Although the welfare of farm mink has been debated for decades, the status at mink farms has not previously been reported. Likewise, little is known about the variation in housing conditions and animal responses between mink farms, although relevant for identifying key opportunities and challenges. ...

In barren environments of commercial farms, pig often redirect their rooting and chewing behaviours at other pigs, which can lead to tail biting. When materials such as straw are provided, the quantity is usually too small to have an effect. The aim of this study was to test whether small...

Tail biting is a serious behavioural problem in modern pig production, causing impaired animal welfare and economic losses. In most countries, the detrimental effects of tail biting are counteracted by docking pigs tails. Finland is one of the few countries where tail docking in pigs is totally...

Background: The main objectives of this observational, cross-sectional study were to characterize piglet producing farms in Finland and to investigate how farm profiles are associated with sow culling and mortality. The study was conducted on 43 farms during 2014. A questionnaire survey was...

In order to reduce antimicrobial use in pig production, the consequences of insufficient biosecurity and welfare problems need to be known. This study aimed to investigate associations between the number of antimicrobial treatments per fattening pig, and biosecurity, indicators for animal welfare...

Udder health and milk production were monitored in cows transferred from tie stalls or loose housing with conventional milking to loose housing with either automatic or conventional milking. Data were collected from 182 Finnish farms from September 1999 to February 2006. Data from the first year...

We compared performance, behaviour and immune status of Ayrshire bulls raised in different housing environments in Northern Finland. Thirty bulls were allotted to one of three treatments: uninsulated barn (UB bulls, five animals/pen, two pens), forest paddock (PAD bulls, five animals/PAD, two PADs) ...

Chewing and rooting are high behavioural priorities in pigs. Lack of suitable materials can lead to abnormal behaviours such as tail and ear biting. In commercial farming, slatted floors limit the use of straw, and various point-source objects have therefore been developed. The crucial challenge is ...

Interest in using recycled manure solids (RMS) as a bedding material for dairy cattle is increasing, but suitable information for Nordic housing conditions is scarce. The aim of our study was to investigate the effect of RMS bedding on dairy cow welfare compared to peat bedding commonly used in...

Claw disorders severely compromise the welfare of dairy cows and reduce herd profitability. Heritabilities for claw disorders are low, yet claw health can substantially be improved by optimizing the housing and management of dairy herds. Dairy farms in Finland are different from those in many other ...