Sound analysis in dairy cattle vocalisation as a potential welfare monitor
In modem farming there is a growing demand for innovative tools gathering and analysing information concerning the herd, as well as individual animals. In Precision Livestock Farming (PLF), technology continuously measures various variables as activity, food intake or oestrus activity, thereby supporting farmers in monitoring his livestock. Sound analysis has shown to be useful as […]
Sustainable animal welfare: does forcing farmers into transition help?
Dutch society is changing, and so is its attitude towards animal welfare. Meat retailers respond by laying down minimum-quality criteria for farmers who wish to supply to supermarkets-forcing them to either aim for higher quality or lose their market. Policy-wise this is a top-down measure that leads to a redistribution of markets. From farmer perspective, […]