Impact Analysis of Intensive Livestock Operations on Manitoba Residential Property Values – Five case study locations

Posted in: Environment by admin on January 1, 2004 | No Comments

The purpose of this study is to determine the impact of intensive livestock operations (ILO’s) on surrounding rural residential property values. To this end, we have undertaken an analysis of five case study sites located within the Manitoba rural municipalities of Franklin, De Salaberry, Rhineland, Saskatchewan, Glenwood, Rockwood and St. Andrews. The case study sites coincide with the selection of five hog ILO’s varying in operational intensity from 1,120 to 3,500 animal units. Within the case study areas, data for 249 improved property sales and 223 land sale transactions, occurring between the years 1990 and 1003, were collected and analyzed. The study focussed on two primary issues; identifying the presence of an impact of ILO’s on surrounding improved residential property values, and the presence of an impact of ILO’s on surrounding land values. The analysis of house sales located within five miles of an ILO, based upon case study samples sizes ranging from 10 to 94 transactions, resulted in relatively consistent findings. Each case study, excepting case study four, indicated that house prices actually tended to be higher as distance to the ILO decreased (i.e. in closer proximity to ILO’S). In case study four, located in the Municipality of Glenwoord, an analysis f 15 house sales suggested that there was generally no change in prices, regardless of proximity to an ILO. The analysis of land sales located within five miles of an ILO, was based upon sample sizes ranging from 26 to 56. Again, the findings were consistent with the exception of one case study site; this time case study one being the exception. In case study one, located within the municipalities of Franklin and De Salaberry, the analysis indicated that prices for land generally increased as distance from ILO’s increased (i.e. a negative influence on land values due to proximity to an ILO). However, in the remaining four case study areas, the opposite relationship resulted from our analysis. In these areas, land values were found to increase, as distance to ILO’s decreased. In two of the case study areas, the highest sale prices (per acre) in the municipality were found within 1.0 to 1.5 miles of an ILO. In case studies one and found, data was also collected and analyzed with respect to the influence on prices due to proximity to a poultry ILO (case study one) and a cattle ILO (case study four). Poultry ILO’s observed in the municipality of De Salaberry had an impact on land prices, similar to hog ILO’s. For both ILO types, land prices on a peracre basis were found to increase as distance from the ILO increased. Based on 47 sales of land within five miles of a hog ILO, the average price per acre of land sold was $686; for poultry ILO’s, 10 sales of land indicated an average price per acres of $633. Unfortunately due to the location of the poultry ILO’s in the cast study area, a very small sample of improved property sales were found. Therefore, the impact of poultry ILO’s on house prices could not be observed in any meaningful fashion. Cattle ILO’s in the municipality of Glenwood were also observed in our analysis. House prices showed marginal increases as distance from the cattle ILO’s increased, whereas land sales in proximity to cattle ILO’s provided inconclusive results. Overall, the data analyzed in the case study areas fails to support the notion that the presence of hog ILO’s are detrimental to surrounding real estate values. It is entirely possible that isolated cases of properties, that have had a negative impact due to the presence of a neighbouring ILO, may be encountered. However, if examined in a “global” or market-wide perspective, real estate market activity suggests otherwise.

A Review of Large Group Housing

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Over the past 5 years the concept of large groups of grower-finisher pigs has expanded. Not only does it include extensive (outdoor raised) operations and hoop structure barns but the conversion or special construction of conventional housing modified to accommodate groups much larger than the traditional 20 pigs per pen. Why? There were four drivers: A desire to reduce construction costs by simplifying penning and barn design; herd sizes were becoming large enough that large groups could be formed without commingling ages; electronic sorting technology provided a means to deal with the critical task of accurately separating at market without high labour costs; and finally improved use of space could improve profitability and relieve the crowding effect brought on by higher sow productivity over the past decade.

Interaction among lactose, plasma proteins and crowding in weanlings

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The addition of 4% plasma and 30% lactose to the diets of weanling pigs modestly improved performance; however this effect was observed only during the initial 7 days post-weaning. There were no interactive effects of plasma with lactose, and the results were independent of starting weight. Crowding decreased performance by day 49 of the nursery period.

Breeding for improved welfare in pigs: a conceptual framework and its use in practice.

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There is increasing concern about welfare of farm animals, both in society, in livestock production and in animal science. Welfare of animals can be defined as the kind of feelings the environmental conditions bring about in the animals. These feelings depend on the needs of the animals and their degree of satisfaction. Needs of animals, and so their welfare, are partly genetically determined. Therefore, welfare can be changed by breeding. The aim of this study was to investigate how welfare of pigs under modern intensive farm conditions can be improved by genetic selection, with emphasis on the precise definition of the breeding goal and determination of the animal characteristics on which selection can be based in practice. The existing thermoregulation model was used to develop a conceptual framework that describes welfare of growing pigs and production sows with respect to each of their needs as a curvilinear function of the respective environmental conditions. The framework assumes that welfare in terms of feelings is reflected by the physiological and behavioural mechanisms the pig has to activate in order to cope with various environmental conditions it encounters. Based on those physiological and behavioural responses to changing conditions, five welfare zones can be distinguished for each need. Breeding goals for welfare were defined in terms of the transition points between these welfare zones, such that future pigs would better cope with unfavourable or unfamiliar farming conditions, therewith quickening the domestication process, to some extent. However, as long as genetic parameters for these transition points are not available, more common welfare-related characteristics like temperament, stress resistance and robustness can be included in the breeding goal, as an alternative.For selection among potential breeding candidates, transition points between welfare zones can be determined in sib tests, thereby also collecting the data for estimating genetic parameters. As a cheaper alternative, breeding candidates could be tested under hard conditions and selected on their coping success. In addition, various behavioural tests and operant conditioning tests (to test a pig’s motivation to change its actual environment) can be carried out. Under common conditions on the farm, problems associated with coping (like incidences of diseases, injuries and stereotypies) and/or other relevant traits (e.g. saliva cortisol, longevity and even production traits) should be recorded routinely and used as selection index information. Selection for improved welfare should lead to more tolerant pigs that are better able to cope with possible unfavourable farm conditions by a more efficient use of the adaptation mechanisms they already possess. It should, however, not result in lowering husbandry standards. More research is needed to assess genetic correlations among various welfare aspects and with production traits to prevent undesired side effects in future populations of pigs.

