Effects Of Horns On Production And Reproduction Efficiency In Romanian Black And White Dairy Cows - Preliminary Study

The widely growing interest in animal welfare has placed many livestock production practices such as disbudding or dehorning, under enhanced scrutiny. Disbudding is a commonly applied procedure that eases the management of cattle, having welfare implications given that the integrity of the animal is impaired. Aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of horns on production and reproduction efficiency and welfare of dairy cows. A total of 34 Romanian Black and White cows managed under identical conditions, were either horned (n = 17) or polled as a result of disbudding as calves (n = 17) and kept mixed, being housed in tied stanchion barns. Horns presence significantly influenced (p=0.05) body condition score, with horned cows having higher fat deposits and maintaining better condition during lactation, compared to polled animals. However, no significant influence (p >= 0.05) of horns was found on fertility traits, coat cleanliness, mastitis and retained placenta incidence or integuments alterations.