Einfluss der Mensch-Tier-Beziehung auf die Eutergesundheit bei Milchkühen

Summary

This project is part of pro-Q-project (Promotion of udder health and quality of biologically produced milk in Switzerland; http://www.fibl.org/forschung/tiergesundheit/komplementaermedizin/pro-q.php)
Mastitis is a disease with many factors. So there is not only one solution to solve the problem of mastitis. One hypothesis regards the human-animal-relationship as one factor influencing udder health. So it can be assumed that a calm interaction leads to behavioural balanced cows followed by more stable health parameters.
Project aims:
To investigate the importance of human-animal-relationship as a mastitis factor.
Methodology:
The project is carried out on 50 farms and consists three parts:
1. Observation of vocalisation and tactile interaction during milking
2. Observation of the approach reaction of the cows to an unfamiliar person (avoidance distance)
3. Questionnaire of stockperson’s attitude
Involved organisations, project partners:
-Susanne Waiblinger, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Austria
-Ute Knierim, University of Organic Agricultural Sciences, Kassel-Witzenhausen, Germany
-Christoph Winckler, University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
Literature:
Walkenhorst, M., F. Heil, S. Ivemeyer, P. Klocke, C. Notz und J. Spranger (2005): Pro-Q: Strategien zur Verbesserung der Eutergesundheit und Minimierung des Antibiotikaeinsatzes in schweizerischen Biomilchviehbetrieben, Beitrag zur 8. Wissenschaftstagung Ökologischer Landbau, Kassel, http://orgprints.org/3876/01/3876.pdf
WAIBLINGER, S., MENKE, C., COLEMAN, G. (2002): The relationship between attitudes, personal characteristics and behaviour of stockpeople and subsequent behaviour and production of dairy cows, Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 79: 195-219