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When housing cattle indoors they are generally well taken care of fed and kept clean, there are a few things to provide mental stimulation to the cattle such as scratch posts so generally they are protected from the elements and happy. The only concern being that they are unable to display natural behaviours due to being in a confined space and not being able to roam free and graze as they normally would.

After rearing calves, and working on both sheep, beef and dairy farms I can see both pros and cons with indoor housing. The rate of infection spread would be higher with the herd being in a small space. In the herd there is a hierarchy, with a confined space being indoors could pose the issue of injury too. Positives with indoor is that the animals are away from New Zealand’s harsh variable weather. I personally haven’t done indoor housing as of yet so would like to experience it first hand before I make a final conclusion.

Beef cattle grazing hill farm country would most likely have enough pasture and streams and water troughs. If the farm is very steep this may cause undue stress for the large animals. Climbing up and down can cause pressure on their joints. The conture of hill country can provide shade and shelter by trees, banks and valleys. Daily visual checks would need to be completed to ensure no injury or illness. Internal and external parasite drenching, vaccinating and supplement vitamins and minerals would need to be administered as required. Handling is normally very limited for beef stock so putting them through the yards frequently as young stock will desensitize them to being yarded for drenching, vaccinating and any treatments needed. If using dogs for mustering the stock, this needs to be started as young stock so the are desensitized to this also so it is less stressfull. Checking fences and the environment daily to ensure it is safe before and after moving stock.

Kaimanawa horses:

The horses would be able to exhibit normal behavior in this environment, galloping and jumping and forming herds.

Discomfort in this environment would be low as they can take shelter under trees and in gullys in hot and cold weather since they are free to roam and able move to different areas with more feed.

Pain, injury ad disease for these animals would be higher as they aren't being observed, so higher chance of external and internal parasites and lameness.

Fear and distress would be low as they aren't being handled by people but could be affected by lack of feed in drought or snow conditions as there is no farmer to supplement in feed deficits.

Having reared calves in the pits of hell I would much prefer they were in a barn, in a warm clean dry environment BUT can a cow be afforded its freedoms in there. Advocates would say yes especially robotic farmers who have converted from traditional milking.

 

Barns arent uncommon globally. Nz is just slow to learn the lessons of bigger dairy countries. Like anything there is good and bad. Ideally cows would be jumping around happily with no sign of mud in green fields with shelter and plenty to eat. That isnt the case because they serve a purpose.

 

Barn living means food and water is on tap 24/7. No foraging though, its all supplied. That freedom is accounted for. Its not perfect but the cows want for nothing.

 

Fear and distress come into it. with regards to the hierarchy. Every cow in a herd has its place and in a smaller space i am sure there is some bullying and timid cows could get pushed around but I assume that they steer clear of each other and mostly use the same bays every day.

It doesnt feel normal for cows to be housed 'in their natural environment' (which we created because they are bred for a reason) but even within the barn they can lick and play with each other. They can lie down and move around as they wish. They can touch and avoid the bullies (mostly).

 

Barns are not what we see ideal but for so many reasons they have their place. Down here in southland with so much dairy and fairly intensive too barns are becoming more popular as winters and now spring is fairly wet (unlike summer). Id rather pick up calves from a barn than from springers who have calved on crop or from out of the snow. much better start for the wee blighters.

Iv worked on a couple of farms in the UK where they do house the cattle and sheep in side over winter.

Beef Cattle: the cattle were housed inside due to the harsh conditions outside e.g. rain and snow. Because of the rainfall the cows had to come inside so the ground wouldn't get ruined for the grass to grown to produce silage for the next season.( Also farmers don't have the same farm space over there as we do here). Cows calved in their own bedded pen. Then depending on the conditions outside, were either turned out on to paddocks or kept inside with the rest of the herd. The sheds were scrapped out daily and straw beds had extra straw added to them daily or even 2nd day. The Animals had adlib of silage and also grain. They would sleep on straw beds or in cow cubicles.

Sheep: one sheep farm I worked on brought his sheep in from the paddocks around Christmas time and they would stay inside on slates until they were ready to lamb then were put on straw bedding to lamb. Once lambs , the ewe and lambs were put into a lambing box to mother up and to make sure the lambs were strong enough to go out in the paddocks. They would would be in a lambing box for a no less than 12 hours. They were feed a mix of grains and silage.

Sheep in the UK are only kept inside depending on a the breed and the climate conditions.

 

I personally don't like seeing cattle and sheep inside but seeing first hand what the climate is like and how wet and muddy and ground can get , keeping the animals inside for the winter months are the best options.

Post your thoughts below on achieving the five freedoms for:

1. Housed cattle

2. Outdoor cattle

3. Wild horses

4. Race horses

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