Bovine viral diarrhoea control
Control of bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD) in the UK is largely voluntary, although there is some variation between individual countries. For individual farmers this is likely to be influenced by psychosocial factors (factors with both psychological and social aspects), such as altruism, trust, and psychological proximity (feeling close) to relevant ‘others’, such as farmers, veterinarians, the government, and their cows. These psychosocial factors are important determinants of how people make decisions related to their own health, many of which have not been studied in the context of infectious disease control by farmers. Farmer psychosocial profiles were investigated in a study by Prosser et al (2022) (Journal of Dairy Science https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2021-21386) using multiple validated measures in an observational survey of 475 UK cattle farmers using the capability, opportunity, motivation-behaviour (COM-B) framework. Farmers were split into five BVD control behaviour classes, which were tested for associations with the psychosocial and COM-B factors using multinomial logistic regression, with doing nothing as the baseline class. Farmers who were controlling disease both for them-selves and others were more likely to do some-thing to control BVD. Farmers who did not trust other farmers, had high psychological capability (knowledge and understanding of how to control disease), and had high physical opportunity (time and money to control disease) were more likely to have a closed, separate herd and test. Farmers who did not trust other farmers were also more likely to undertake many prevention strategies with an open herd. Farmers with high automatic motivation (habits and emotions) and reflective motivation (decisions and goals) were more likely to vaccinate and test, alone or in combination with other controls. Farmers with high psychological proximity (feeling of closeness) to their veterinarian were more likely to undertake many prevention strategies in an open herd. Farmers with high psychological proximity to dairy farmers and low psychological proximity to beef farmers were more likely to keep their herd closed and separate and test or vaccinate and test. Farmers who had a lot of trust in other farmers and invested in them, rather than keeping everything for themselves, were more likely to be careful introducing new stock and test. In conclusion, farmer psychosocial factors were associated with strategies for BVD control in UK cattle farmers. Psychological proximity to veterinarians was associated with proactive BVD control. These findings highlight the importance of a close veterinarianfarmer relationship and are important for promoting effective BVD control by farmers, which has implications for successful nationwide BVD control and eradication schemes.
Dairy cow-calf management
Early cow-calf separation followed by individual (or small group) housing of calves is standard practice on dairy farms. However, as highlighted in Richard Laven's recent editorial in this journal (https://doi.org/10.12968/live.2022.27.2.53) there is a growing body of evidence suggesting that as awareness grows the public will oppose these practices. Despite disagreement among different stakeholders over weighting and evaluations of effects of early separation (e.g. distress response, disease risk), recent systematic reviews indicate that there is little scientific evidence supporting this practice. The acceptability of alternative cow-calf management systems is unknown. Sirovica et al (2022) (Journal of Dairy Science https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2021-21344) working in Canada used a mixed methods survey with a convenience sample of 307 Canadians plus a representative sample of 1487 Americans to investigate perceptions of these systems, examining the effects of providing social or foster cow contact following early separation or not separating cow-calf pairs. Attitudes and perceptions of animal welfare were more positive toward the system where calves were not separated from the cow, compared with systems in which the calf was separated and individually housed, separated and group housed, or separated and kept with a foster cow. These results suggest that there may be low acceptance of any cow-calf management system involving early separation. As we seek to better educate consumers about how their food is produced, consumer attitudes such as this will have to be considered, and changes possibly implemented on farms.
Pain control at disbudding
The objective of a study by Röder et al (2022) (Journal of Dairy Science https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2021-21257) was to evaluate the effect of the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug transdermal flunixin meglumine (Finadyne Transdermal) on plasma cortisol, average daily weight gain, and standing and lying behaviour of calves, when given at the time of disbudding combined with local anaesthesia. Seventy-one female Holstein Friesian calves were enrolled in the study. All calves were randomly assigned to one of three treatment groups: control group, flunixin group with a single administration of transdermal flunixin meglumine at disbudding, and 2-flunixin group with two administrations of transdermal flunixin meglumine, the first at disbudding and the second 6 hours after disbudding. Disbudding was performed using a hot cautery dehorner. Plasma samples were collected to measure the stress biomarker cortisol at seven different time points. Body weights were measured four times in 2 weeks. Standing and lying behaviour was assessed via 3-dimensional accelerometer. There was no statistical difference between average daily weight gain and the treatment procedure. Total lying time was not affected by treatment after disbudding. However, transdermal flunixin meglumine given at the time of disbudding combined with local anaesthesia decreased concentrations of the stress biomarker cortisol, but a second dose 6 hours after disbudding had no further effect on plasma cortisol levels.