Diergezondheid en duurzaamheid

De duurzaamheid van de huidige veehouderij staat ter discussie. In die discussie hebben diergezondheid en de relatie tussen diergezondheid en volksgezondheid een centrale positie. Zo'n discussie is op zich een teken van onduurzaamheid, want maatschappelijke acceptatie is een eerste vereiste voor duurzaamheid. Er is veel slecht nieuws over diergezondheid; staat de gezondheid van onze veestapel er anno 2010 inderdaad maar matig voor? In dit essay worden de trends in diergezondheid besproken

Vision of Dutch organic dairy farmers on animal health and welfare

Dutch organic dairy farmers expressed their opinions on animal health and welfare in order to be able to communicate it internally (within the dairy sector) and externally (to consumers). A healthy animal in their opinion is free of physical and psychological discomfort, survives in a herd, takes enough food and behaves naturally. Disease resistance, both innate and achieved, plays a crucial role in health and welfare. Breeding should aim at health criteria and high production may even be sacrificed for good health. Prevention is more important than treatment. A diseased animal should, to some extend, be given the opportunity to recover by itself. However, needless suffering should be prevented by effective treatment, which only as a last remedy, may be antibiotics. For the assessment of suffering, the intensity and duration of pain should all be taken into account, as well as the course of the disease and its prognosis, feed and water intake, survival in the herd and body reserves. Moreover, more regulations are no guarantee for a better health and welfare. Housing, adequate feeding, care and the farmers’ attitude toward his animals all contribute to animal health and welfare

Cross border Classical Swine Fever control: Improving Dutch and German crisis management systems by an integrated public-private approach

The objective of this research approach is to analyse in which ways crisis management measures against Classical Swine Fever (CSF) can be improved by a public private cross border model. A core activity contains the analysis of information and communication systems: In a case study it has been empirically analysed if a sufficient supply of public and private information enables crisis managers at both sides of the Dutch-German border area to take decisions about CSF control more efficient. At the end of this approach a new crisis management model had been developed. One of the most important aspects thereby is the assessment of data: (1) within private quality management systems in normal times according to the benefit for public management tasks in times of crisis and (2) within public crisis management systems according to the benefit for cross-border CSF-control activities. To this effect two different methodological approaches have been combined within the model: (1) a method to identify and illustrate public actors and their options in crisis management decision making and (2) a system of communication and information exchange between public and private as well as Dutch and German actors (engage& exchange model) which permit to collect and to evaluate data in addition for a predefined time period are activated

Visie gezondheid en welzijn biologische landbouwhuisdieren

Veehouders is gevraagd naar hun mening over toekomstige ontwikkelingen in diergezondheid en dierwelzijn in de biologische veehouderij. In dit rapport is naast algemene ontwikkelingen, per diersoort op basis van stellingen aangegeven hoe veehouders denken in de toekomst om te gaan met gezondheid en welzijn. Zowel tussen diergroepen als binnen diergroepen kunnen meningen van veehouders soms sterk uiteenlopen. Meer nadruk op preventie, gebruik maken van de zelfredzaamheid van dieren, geen nodeloos lijden, meer onderzoek naar alternatieve behandelingen, eenvoudiger registratie van geneesmiddelen, geen regelgeving die welzijn in de weg staat en goede onafhankelijke adviseurs past in de visie voor alle diersoorten

Different methods to counteract mycotoxin production and its impact on animal health

Mycotoxins can cause serious adverse effects on animal health. This may lead to great economic losses in animal husbandry. In this review, the most common methods to counteract mycotoxins are presented, including several pre- and post-harvest strategies as well as an overview of the different mycotoxin detoxifying agents. The current legislation regarding maximum, guidance or action levels of mycotoxin contamination in various feedstuffs is also mentioned. It allows the agricultural industry to interpret feed analysis results and to decide whether to undertake actions or not

Staat van het dier : monitoring van dierenwelzijn en diergezondheid in Nederland (0-meting) = Monitoring animal welfare and animal health in The Netherlands

25 measuring points summarize the results of policy measures for animal welfare and animal health in The Netherland

Effect van volledig roostervloer en dichte vloer en doorlaatbaarheid van vloeren in varkensstallen op milieu, diergezondheid en -welzijn en voedselveiligheid: een literatuur review

Een integrale benadering kan leiden tot het verbeteren van een vloeruitvoering. Niet alleen spleetbreedte of aandeel roostervloer is belangrijk, maar een minimum percentage doorlaatbaarheid van het totale vloeroppervlak is doorslaggeven

Versterking van het diergezondheidsmanagement in de varkenshouderij: belemmeringen en oplossingsinrichtingen

This report presents barriers and possible solutions to strengthen the animal health management on pig farms

Indicatoren voor dierenwelzijn en diergezondheid = Indicators for animal welfare and animal health

The Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality requires a monitor for animal welfare and animal health to evaluate progress in this field. This report describes which indicators for animal welfare and health can be used for the monito