Tuesday, 30 March 2021 16:30

Cows in lockdown

Written by  Milking It

OPINION: Over the past year the world has been shown the psychological damage that lockdown can have on human wellbeing.

New research led by Queen's University Belfast has found that "livestock lockdown" may also damage emotional wellbeing in dairy cows. The research has been published in the Nature journal Scientific Reports. Dr Gareth Arnott, senior lecturer in animal behaviour and welfare at Queen's University and principal investigator on the research, explains: "Animal welfare scientists and dairy consumers have long been concerned that depriving dairy cattle of pasture access harms their welfare.

"Pasture access can promote natural behaviour, improve cows' health, and cows given the choice spend most of their time outside.

More like this

Science fiction

OPINION: Last week's announcement of Prime Minister’s new Science and Technology Advisory Council hasn’t gone down too well in the science community.

Bye bye Paris?

OPINION: At its recent annual general meeting, Federated Farmers’ Auckland province called for New Zealand to withdraw from the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.

What's going on?

OPINION: On the 2nd of May, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced that the 'government remains on track to ban full farm-to-forestry conversion'.

Cows down

OPINION: It's not happening as fast as the greenies would like - they actually want all livestock other than Muscovy ducks and Tibetan Llamas to disappear entirely - but it is happening.

Less hot air

OPINION: Farmers won't get any credit for this from the daily media, so Milking It is giving the bouquets where they’re due.

Featured

Editorial: Winston's words of wisdom

OPINION: Foreign policy is a real strength of Winston Peter and this is recognised by Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) officials who, so the story goes, wanted him in his present role because of his experience in that field.

National

Top ag scientist to advise PM

A highly experienced agricultural scientist with specialist knowledge of the dairy sector is the Prime Minister's new Chief Science Advisor.

Machinery & Products

Hose runner saves time and effort

Rakaia-based equipment manufacturer Pluck’s Engineering will soon start production of a new machine designed to simplify the deployment and retrieval…

» Latest Print Issues Online

Milking It

Science fiction

OPINION: Last week's announcement of Prime Minister’s new Science and Technology Advisory Council hasn’t gone down too well in the…

Bye bye Paris?

OPINION: At its recent annual general meeting, Federated Farmers’ Auckland province called for New Zealand to withdraw from the Paris…

» Connect with Dairy News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter