Improving animal health and welfare in organic cattle milk production through breeding and management
Abstract
Good animal health is a cornerstone of organic livestock production with vital importance for productivity and economy as well as for animal welfare and antibiotic resistance risk in human and veterinary medicine. Organic cattle milk production is the largest and by far the economically most important organic livestock production in Europe. Focusing on dairy cow health through a combined improvement of management and breeding provides a unique opportunity for improving societal trust in organic milk by maintenance of good health and welfare in systems with relatively low concentrate and medication use and high levels of grazing. Simultaneously this will help to improve productivity and cost efficiency. The overall aim of the project is to improve udder and metabolic health in organic cattle milk production through breeding and management. Research questions are specified which will contribute to immediate improvements of animal health and welfare through optimized farm management as well as long-term improvements through breeding including optimal use of local/native genetic resources. Commercial and local breed health characteristics and information on production environments are used to enhance sustainability of breeding strategies for organic dairy production in Europe, including genomic selection and crossbreeding of local/native and commercial breeds. Risk factors for stress and udder infections and alternatives to antibiotic treatment are identified as well as other risk factors for mastitis and metabolic diseases in pasture based organic dairy farms. This will contribute to efficient preventive management and handling strategies and thereby to improved udder and metabolic health and reduced use of medication in organic dairy herds without negative effects on animal welfare.
Cattle Health traits Breeding Management Prevention
Publikationen
Characteristics of organic dairy farm types in seven European countries
Autoren: Wallenbeck, A., Bieber, A., Spengler Neff, A., Fuerst-Waltl, B., Winckler, C., Ivemeyer, S., Simantke, C., March, S., Brinkmann. J., Rousing, T., Sorensen, J. T., Walczak, J., Wójcik, P., Ribikauskas, V. Jahr: 2016
Conference & Workshop proceedings, paper, abstract
Comparison of native and commercial dairy cattle breeds on organic farms in five European countries
Autoren: Bieber, A., Spengler, A., Fuerst-Waltl, B., Ivemeyer, S., Simantke, C., Stricker, C., Walczak, J., Wallenbeck, A., Winckler, C., Wójcik, P. Jahr: 2016
Conference & Workshop proceedings, paper, abstract
Comparison of production level, fertility and health associated traits of native and commercial dairy cattle breeds on organic farms in Austria and Switzerland
Autoren: Bieber, A; Spengler, A; Winckler, C; Fuerst-Waltl, B Jahr: 2018
Conference & Workshop proceedings, paper, abstract
Abschlussbericht zum Projekt "Improving animal health and welfare in organic cattle milk production through breeding and management"
Autoren: Jan Tind Sørensen, Anet Spengler Neff, Anna Bieber, Birgit Fuerst-Waltl, Christoph Winckler, Vytautas Ribikauskas, Anna Wallenbeck, Silvia Ivemeyer, Ute Knierim, Jacek Walczak, Morten Kargo Jahr: 2018
Forschungsbericht (extern. Auftraggeber)
Production level, fertility, health traits, and longevity in local and commercial dairy breeds under organic production conditions in Austria, Switzerland, Poland, and Sweden.
Autoren: Bieber, A; Wallenbeck, A; Leiber, F; Fuerst-Waltl, B; Winckler, C; Gullstrand, P; Walczak, J; Wójcik, P; Neff, AS; Jahr: 2019
Journal articles
Characteristics of organic dairy major farm types in seven European countries
Autoren: Wallenbeck, A; Rousing, T; Sørensen, JT; Bieber, A; Spengler Neff, A; Fuerst-Waltl, B; Winckler, C; Pfeiffer, C; Steininger, F; Simantke, C; March, S; Brinkmann, J; Walczak, J; Wójcik, P; Ribikauskas, V; Wilhelmsson, S; Skjerve, T; Ivemeyer, S Jahr: 2019
Journal articles
Alt aber gut: Gesundheits- und Produktionsmerkmale von lokalen Milchrinderrassen im Vergleich zu kommerziellen Rassen
Autoren: Bieber, A; Wallenbeck, A; Leiber, F; Fürst-Waltl, B; Winckler, C; Gullstrand, P; Walcak, J; Wójcik, P; Spengler Neff, A Jahr: 2019
Conference & Workshop proceedings, paper, abstract
Mitarbeiter*Innen
Birgit Fürst-Waltl
Priv.-Doz. Dipl.-Ing. Dr.nat.techn. Birgit Fürst-Waltl
birgit.fuerst-waltl@boku.ac.at
Tel: +43 1 47654-93233
Project Leader
15.01.2015 - 15.06.2018
Christoph Winckler
Univ.Prof. Dr.med.vet. Christoph Winckler
christoph.winckler@boku.ac.at
Tel: +43 1 47654-93221
Project Staff
15.01.2015 - 15.06.2018