Abstract:

This study has been conducted to assess resource-based and management-based factors affecting animal welfare in water buffalo husbandry holdings in Yozgat province in order to obtain basic data for a water buffalo welfare assessment protocol to be developed. An measurement, observation and evaluation form was developed to obtain the data by using that the results of studies recently published on water buffalo health and welfare and the dairy cattle assessment protocols the Welfare Quality® and AssureWel and the Unified Field Index protocol. One hundred thirty holdings in Yozgat province and districts were visited and resource-based and management-based measurements and evaluations were made according to the developed measurement, observation and evaluation form and face to face interviews with business owners and employees were carried out. It was observed that water buffalo husbandry holdings were small and medium scale and the animal husbandry was implemented traditionally. As a result, it was found that, the existing farm standards in buffaloes holdings concerning to the resource-based and management-based factors affecting animal welfare were satisfactory with respect to good feeding principles but were poor for both of the good housing and good health principles. Besides, it was concluded that the farm owners and workers did not have sufficient knowledge and skills in of the development and implementation of sustainable animal welfare management strategies in buffalo farms.

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