Validación del protocolo de bienestar animal de la Unión Europea en explotaciones lecheras de Costa Rica
Fecha
2013-08-12
Autores
Anfossi Morales, Claudia Fiorella
Chacón Navarro, Adriana
Chinchilla Chavarría, Ricardo
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ISSN de la revista
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Editor
Universidad Nacional, Costa Rica
Resumen
Se validó el protocolo de Bienestar Animal de la Vaca Lechera desarrollado por Welfare
Quality® por medio de la aplicación del mismo en 27 explotaciones lecheras de Costa Rica. La
evaluación incluyó producciones extensivas, semi–estabuladas y estabuladas en 3 distintas zonas
geográficas del país. Los 12 criterios contemplados dentro de la evaluación fueron: ausencia de
hambre prolongada, ausencia de sed prolongada, confort al descanso, confort térmico, facilidad de
movimiento, ausencia de lesiones, ausencia de enfermedad, ausencia de dolor inducido por el
manejo, expresión de conducta social adecuada, expresión adecuada de otras conductas, relación
humano-animal positiva y estado emocional positivo. Luego de aplicar en protocolo en cada finca,
éstas se clasificaron como inaceptables, aceptables, buenas y excelentes según los estándares
determinados por la comisión de Welfare Quality®. Los hallazgos fueron utilizados para
determinar la aplicabilidad de este protocolo en las condiciones propias del país.
Para lograr llevar a cabo la validación, el protocolo original de Welfare Quality®, el cual
está en el idioma inglés, fue traducido y adaptado a las circunstancias propias de Costa Rica. La
adaptación mas importante fue la incorporación del sistema semi-estabulado ya que el protocolo
solamente contempla sistemas de producción de pastoreo o estabulados. Otra adaptación importante
fue en el criterio de ausencia de enfermedades, el cual contempla el conteo de células somáticas.
Mientras el protocolo evalúa de forma individual el conteo diario de células somáticas por 3 meses,
se determinó que bajo las condiciones del país este conteo sería el promedio mensual de cada finca
por los últimos tres meses.
La evaluación global de las explotaciones lecheras arrojó como resultado que un 0%
(n=0/27) de las mismas clasificó como excelente, 11% (n=3/27) bueno, 89% (n=24/27) aceptable y
0% (n=0/27) inaceptable según el sistema de clasificación de Welfare Quality®. Estos puntajes
finales se obtuvieron por medio de la ponderación de los valores obtenidos en los distintos criterios.
Estos resultados indican que las producciones lecheras evaluadas cumplen con los estándares
europeos de bienestar animal.
Luego del análisis de los resultados se determinó que este protocolo es aplicable y muy
completo en su explicación de cómo evaluar cada parámetro, sin embargo, consideramos que se
requiere de entrenamiento para lograr aplicar correctamente ciertas evaluaciones que probaron ser
confusas y subjetivas.
The Welfare Quality protocol for dairy cows was validated by applying it to 27 farms in Costa Rica. The evaluation included extensive productions, semi-extensive and tethered farms in 3 different geographic zones of the country. The 12 criteria contemplated within the protocol were: absence of prolonged hunger, absence of prolonged thirst, comfort around resting, thermal comfort, ease of movement, absence of injuries, absence of disease, absence of pain induced by management procedures, expression of social behaviors, expression of other behaviors, good human-animal relationship and positive emotional state. After applying the protocol on each farm, these were classified as excellent, enhanced, acceptable and not acceptable or not classified, according to the standards of the Welfare Quality commission. The results were used to determine the applicability of this protocol in the country´s own conditions. To be able to validate this protocol, the original writing of the Welfare Quality® was translated and adapted to Costa Rica´s own circumstances. The most important adaption was the incorporation of the semi-extensive farms because the protocol only contemplates tethered and extensive production systems. Also, another adaptation was in the absence of disease criteria, which includes milk somatic cell count. While this protocol evaluates this count on a daily basis and per cow, it was determined that under the country´s conditions it would be taken into account mean of the milk somatic cell count of all the lactating cows per month during 3 months. The global evaluation of the dairy exploitations resulted in 0% (n=0/27) as excellent, 11% (n=3/27) good, 89% (n=24/27) acceptable and 0% (n=0/27) not classified according to the classification system of the Welfare Quality®. These scores were obtained by weighing all the obtained values from the different criteria. These results indicate that the dairy productions qualify with the European welfare standards. After the analysis of the results it was determined that this protocol is applicable and very complete in its explanation of how to evaluate each parameter, nevertheless, we consider that adequate training is necessary to be able to apply correctly certain evaluations that proved to be confusing and subjective.
The Welfare Quality protocol for dairy cows was validated by applying it to 27 farms in Costa Rica. The evaluation included extensive productions, semi-extensive and tethered farms in 3 different geographic zones of the country. The 12 criteria contemplated within the protocol were: absence of prolonged hunger, absence of prolonged thirst, comfort around resting, thermal comfort, ease of movement, absence of injuries, absence of disease, absence of pain induced by management procedures, expression of social behaviors, expression of other behaviors, good human-animal relationship and positive emotional state. After applying the protocol on each farm, these were classified as excellent, enhanced, acceptable and not acceptable or not classified, according to the standards of the Welfare Quality commission. The results were used to determine the applicability of this protocol in the country´s own conditions. To be able to validate this protocol, the original writing of the Welfare Quality® was translated and adapted to Costa Rica´s own circumstances. The most important adaption was the incorporation of the semi-extensive farms because the protocol only contemplates tethered and extensive production systems. Also, another adaptation was in the absence of disease criteria, which includes milk somatic cell count. While this protocol evaluates this count on a daily basis and per cow, it was determined that under the country´s conditions it would be taken into account mean of the milk somatic cell count of all the lactating cows per month during 3 months. The global evaluation of the dairy exploitations resulted in 0% (n=0/27) as excellent, 11% (n=3/27) good, 89% (n=24/27) acceptable and 0% (n=0/27) not classified according to the classification system of the Welfare Quality®. These scores were obtained by weighing all the obtained values from the different criteria. These results indicate that the dairy productions qualify with the European welfare standards. After the analysis of the results it was determined that this protocol is applicable and very complete in its explanation of how to evaluate each parameter, nevertheless, we consider that adequate training is necessary to be able to apply correctly certain evaluations that proved to be confusing and subjective.
Descripción
Modalidad: Seminario
Palabras clave
GANADO DE LECHE, UNION EUROPEA, SALUD ANIMAL, PROTOCOLO, COSTA RICA