Miguel Ángel Damián Valdez

Most animal welfare (AW) assessment protocols have been developed for intensive production systems and European cattle, raising concerns about their applicability in the tropics. To compare the results obtained by using the welfare quality (WQ) assessment for fattening cattle in the dry tropics, relevant modifications were implemented in 20 cattle production units (PUs) during the dry (DS) and rainy (RS) seasons. Regarding the principle of good feeding, only during the RS, between 20% and 25% of the farms maintained their animals in the acceptable and good categories, compared to the DS, where all PUs were classified as unacceptable (p < 0.04). Under the “Appropriate Behavior” principle, only 15% and 60% of the PUs maintained their animals at good and acceptable levels, respectively, in the RS, but not in the DS (p < 0.001). Conversely, during the DS, better scores were obtained for the measures and criteria in the Good housing group, with 45%, 50%, and 5% of PU classified as acceptable, good, and excellent, respectively, while for the RS, only 15%, 30%, and 5% reached these levels (p < 0.01). Meanwhile, under the “Good Health” principle, better animal health scores were observed during the RS, with 20%, 30%, and 50% of farms classified as acceptable, good, and excellent, compared to the DS, where only 70% and 10% of farms maintained their animals at good and excellent levels (p < 0.01). It is concluded that better animal welfare (AW) indicators were recorded during the RS, and the adjustments we applied to the conventional WQ protocol comprised a modification for the criterion that included the prolonged absence of thirst as well as adding six new indicators (measures) to the principles of housing, health, and behavior, which are considered essential for evaluating AW in cattle that are managed under extensive conditions by season.

In this work, the effect of PCaf supplementation on productive parameters, production and milk quality in goats under grazing conditions was evaluated, so that producers have other supplementation options for their animals contemplating the best productive performance of goats.20 multiracial goats in milk production with an average production of 1.5 L of milk were divided into 2 groups (n=10 each) homogeneous in terms of live weight and body condition. A first group (Treated) was supplemented with 150 g of PCaf plus 150 g of commercial concentrate (17% PC, 1.5 ME) and 2% molasses of the total ration, while a second group (Control) received 100 g of commercial concentrate. The study period was 21 days. The supplementation of the animals was individual in the morning (8:00 am) during the entire experimental period. The following variables were evaluated: Live Weight (LW), Body Condition (BC), production and determination of milk quality, the data were analyzed with the t-Student test. The results in terms of LW, BC, milk production, protein content, lactose, non-fat solids and total solids showed no difference (P>0.05) for both groups, however, in the average fat content there was a significant difference, trend where higher values ​​(P<0.05) were found in the milk of the goats supplemented with PCaf (3.2%), in relation to that from the control group goats (2.9%). It is concluded that dietary supplementation with PCaf could be a viable alternative to improve milk quality, without decreasing milk production in multibreed goats under grazing conditions in northern Mexico

The objective of the study was to compare the semen fertility and pregnancy rate in a katahdin sheep herd by laparoscopic insemination with refrigerated and frozen semen in a tropical environment. The breeder and twenty bellies of the katahdin breed were used. Two evaluations were performed to assess the quality of the semen according to its macroscopic and microscopic characteristics and the females were synchronized with intravaginal devices with 0.3 g of natural progesterone (CIDR®, Zoetis), plus a dose of 400 IU of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG). Fertility was higher (p< 0.05) (30% pregnancy) in ewes inseminated with frozen semen, compared to 20% pregnancy in those inseminated with cold semen. The evaluated seminal fertility variables demonstrated that the semen in katahdin stallions in a tropical environment is of good quality for handling in the practice of artificial insemination. It is concluded that the breed group of the animals used responded satisfactorily to the synchronization and the semen was within the parameters established for the species, it also tolerated the manipulation, in terms of insemination by laparoscopy, it is a crossbreeding technique that is not widely disseminated in the region however, the study developed suggests further research to provide sufficient knowledge to strengthen the procedure and thereby increase conception in ewes bred.

The objective was to evaluate animal welfare (AB) from direct indicators in dancing horses undergoing training in a training center in the municipality of Pungarabato, Guerrero. The information was obtained from 20 equines through a survey of the trainers that operate the training center. The results were processed in an EXCEL database. 40% of the horses had a good body condition, 60% presented regular body condition. 15% presented swollen legs, 10% moderate lameness, 35% back pain, 20% nasal discharge, 13% presented eye discharge, 35% skin lesions. Broken tail hairs 80%. In preventive medicine, 100% of the equines receive semi-annual deworming, and are vaccinated against the most common diseases. The stereotypes present were aerophagia (10%) and playing with the tongue (5%). However, the handling and training that equines receive causes them stress, affecting their well-being according to the indicators established by the Welfare Quality ® protocol.

The objective was to evaluate the infestation with flies in grazing cattle, and its relationship with some behaviors (tail butting, head butting, kicking and rubbing) that alter animal welfare, through direct observation and use of photographs. At two times (7:00 and 14:00 h) the variables were measured on thirty naturally infested cows and randomly distributed in two treatments: TS: control without deworming and TD: chemically dewormed. The fly infestation were higher (P<0.001) in TS cows (483.7 flies/animal), they also, expressed with greater intensity (P<0.001) and frequency of upset behaviors: tail-tapping (10.84 movements/min), head-butting (1.66), kicking (0.51) and rubbing (0.33) in order to drive away the annoying contact and aggression of the ectoparasite. It is concluded that the greater the fly infestation, the movements that alter the welfare of the animals increase; however, more research is required to know the physiological welfare consequences that the infestation of this parasite implies.