Housing system and welfare of buffalo cows

Twenty-eight buffalo cows were used to evaluate the effect of housing system on a range of behavioural and physiological variables from February to July. Fourteen cows were group-housed in a loose open-sided barn with a concrete floor and 10 m2/head as space allowance (Group IS). Fourteen others were group-housed in a similar barn but they could also benefit of an outdoor yard with 500 m2/head as space allowance, spontaneous vegetation and free access to potholes for wallowing (Group TS). Six behavioural recordings were performed using instantaneous scan sampling. Data were expressed as proportion of subjects observed in each behavioural category. Phytoemagglutinin (PHA) and ovalbumin were used to assess cellular and humoral immune responses, respectively. Cortisol concentration was evaluated prior to and after exogenous ACTH injection. The metabolic status of the animals and milk production were also monitored. Immune responses, metabolite concentrations and milk production were not affected by treatment. The provision of an housing system close to natural conditions was able to improve the welfare of buffalo cows as indicated by the expression of some species-specific natural behaviours (i.e. grazing and wallowing) and the reduction of idling (P<0.001). Such conditions also determined a lower cortisol response (P<0.01) as possible consequence of the higher degree of initiative allowed to TS cows.