
  • Nicole Kemper and
  • Michaela Fels

7 January 2022

Sows confined to farrowing crates are restricted in performing natural behaviour such as maternal behaviour. Loose-housing farrowing pens (LH) and farrowing pens with crates (FC) were compared regarding sows’ nursing behaviour via video analyse...

  • Feature Paper
  • Article
  • Open Access
315 Views
17 Pages

25 December 2025

Research on barn technology, technical equipment, and related cattle welfare indicates a growing emphasis on assessing sources of animal comfort as the subject of scientific research. In practice, dairy cattle housing conditions are also assessed dir...

  • Article
  • Open Access
5 Citations
3,289 Views
12 Pages

Behavioral Observation Procedures and Tests to Characterize the Suitability of Sows for Loose-Housed Farrowing Systems

  • Julia Neu,
  • Nina Göres,
  • Jelena Kecman,
  • Barbara Voß,
  • Frank Rosner,
  • Hermann H. Swalve and
  • Nicole Kemper

30 August 2021

The objective of the study was to evaluate behavioral observation procedures and tests to characterize sows’ behavior for their suitability for free farrowing systems. Nest building activity (NB), lying-down behavior (LDB), and position after lying d...

  • Article
  • Open Access
7 Citations
4,226 Views
19 Pages

21 October 2020

Sensors delivering information on the position of farm animals have been widely used in precision livestock farming. Global Positioning System (GPS) sensors are already known from applications in military, private and commercial environments, and the...

  • Article
  • Open Access
8 Citations
4,238 Views
18 Pages

13 July 2022

The objective of this study was to examine the effects of housing and management factors on animal welfare indicators in dairy cows using a benchmarking approach. In total, 63 conventional dairy cattle farms with zero-grazing in Northern Germany were...

  • Article
  • Open Access
32 Citations
7,036 Views
12 Pages

Effects of Feeding Frequency on the Lying Behavior of Dairy Cows in a Loose Housing with Automatic Feeding and Milking System

  • Gabriele Mattachini,
  • Johanna Pompe,
  • Alberto Finzi,
  • Emanuela Tullo,
  • Elisabetta Riva and
  • Giorgio Provolo

28 March 2019

Management systems in modern dairy farms is an important issue in relation to animal comfort and welfare. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of feed delivery frequency on the behavior patterns, visits to an automatic milking syst...

  • Article
  • Open Access
1 Citations
1,870 Views
18 Pages

Farm-Level Risk Factors for Lameness in 659 German Dairy Herds Kept in Loose Housing Systems

  • Anna Tillack,
  • Roswitha Merle,
  • Kerstin-Elisabeth Müller,
  • Martina Hoedemaker,
  • Katharina Charlotte Jensen,
  • Andreas W. Oehm,
  • Marcus Klawitter and
  • Annegret Stock

4 September 2024

Six hundred fifty-nine farms in three regions of Germany (North: n = 240, East: n = 247, and South: n = 172) were included in the study, which aims at determining the association of management-related risk factors with farm-level lameness in German d...

  • Article
  • Open Access
31 Citations
5,244 Views
19 Pages

15 December 2020

With increasing herd sizes came an enhanced requirement for automated systems to support the farmers in the monitoring of the health and welfare status of their livestock. Cattle are a highly sociable species, and the herd structure has important imp...

  • Article
  • Open Access
24 Citations
3,996 Views
17 Pages

14 May 2021

Measurement of gas concentrations constitutes basic knowledge for the computation of emissions from livestock buildings. Although it is well known that hot climate conditions increase gas emissions, in the literature the relation between gas concentr...

  • Article
  • Open Access
4 Citations
3,171 Views
21 Pages

Organic Farm Bedded Pack System Microbiomes: A Case Study with Comparisons to Similar and Different Bedded Packs

  • Deborah A. Neher,
  • Tucker D. Andrews,
  • Thomas R. Weicht,
  • Asa Hurd and
  • John W. Barlow

19 August 2022

Animal housing and bedding materials influence cow and farm worker exposure to microbial pathogens, biocontrol agents, and/or allergens. This case study represents an effort to characterize the bacterial and fungal community of bedding systems using...

  • Article
  • Open Access
37 Citations
8,945 Views
17 Pages

The Effect of Sows’ and Piglets’ Behaviour on Piglet Crushing Patterns in Two Different Farrowing Pen Systems

  • Thies Nicolaisen,
  • Eyke Lühken,
  • Nina Volkmann,
  • Karl Rohn,
  • Nicole Kemper and
  • Michaela Fels

7 August 2019

Pens with farrowing crate (FC) and two differently designed free-farrowing pens (LH-pens: 7.3 m², plastic flooring; GH-pens: 5 m², cast-iron and concrete flooring) were compared regarding piglet losses and postpartum sow behaviour (all trea...

