Competition at the feed bunk changes the feeding, standing, and social behavior of transition dairy cows
Transition dairy cows are vulnerable to the negative consequences of depressed feed intake around calving. Competition can decrease feeding activity in midlactation cows, but the effects of competition on the transition cow are not well understood. The objective was to test the effect of competition on the behavior and feed intake of transition cows. Standing […]
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, […]