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Animal husbandry methods also play an important role in public discussion, as animal welfare is often valued in society by visual perceptions. In this context, there is often an idealized idea of livestock husbandry and nutrition, which is staged by ideal-typical images. In the minds of many citizens, nature-loving images trigger a positive imagination that results from the longings of urban living conditions. Media and stakeholder analyses indicate that the use of straw in livestock husbandry and nutrition also has a positive impact on the welfare of livestock. According to this, straw is preferred by the public for more animal welfare. But what is not considered is the fact that the straw must be of impeccable hygienic quality
Animal husbandry methods also play an important role in public discussion, as animal welfare is often valued in society by visual perceptions. In this context, there is often an idealized idea of livestock husbandry and nutrition, which is staged by ideal-typical images. In the minds of many citizens, nature-loving images trigger a positive imagination that results from the longings of urban living conditions. Media and stakeholder analyses indicate that the use of straw in livestock husbandry and nutrition also has a positive impact on the welfare of livestock. According to this, straw is preferred by the public for more animal welfare.
But what is not considered is the fact that the straw must be of impeccable hygienic quality. Fungal infestation and the formation of mycotoxins in straw can cause diseases in livestock with consequences for animal welfare.
The first evaluation of a perfect straw quality also takes place in science through sensory tests, i.e. through smell, grip, colour and impurities. Only in the case of abnormalities in the sensory tests are further examinations indicated, such as microbiological examination procedures.
The hygienic properties of straw were examined on the basis of these assessment criteria. In addition to the microbiological-hygienic tests, the sensors of the straw were also tested.
The results show that there are no abnormalities in the sensory examination of the hygiene status. This was to observe an impeccable hygiene status.
However, the microbiological-hygienic investigations showed that the straw had microbiological as well as mycotoxin loads above the orientation values. This can have negative health effects, such as diseases for farm animals.
The scientific results led to the conclusion: The public discussion about animal welfare, which is often conducted primarily on the basis of visual impressions, could gain in scientific resilience if it includes objective results such as microbiological analyses in addition to images in order to evaluate animal welfare in livestock farming
Piglets experience a high level of stress upon weaning due to changes in social structures and feeding. Incorporation of flavors in the maternal diet might be a promising tool to prenatally modulate flavor preferences of the offspring and prevent neophobia. This study aimed to evaluate if the supplementation of the maternal diet with Spicemaster GH 501, an intense, plant-based herbal flavor, could affect feed preferences of early-weaned piglets and thus improve feed intake, performance, and overall health conditions. On approx. day 95 of gestation, 59 pregnant sows (DanZucht) were separated into two groups. The control group received commercial gestation and lactation feeds without flavor, while the trial group received diets with added flavor (400 g/t Spicemaster GH 501). After weaning, 272 piglets from both groups were rehoused and given an early-grower feed, which was consistently supplemented in both groups with 400 g/t Spicemaster GH 501 throughout the whole trial. Strikingly, the trial group, which was prenatally exposed to the flavor, gained significantly more weight during the initial phase after weaning. Moreover, the trial group was less prone to develop ear tip necrosis and displayed an improved general health condition, which was reflected in a reduced number of antibiotic treatments during the duration of the trial. Collectively, the incorporation of flavoring compounds in the maternal diet provides a powerful mechanism to shape taste preferences in early-weaned piglets and conse-quently reduce stress levels and susceptibility to infections.
Piglets experience a high level of stress during the onset of the fattening phase due to changes in social structures and feeding. Incorporation of flavors in the feed supports constant levels of feed intake thus avoiding drops in performance. This study aimed to evaluate if a combination of vanilla and fruity flavors could maintain high interest in variable feeds across different ages. 384 crossbred (Topigs 20 x Piétrain) piglets were separated at weaning into two groups (eight pens per group: four pens with females and four pens with uncastrated males; 24 animals per pen), according to gender and weight. The control group received commercial starter feeds without flavor, while the other group received diets with added flavor (500 g/t Cuxarom Fruit 210, a sweetish, berry multifruit note combined with creamy vanilla). After 49 days, 264 animals from both groups were rehoused and given an early-grower feed with or without added flavor for 7 days. Consequently, animals from the trial group again received flavor-supplemented feed and vice versa. During the early-grower phase, the feed intake of the trial group was 11.2% higher than that of the control group. Moreover, the trial group gained significantly more weight during the early-grower phase (+12.2%) in comparison to the control group. This indicates that the animals prefer the flavor they were familiarized with during the starter phase. This memory effect leads to an increased feed intake and weight gain in early-grower pigs and can counteract drops in performance, particularly when mixing animals or transitioning.
Fütterung von Sportpferden
(2021)