  • Review
  • Open Access
37 Citations
7,417 Views
17 Pages

Air Quality in Alternative Housing Systems May Have an Impact on Laying Hen Welfare. Part I—Dust

  • Bruce David,
  • Randi Oppermann Moe,
  • Virginie Michel,
  • Vonne Lund and
  • Cecilie Mejdell

9 July 2015

The new legislation for laying hens in the European Union put a ban on conventional cages. Production systems must now provide the hens with access to a nest, a perch, and material for dust bathing. These requirements will improve the behavioral aspe...

  • Review
  • Open Access
129 Citations
9,201 Views
11 Pages

Air Quality in Alternative Housing Systems may have an Impact on Laying Hen Welfare. Part II—Ammonia

  • Bruce David,
  • Cecilie Mejdell,
  • Virginie Michel,
  • Vonne Lund and
  • Randi Oppermann Moe

3 September 2015

The EU ban on conventional barren cages for laying hens from 2012 has improved many aspects of laying hen welfare. The new housing systems allow for the expression of highly-motivated behaviors. However, the systems available for intensive large-scal...

  • Article
  • Open Access
16 Citations
3,997 Views
18 Pages

2 December 2021

Farrowing crates are the most common housing for lactating sows throughout the world, despite known public opposition to housing systems that deprive animals’ freedom to move. This study aimed to investigate Brazilian citizens’ attitudes...

  • Article
  • Open Access
5 Citations
2,300 Views
12 Pages

2 August 2024

This study focused on a group of 49 high-yielding dairy cows (primarily Holstein Friesians) and how their interactions with wall-mounted automated brushes correlated to their mobility (also described as lameness) score (AHDB 0–3 system. Of the...

  • Article
  • Open Access
16 Citations
5,226 Views
18 Pages

Methane Emissions and Milk Fatty Acid Profiles in Dairy Cows Fed Linseed, Measured at the Group Level in a Naturally Ventilated Housing and Individually in Respiration Chambers

  • Jernej Poteko,
  • Sabine Schrade,
  • Kerstin Zeyer,
  • Joachim Mohn,
  • Michael Zaehner,
  • Johanna O. Zeitz,
  • Michael Kreuzer and
  • Angela Schwarm

24 June 2020

The present study evaluated the effects of linseed supplementation on CH4 emission and milk fatty acid composition in dairy cows measured at the group level in an experimental dairy loose housing using a tracer gas technique and individually in tied...

  • Article
  • Open Access
17 Citations
2,325 Views
11 Pages

Circadian Variation of Peripheral Blood Cells in Horses Maintained in Different Environmental and Management Conditions

  • Francesca Aragona,
  • Francesca Arfuso,
  • Francesco Fazio,
  • Salvatore De Caro,
  • Elisabetta Giudice,
  • Vincenzo Monteverde,
  • Giuseppe Piccione and
  • Claudia Giannetto

3 June 2023

The aim of our study was to analyze circadian rhythm of the hematological profile of horses housed in a loose box and paddock during the different seasons (spring, summer, autumn, and winter). Blood samples were performed every 4 h for 48 consecutive...

  • Article
  • Open Access
1 Citations
2,530 Views
16 Pages

This paper sets out to consider how a simple and easy-to-estimate power-law exponent can be used by policymakers to assess changes in economic inequalities, where the data can have a long tail—common in analyses of economic disparities—ye...

  • Article
  • Open Access
17 Citations
3,038 Views
15 Pages

Implementation of Inertia Sensor and Machine Learning Technologies for Analyzing the Behavior of Individual Laying Hens

  • Sayed M. Derakhshani,
  • Matthias Overduin,
  • Thea G. C. M. van Niekerk and
  • Peter W. G. Groot Koerkamp

22 February 2022

Welfare-oriented regulations cause farmers worldwide to shift towards more welfare-friendly, e.g., loose housing systems such as aviaries with litter. In contrast to the traditional cage housing systems, good technical results can only be obtained if...

  • Article
  • Open Access
2 Citations
2,695 Views
23 Pages

Welfare on Dairy Cows in Different Housing Systems: Emphasis on Digestive Parasitological Infections

  • Dragisa Paukovic,
  • Tamara Ilic,
  • Milan Maletic,
  • Nemanja M. Jovanovic,
  • Sreten Nedic,
  • Milorad Mirilovic and
  • Katarina Nenadovic

4 February 2025

The aim of this research was to assess welfare indicators in different dairy cow management systems, determine the prevalence of parasitic infections, and examine the impact of these infections on welfare indicators. This study was conducted in 2024...

