Abstract

The present study aims to understand the influence of a reduced amount of straw litter on goats’ lying comfort and hygienic characteristics of milk and straw. Lying behaviour (frequency, lying posture, location and social context) of 24 Alpine goats subjected to two different straw treatments (Regular: 2 kg/straw/head + 1 kg straw/head/day, n = 12; Scarce: 1 kg straw/head + 0.5 kg straw/head/day, n = 12) was observed from video recordings using a scan sampling method at 15-min scan intervals in March 2017. Moreover, straw and milk samples were submitted to microbiological analysis for the detection of total bacteria (SPC) and Enterobacteriaceae count. No significant differences in the duration of lying were observed between treatments, except at the beginning of the experimental period (Day 1: Regular: 26.0%; Scarce: 20.3% of scans; p < .05). In both treatments lying behaviour followed the normal lying patterns for goats, with a preference for sternal lying (99.4% of scans), in contact with a pen wall (78.2% of scans) and not in contact with other goats (alone: 79.7% of scans). Milk and straw SPC and Enterobacteriaceae count were not affected by the treatment. This preliminary study suggests the possibility to reduce the amount of straw as bedding material in goat farms, without affecting animal welfare and microbiological characteristics of milk and straw litter. However, further studies are required to confirm these results under different climatic conditions.

• Highlights

• Reducing the amount of straw bedding does not affect goats’ comfort

• Microbiological characteristics of milk and straw are not affected by the amount of straw bedding

• Provided that a daily addition is guaranteed, it seems possible to reduce management costs by reducing the amount of straw as bedding material

摘要

本研究旨在了解减少秸秆垫料对山羊躺卧舒适度和牛奶和秸秆卫生特性的影响。接受两种不同秸秆处理的 24 只高山山羊的躺卧行为（频率、躺姿、位置和社会背景）（常规：2 公斤/秸秆/头 + 1 公斤秸秆/头/天，n  = 12；稀缺：1 公斤秸秆/头 + 0.5 公斤稻草/头/天，n = 12) 是在 2017 年 3 月使用扫描采样方法以 15 分钟扫描间隔从视频记录中观察到的。此外，将秸秆和牛奶样品提交给微生物分析以检测总细菌 (SPC) 和肠杆菌属计数。除了在实验期开始时（第 1 天：常规：26.0%；稀缺：扫描的 20.3%；p < .05）。在这两种治疗中，山羊的躺卧行为都遵循正常的躺卧模式，偏爱胸骨躺下（99.4% 的扫描）、与围栏接触（78.2% 的扫描）而不与其他山羊接触（单独：79.7%）扫描）。牛奶和秸秆 SPC 和肠杆菌科计数不受处理的影响。这项初步研究表明，在不影响动物福利以及牛奶和秸秆垫料的微生物特征的情况下，可以减少山羊养殖场中秸秆作为垫料的数量。然而，需要进一步的研究来证实不同气候条件下的这些结果。

• 强调

• 减少稻草垫料的数量不会影响山羊的舒适度

• 牛奶和秸秆的微生物特性不受秸秆垫料量的影响

• 如果保证每天添加，似乎可以通过减少作为垫料的秸秆数量来降低管理成本