Paolo Ferrari - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Papers by Paolo Ferrari
May 2010 the present study is part of the Welfare Quality ® research project which has been cofin... more May 2010 the present study is part of the Welfare Quality ® research project which has been cofinanced by the european Commission, within the 6th framework programme, contract No. fooD-Ct-2004-506508. the text represents the authors' views and does not necessarily represent a position of the Commission who will not be liable for the use made of such information.
The experimental outdoor pig farm is situated in the South of Italy (Crotone). The enclosures for... more The experimental outdoor pig farm is situated in the South of Italy (Crotone). The enclosures for the pig breeding were dimensioned to keep 12-14 pigs/each (100 m 2 /head) and were arranged with a hopper trough, a drinker, a water nozzle, a hut with insulated roof (covered surface of 10 m 2) and a shading net. The huts were located on the ground with different expositions of the open side (West and East), in two close fences. During the trials pigs of Large White breed in growing phase were reared. Microclimatic and behavioural parameters were collected both in winter and in summer. The values of air temperature and contact temperature inside the two huts were very close to the outside temperature. In winter the average air temperature was higher in the hut with West open side (13.4°C vs. 11.0°C), with relative humidity lower on average. In summer the average air temperature was higher in the hut with East open side (1.4°C; 27.1°C vs. 25.7°C) and relative humidity levels almost equivalent. Concerning the behavioural data, during the winter season the pigs devote the 83% of the time to resting, especially inside the huts (80%). Only the 3% of the resting time is registered outside. The 17% of the time is spent for outside activities. During the summer the animals spend the same time (83%) for resting, but they use less the hut (only 62% of resting time inside the hut). The 83% of the time destined to resting both in winter and in summer season can be considered as indicative of good welfare conditions, taking into account that in outdoor enclosures the pigs can satisfy instinctive behaviours such as rooting and exploring. In conclusion: a) the huts used during the trials enable to mitigate the outside temperatures in a rather limited way; b) in winter season it is advisable to arrange a partial closing of the open side and to use great amounts of straw; c) the open side exposed to West gives a better thermal comfort to the pigs, related to East exposition, both in winter conditions and in summer conditions.
The note proposes an hydraulic approach to the flush system for removing manure from alleys in da... more The note proposes an hydraulic approach to the flush system for removing manure from alleys in dairy freestall barns. The flushing flux is able to transport manure along the alley flooring, depending on hydraulic flux parameters. Chezy formula has been commonly used to calculate the mean flow velocity, assigning a constant value to the roughness Manning coefficient. Attention is posed on the variability of that coefficient, depending on both the flooring material and the type and quantity of material lying on the floor. Trials in three barns, located nearby Reggio Emilia in the North of Italy, which have been using the flushing system for some years, have been performed to calculate the Manning coefficient n values once it was known the flow flush velocity. The obtained n value for the clean alley, concrete floored with grooves, differently increases depending on the alley use, feeding or freestall, because of the type and quantity of bedding materials present only in the freestall ...
Animals, 2021
Pig welfare is affected by housing conditions, the minimum requirements of which are set up by EU... more Pig welfare is affected by housing conditions, the minimum requirements of which are set up by EU legislation. Animal and non-animal-based measures are useful indicators to investigate housing risk factors for pig welfare. An observational study on 51 pig farms in seven EU countries, aimed at investigating housing risk factors for the welfare of finishing pigs, showed body weight and presence of bedded solid floored resting area (BED) identifying three clusters of farms. Farms with BED were featured by no or limited tail docking, larger availability of manipulable materials and lower number of pigs per farm and per annual work unit. In these farms, less skin and ear lesions were found, compared with lean pigs of farms without BED, which were characterized by lower pig space allowance, mortality rate and medication cost. In farms without BED, heavy pigs were featured by more space per pig, more pigs per drinker and higher mortality rate and medication cost per pig, compared to lean p...
We studied different EU production standards and initiatives to determine whether there is still ... more We studied different EU production standards and initiatives to determine whether there is still room or not for further animal welfare improvement, and which should be the best way to achieve it. Many of the adopted measures in these standards and initiatives are scientifically supported, but other aspects that are equally important for animal welfare are not included in any of them. Animal welfare improvement
We studied different EU production standards and initiatives to determine whether there is still ... more We studied different EU production standards and initiatives to determine whether there is still room or not for further animal welfare improvement, and which should be the best way to achieve it. Many of the adopted measures in these standards and initiatives are scientifically supported, but other aspects that are equally important for animal welfare are not included in any of them. Animal welfare improvement
Animals, 2020
In the European research project HealthyHens, welfare indicators as well as husbandry and managem... more In the European research project HealthyHens, welfare indicators as well as husbandry and management conditions were recorded in 107 organic laying hen farms in eight countries. Farms were visited at peak and end of lay. Egg production was on average comparable to breeder specifications. A mean mortality of 5.7% and mean prevalences of footpad lesions of 30.5%, keel bone damage of 44.5%, 57.3% of flocks with on average >200 Ascarid eggs per gram faeces and 28.2% of flocks with >100 mites/trap were recorded. A large variation between flocks indicated options for improvement. Based on the results, the following measures can be recommended: (i) decreasing mite and worm infestation and (ii) providing an attractive covered veranda, because of their association with decreased mortality; (iii) maximising access to the free range, because of its relation to decreased A. galli infection and less injurious pecking; (iv) feeding sufficient protein levels and (v) providing adequate litter...