  • Article
  • Open Access
6 Citations
4,508 Views
22 Pages

Genotype by Environment Interaction and Selection Response for Milk Yield Traits and Conformation in a Local Cattle Breed Using a Reaction Norm Approach

  • Cristina Sartori,
  • Francesco Tiezzi,
  • Nadia Guzzo,
  • Enrico Mancin,
  • Beniamino Tuliozi and
  • Roberto Mantovani

26 March 2022

Local breeds are often reared in various environmental conditions (EC), suggesting that genotype by environment interaction (GxE) could influence genetic progress. This study aimed at investigating GxE and response to selection (R) in Rendena cattle...

  • Article
  • Open Access
12 Citations
3,835 Views
24 Pages

Due to bolt looseness or operating ambient temperature, fit clearance can often be found between the outer ring and housing. The vibration characteristics of a cylindrical roller bearing with localized defects are greatly affected by the fit clearanc...

  • Article
  • Open Access
1 Citations
2,760 Views
20 Pages

29 October 2020

In this paper, we infer that when no excess monetary liquidity exists, people tend to invest available capital in assets associated with a high return or low risk. However, when excess monetary liquidity occurs, capital may successively boost asset m...

  • Article
  • Open Access
3 Citations
4,097 Views
24 Pages

Experimental Investigation of the Movement of an Offshore Floating Platform in Straight Wind, Tornadic Wind, and Downburst Conditions

  • Sarah Nichol,
  • Rupp Carriveau,
  • Lindsay Miller,
  • D. S-K. Ting,
  • Djordje Romanic,
  • Adrian Costache and
  • Horia Hangan

6 April 2021

There is growing interest in multi-purpose offshore floating platforms that: harvest energy from the sun, wind, water, and waves; desalinize water; host agriculture and aquaculture; and house residents. While there are some basic commonalities with w...

  • Article
  • Open Access
9 Citations
4,897 Views
15 Pages

The objective of the present paper was to discuss the design of farrowing pens and present the first production results of the “SowComfort farrowing pen” (SOWCOMF). The biggest difference between this pen and the traditional pen (TRAD) pr...

  • Article
  • Open Access
12 Citations
4,512 Views
24 Pages

15 December 2020

A thermal protection system (TPS) is designed and fabricated to protect a hypersonic vehicle from extreme conditions. Good condition of the TPS panels is necessary for the next flight mission. A loose bolted joint is a crucial defect in a metallic TP...

  • Article
  • Open Access
9 Citations
4,157 Views
12 Pages

14 April 2021

The association between hoof lesions and lying behaviour was assessed on a Holstein–Friesian dairy farm in England. Twenty-nine cows were included in the study. Cows with claw horn disruption lesions (CHDL, n = 8), soft tissue lesions (STL, n = 6), a...

  • Article
  • Open Access
1,253 Views
12 Pages

29 November 2024

Feral cattle (Bos taurus) live in socially stable herds. Due to farm management practices, intensively managed dairy cows experience frequent regrouping, which can disrupt affiliative bonds and induce social stress. This study examines how changes in...

  • Feature Paper
  • Article
  • Open Access
7 Citations
5,563 Views
14 Pages

Comparison of Two Free-Farrowing Systems and a Conventional Farrowing Crate System with Special Regard to Air Hygiene

  • Eyke Lühken,
  • Thies Nicolaisen,
  • Britta Risch,
  • Nina Volkmann,
  • Sandra Schnier,
  • Jochen Schulz and
  • Nicole Kemper

The aim of this study was to analyze the air quality in two different commercially available free-farrowing systems in comparison with a conventional farrowing crate system. A group housing system for six lactating sows (GH) and a single loose-housin...

  • Article
  • Open Access
24 Citations
5,031 Views
11 Pages

Impacts of Compost Bedded Pack Barns on the Welfare and Comfort of Dairy Cows

  • Anna Fernández,
  • Eva Mainau,
  • Xavier Manteca,
  • Adriana Siurana and
  • Lorena Castillejos

4 March 2020

Three loose housing systems for lactating cows (compost bedded pack, CBP; conventional bedded pack, BP; and freestalls, FS) were assessed on one farm in terms of cow behavior and welfare. An on-farm welfare assessment based on the Welfare Quality pro...

