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Ahead to APPENDIX A: Membership of the Farm Animal Welfare Council |
179. Research is required on management practices in straw yards which help to control pathogens contributing to foot and mastitis problems (paragraph 97).
180. A study of behavioural needs of cows under systems of all-year housing is needed to assess the effects on their welfare (paragraph 125).
181. Further research is needed to determine the optimum light:dark ratio and intensity of light in order to maintain good welfare (paragraph 129).
182. Research is needed, under UK conditions, on methods of avoiding heat stress (paragraph 132).
183. The Government should ensure that independent monitoring and observation studies are undertaken to establish that there are no adverse welfare affects of fully robotic milking and to consider potential benefits (paragraph 188).
184. Further research should be undertaken to develop vaccines, and other treatments, for the prevention and control of mastitis and to avoid routine usage of antibiotics (paragraph 210).
185. We have considerable concerns regarding oversize calves resulting from in vitro fertilised embryos that can cause difficulties at calving. It is essential that research is pursued as a matter of urgency. We intend to review the evidence within five years of this report (paragraph 283).
186. The technique of using sexed semen and sexed embryos should be monitored, both while under development and when commercially available, to determine whether there are any adverse effects on progeny (paragraph 287).
187. Knowledge of the effect of separation on both the welfare of calf and cow is limited and further research is required to identify such effects and to ascertain at what age it is least stressful to separate cow and calf. The research should take into consideration the potential benefits that both might derive from being kept together within a practicable dairy system (paragraph 334).
188. As soon as a satisfactory and practical way of producing analgesia, or administering an anaesthetic without the necessity of injecting it via a syringe and needle, becomes available it must be adopted for use on calves of any age before castration (paragraph 372).
189. Research should be carried out into the type of tag most likely to remain permanently in the ear and least likely to cause damage by tearing, and into other more welfare-friendly methods of individual marking (paragraph 394).
190. Although some trial work is being undertaken, there is a great need for further research to identify those animals that would benefit from extended lactations and to develop diets that will alter the shape of the lactation curve and so reduce excessive liveweight gain later in the lactation (paragraph 408).
191. Long-term trials should be undertaken to identify the effects of extended lactations on such parameters as udder conformation, longevity, breeding success, disease control and body condition (paragraph 409).