May 2010 the present study is part of the Welfare Quality ® research project which has been cofin... more May 2010 the present study is part of the Welfare Quality ® research project which has been cofinanced by the european Commission, within the 6th framework programme, contract No. fooD-Ct-2004-506508. the text represents the authors' views and does not necessarily represent a position of the Commission who will not be liable for the use made of such information.
The experimental outdoor pig farm is situated in the South of Italy (Crotone). The enclosures for... more The experimental outdoor pig farm is situated in the South of Italy (Crotone). The enclosures for the pig breeding were dimensioned to keep 12-14 pigs/each (100 m 2 /head) and were arranged with a hopper trough, a drinker, a water nozzle, a hut with insulated roof (covered surface of 10 m 2) and a shading net. The huts were located on the ground with different expositions of the open side (West and East), in two close fences. During the trials pigs of Large White breed in growing phase were reared. Microclimatic and behavioural parameters were collected both in winter and in summer. The values of air temperature and contact temperature inside the two huts were very close to the outside temperature. In winter the average air temperature was higher in the hut with West open side (13.4°C vs. 11.0°C), with relative humidity lower on average. In summer the average air temperature was higher in the hut with East open side (1.4°C; 27.1°C vs. 25.7°C) and relative humidity levels almost equivalent. Concerning the behavioural data, during the winter season the pigs devote the 83% of the time to resting, especially inside the huts (80%). Only the 3% of the resting time is registered outside. The 17% of the time is spent for outside activities. During the summer the animals spend the same time (83%) for resting, but they use less the hut (only 62% of resting time inside the hut). The 83% of the time destined to resting both in winter and in summer season can be considered as indicative of good welfare conditions, taking into account that in outdoor enclosures the pigs can satisfy instinctive behaviours such as rooting and exploring. In conclusion: a) the huts used during the trials enable to mitigate the outside temperatures in a rather limited way; b) in winter season it is advisable to arrange a partial closing of the open side and to use great amounts of straw; c) the open side exposed to West gives a better thermal comfort to the pigs, related to East exposition, both in winter conditions and in summer conditions.
The note proposes an hydraulic approach to the flush system for removing manure from alleys in da... more The note proposes an hydraulic approach to the flush system for removing manure from alleys in dairy freestall barns. The flushing flux is able to transport manure along the alley flooring, depending on hydraulic flux parameters. Chezy formula has been commonly used to calculate the mean flow velocity, assigning a constant value to the roughness Manning coefficient. Attention is posed on the variability of that coefficient, depending on both the flooring material and the type and quantity of material lying on the floor. Trials in three barns, located nearby Reggio Emilia in the North of Italy, which have been using the flushing system for some years, have been performed to calculate the Manning coefficient n values once it was known the flow flush velocity. The obtained n value for the clean alley, concrete floored with grooves, differently increases depending on the alley use, feeding or freestall, because of the type and quantity of bedding materials present only in the freestall ...
Animals, 2021
Pig welfare is affected by housing conditions, the minimum requirements of which are set up by EU... more Pig welfare is affected by housing conditions, the minimum requirements of which are set up by EU legislation. Animal and non-animal-based measures are useful indicators to investigate housing risk factors for pig welfare. An observational study on 51 pig farms in seven EU countries, aimed at investigating housing risk factors for the welfare of finishing pigs, showed body weight and presence of bedded solid floored resting area (BED) identifying three clusters of farms. Farms with BED were featured by no or limited tail docking, larger availability of manipulable materials and lower number of pigs per farm and per annual work unit. In these farms, less skin and ear lesions were found, compared with lean pigs of farms without BED, which were characterized by lower pig space allowance, mortality rate and medication cost. In farms without BED, heavy pigs were featured by more space per pig, more pigs per drinker and higher mortality rate and medication cost per pig, compared to lean p...
We studied different EU production standards and initiatives to determine whether there is still ... more We studied different EU production standards and initiatives to determine whether there is still room or not for further animal welfare improvement, and which should be the best way to achieve it. Many of the adopted measures in these standards and initiatives are scientifically supported, but other aspects that are equally important for animal welfare are not included in any of them. Animal welfare improvement
We studied different EU production standards and initiatives to determine whether there is still ... more We studied different EU production standards and initiatives to determine whether there is still room or not for further animal welfare improvement, and which should be the best way to achieve it. Many of the adopted measures in these standards and initiatives are scientifically supported, but other aspects that are equally important for animal welfare are not included in any of them. Animal welfare improvement
Animals, 2020
In the European research project HealthyHens, welfare indicators as well as husbandry and managem... more In the European research project HealthyHens, welfare indicators as well as husbandry and management conditions were recorded in 107 organic laying hen farms in eight countries. Farms were visited at peak and end of lay. Egg production was on average comparable to breeder specifications. A mean mortality of 5.7% and mean prevalences of footpad lesions of 30.5%, keel bone damage of 44.5%, 57.3% of flocks with on average >200 Ascarid eggs per gram faeces and 28.2% of flocks with >100 mites/trap were recorded. A large variation between flocks indicated options for improvement. Based on the results, the following measures can be recommended: (i) decreasing mite and worm infestation and (ii) providing an attractive covered veranda, because of their association with decreased mortality; (iii) maximising access to the free range, because of its relation to decreased A. galli infection and less injurious pecking; (iv) feeding sufficient protein levels and (v) providing adequate litter...