  • Article
  • Open Access
1,098 Views
13 Pages

Trichobezoars in Captive-Bred Fat-Tailed Dunnarts and Potential Preventative Protocols

  • Christine Moschos,
  • Shari Cohen,
  • Emily L. Scicluna,
  • Stephen Frankenberg,
  • Andrew J. Pask and
  • Keshuan Chow

29 June 2025

Fat-tailed dunnarts (Sminthopsis crassicaudata) are an emerging model species for developmental, reproductive, and conservation biology research. Understanding their husbandry and enrichment needs is integral to ensuring best welfare in captive-bred...

  • Article
  • Open Access
1 Citations
1,692 Views
15 Pages

Experimental Study on the Bearing Capacity of Gas Oil-Contaminated Coastal Sand

  • Ali Khezri,
  • Mohamadali Moradi,
  • Hongbae Park and
  • Daeyong Lee

17 November 2023

Ground hydrocarbon contamination is a grave consequence of fossil fuel consumption, making it increasingly unsustainable. Consequently, researchers worldwide have been compelled to conduct a large number of studies on the geotechnical aspects of hydr...

  • Systematic Review
  • Open Access
1 Citations
2,847 Views
22 Pages

Health and Thermal Comfort of Dairy Cattle in Compost-Bedded Pack Barns and Other Types of Housing: A Comparative Systematic Review

  • Carlos Eduardo Alves Oliveira,
  • Ilda de Fátima Ferreira Tinôco,
  • Fernanda Campos de Sousa,
  • Fernando da Costa Baêta,
  • Frederico Márcio Côrrea Vieira and
  • Matteo Barbari

This systematic review was conducted to describe and discuss the main research findings available in the literature concerning the health and thermal comfort of dairy cattle housed in Compost-Bedded Pack Barn (CBP) systems, in comparison to Free Stal...

  • Article
  • Open Access
4 Citations
2,045 Views
16 Pages

16 July 2023

This research shows the size composition of airborne dust fractions in selected dairy barns down to the smallest particles, including factors that influence this composition. Measurements with a Dust-Track 8530 laser photometer took place in the summ...

  • Article
  • Open Access
1,792 Views
13 Pages

5 October 2024

With Great House (2010), Nicole Krauss offers a choral novel that interweaves the lives of several characters loosely connected by a huge, wooden desk that one of them relentlessly chases around the world. A possible symbol of the memory of the Secon...

  • Article
  • Open Access
2 Citations
1,624 Views
13 Pages

Effects of Precision Feeding on Economic and Productive Yields of Hyperprolific Lactating Sows Allocated at Different Farrowing Pens

  • María Aparicio-Arnay,
  • Natalia Yeste-Vizcaíno,
  • Nerea Soria,
  • Jorge Cambra,
  • Beatriz Isabel,
  • Carlos Piñeiro and
  • Antonio Gonzalez-Bulnes

6 March 2025

The results obtained using precision feeding in maternities (electronic sow feeders, ESFs) may be affected by the type of farrowing pen, as the design of the pen may modify the behavior of the sows. Hence, the aim of the present study was to determin...

  • Article
  • Open Access
4 Citations
3,260 Views
12 Pages

Effect of Calving Season on Productive Performance of Dairy Cows

  • Martin Stojnov,
  • Toncho Penev,
  • Dimo Dimov and
  • Ivaylo Marinov

7 March 2024

The aim of the present research was to study the influence of the calving season in conditions of the upcoming climate changes on the productive traits of dairy cows in Bulgaria. The study was conducted on a cattle farm with a capacity of 500 dairy c...

  • Article
  • Open Access
2 Citations
7,845 Views
16 Pages

Explosions of Ball Lightning inside Enclosed Spaces

  • Anatoly I. Nikitin,
  • Vadim A. Nikitin,
  • Alexander M. Velichko and
  • Tamara F. Nikitina

20 December 2023

According to observations, the energy density contained inside ball lightning can reach 1010 J/m3, and its charge can range from 10−3 to 10−1 C. Witnesses often report seeing moving sparks about one millimeter in size inside the ball ligh...

  • Article
  • Open Access
3 Citations
3,464 Views
30 Pages

15 September 2022

Aeroelastic deformation of the high-aspect-ratio wing from a solar-powered UAV will definitely lead to the difference of its performance between design and actual flight. In the present study, the numerical fluid–structural coupling analysis of...

  • Article
  • Open Access
12 Citations
5,135 Views
16 Pages

28 March 2019

This research aims to characterize damage at the sheared edge caused by the blanking operation of magnesium alloy AZ31B sheets. Shearing tests were carried out on an in-house blanking die-set and mechanical press (universal testing machine) by varyin...

  • Article
  • Open Access
7 Citations
3,980 Views
10 Pages

Risk Factors for Bovine Cysticercosis in North-West Italy: A Multi-Year Case-Control Study

  • Selene Rubiola,
  • Barbara Moroni,
  • Luca Carisio,
  • Luca Rossi,
  • Francesco Chiesa,
  • Giuseppe Martano,
  • Elisa Cavallo and
  • Luisa Rambozzi

25 October 2021

Taenia saginata is the causative agent of bovine cysticercosis, a zoonotic parasitic disease with a worldwide distribution. Bovine cysticercosis is considered to be an important food safety issue responsible for human taeniasis and a major economic c...

  • Article
  • Open Access
2 Citations
3,297 Views
9 Pages

Management of Dental Disease in Aardvarks (Orycteropus afer) and Potential Use of Cone-Beam Computed Tomography

  • Jane E. Christman,
  • Daniel VanderHart,
  • Ben Colmery,
  • Joy Thompson,
  • Ann E. Duncan and
  • Wynona C. Shellabarger

28 March 2022

Oral disease involving teeth is a common cause of morbidity in aardvarks (Orycteropus afer) under managed care. Cases can be challenging due to the species’ unique skull and dental anatomy and limited veterinary literature. A retrospective eval...

  • Commentary
  • Open Access
25 Citations
8,214 Views
14 Pages

Best Farming Practices for the Welfare of Dairy Cows, Heifers and Calves

  • Giulia Ventura,
  • Valentina Lorenzi,
  • Francesca Mazza,
  • Gianfilippo Alessio Clemente,
  • Claudia Iacomino,
  • Luigi Bertocchi and
  • Francesca Fusi

9 September 2021

The concept of animal welfare (AW) has many meanings. Traditionally, AW has been considered as freedom from disease and suffering. Nowadays, growing attention goes to the concept of “positive animal welfare” (PAW), which can be interpreted within the...

  • Article
  • Open Access
4 Citations
4,266 Views
13 Pages

17 September 2019

This article revolves around the narratives of Sabita (Muslim), Radha (Hindu) and Sharleen (Christian), migrant women in their mid-forties, who have been working as maids, cooks and cleaners in middle-class housing colonies in Kolkata, a city in east...

  • Article
  • Open Access
1 Citations
3,160 Views
23 Pages

Using Time-Series Databases for Energy Data Infrastructures

  • Christos Hadjichristofi,
  • Spyridon Diochnos,
  • Kyriakos Andresakis and
  • Vassilios Vescoukis

1 November 2024

The management of energy market data, such as load, production, forecasts, and prices, is critical for energy market participants, who develop in-house energy data infrastructure services to aggregate data from many sources to support their business...

  • Review
  • Open Access
41 Citations
9,452 Views
21 Pages

12 November 2019

There are conflicting reports regarding the effect of farrowing house accommodation on piglet performance. The aim of this investigation was to use a systematic review and meta-analyses to summarise the results of publications that focused on direct...

  • Article
  • Open Access
21 Citations
4,128 Views
17 Pages

3 April 2022

The interest in passive construction that has low demand for thermal energy continues to grow every year. It is related to both the reduction in maintenance costs of buildings and the growing environmental awareness in societies. Passive houses are c...

  • Communication
  • Open Access
17 Citations
11,521 Views
6 Pages

1 February 2021

Practical experience suggests that music can have a positive effect on the welfare of dairy cows, which for some other animal species has been shown in earlier studies. Music could, furthermore, be a useful tool to support, for example, daily milking...

  • Article
  • Open Access
2 Citations
2,769 Views
15 Pages

Performance and Cost-Efficiency of Single Hormonal Treatment Protocols in Tropical Anestrous Dairy Cows

  • Thitiwich Changtes,
  • Javier Sanchez,
  • Pipat Arunvipas,
  • Thitiwan Patanasatienkul,
  • Passawat Thammahakin,
  • Jiranij Jareonsawat,
  • David Hall,
  • Luke Heider and
  • Theera Rukkwamsuk

25 May 2024

This retrospective study aimed to evaluate the performance of hormone treatment protocols, determine the factors associated with pregnancy success after hormone treatment, and compare the cost-efficiencies of two types of hormone treatment among cycl...

  • Article
  • Open Access
10 Citations
4,983 Views
20 Pages

Recoater-Induced Distortions and Build Failures in Selective Laser Melting of Thin-Walled Ti6Al4V Parts

  • Xufei Lu,
  • Michele Chiumenti,
  • Miguel Cervera,
  • Mehdi Slimani and
  • Iban Gonzalez

Additively manufactured thin-walled structures through selective laser melting (SLM) are of great interest in achieving carbon-neutral industrial manufacturing. However, residual stresses and warpages as well as recoater crashes often occur in SLM, l...

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