Effects of feeding level and the presence of a foraging substrate on the behaviour and stress physiological response of individually housed gilts.

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It is thought that restricting feed intake in sows impairs welfare, but it is done to prevent excessive weight gains and to avoid reduced reproductive performance. This study combined the effects of feeding level with the presence of a foraging substrate and examined the gilts’ behavioural and physiological responses. Ninety-six individually housed gilts were assigned to one of four treatments: no substrate/restricted-feeding, no substrate/unrestricted-feeding, substrate/restricted-feeding and substrate/unrestricted-feeding. The substrate provided was wood chips. To measure feed intake, the amount of feed given to the unrestricted feeding treatments was measured. Body weights were measured at the beginning and end of the experiment to determine weight gains. At the same time, the gilts backfat thickness was measured using ultrasound. From week 8 to 12, observations were conducted to determine postures, chewing behaviours, pen and floor manipulations. Saliva samples were taken over a 24 h period during week 11. Urine samples were collected during weeks 2, 7 and 12 for analysis of adrenaline, noradrenaline and creatinine levels. Unrestricted-fed gilts had a higher feed intake, which led to higher body weight and larger increases in backfat thickness. Unrestricted-fed gilts had higher feed intake levels when a foraging substrate was provided. Unrestricted-fed gilts stood less and exhibited fewer oral behaviours. Gilts that were provided with a foraging substrate manipulated the floor twice as much than gilts without substrate. Gilts without substrate were observed to manipulate the pen and perform oral behaviour more frequently than those gilts with substrate. Feeding level and substrate provision did not affect adrenaline levels because the gilts were not exposed to any acute stressors. Cortisol and noradrenaline levels were lower in sow provided a foraging substrate. The authors concluded that unrestricted feeding is more effective in improving welfare, but in terms of stress, providing a foraging substrate may also improve welfare.

Behavioural responses of dairy cows toward novel stimuli presented in the home environment.

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This study examined the behavioural responses of dairy cows toward novel stimuli presented in the home environment with minimal situational novelty. The study also investigated whether any consistency could be found across responses toward different novel stimuli. Four different stimuli were presented each day in a balanced order: usual food (30min provision of 8kg total mixed ration), novel food (30min provision of 5kg of carrots), novel object (30min exposure to a white plastic container) and an unfamiliar person (5min exposure to person dressed in hooded white overalls). Novel food induced increased duration and frequency of sniffing, increased self-grooming, and longer durations of standing compared with the novel object. A novel person induced a higher frequency of sniffing than a novel object. Such results suggest that diary cows, when exposed to novel food or people compared with a novel object, show increased behavioural responses characterized by increased exploration, arousal and behavioural conflict. A correlation analysis carried out on the responses to different novel stimuli showed that correlations were low and non-significant. Therefore, no evidence for consistent inter-test responses across the novel stimuli presented in the home environment was found.

The effects of blindfolding on behaviour and heart rate in beef cattle during restraint.

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In the first experiment, beef heifers were either blindfolded or not (control) during restraint in a novel restraint facility. Two people (on each side of the animal) touched on the ears, neck, sides and rump of each animal during restraint. Heifers had the same heart rate at the end of the treatment. However, heart rate tended to decrease more for blindfolded heifers during restraint than for those who were not blindfolded. Based on the results from electronic strain gauges that were attached to the head gate, the blindfolded heifers struggled less than the control animals. Heart rate and exertion forces decreased over four days of testing for both treatment groups. In a second experiment, the reactions beef calves that were restrained on a calf tilt table while either blindfolded or not (control), were recorded. To simulate ear tagging and vaccination, one person touched the calf’s ear, and another person touched the neck. Blindfolded calves moved less than the control calves. The number of vocalizations did not differ between treatments. The authors suggest that blindfolding may be worthwhile during routine procedures, as the blindfolded cattle struggled less and tended to have lower heart rates.

Evaluation of on-farm methods for testing the human-animal relationship in dairy herds with cubicle loose housing systems – test-retest and inter-observer reliability and consistency to familiarity of test person.

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A variety of on-farm tests for the assessment of the human-animal relationship were evaluated. At the herd level, cows were tested in a voluntary animal approach (VAA) test, where the number of cows and their latencies to interact with a stationary human was recorded. The reactions of cows to an approaching person were also recorded during the avoidance (AV) test. In the first study, both tests were conducted on the same day on 12 commercial dairy farms, with two people recording responses simultaneously. The cows were tested with both familiar and unfamiliar people. The inter-observer reliability was high for both tests. The shortest latency for touching the unfamiliar test person was found on the first test day. There was high test-retest reliability for the AV test, and no effect of familiarity of test person was found. The objective of a second study was to determine the correlation between the two behavioural tests. On ten commercial dairy farms with loose housing cubicle systems, both behavioural tests were conducted on the same day at four different times. There was a high correlation found for the VAA and AV tests at herd level. The human-animal relationship at the herd level can be evaluated on-farm using the AV test. The motivation for the animal’s approach behaviour during the VAA test was not as clear.

Vigilance as a measure of fear in dairy cattle.

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In the wild, animals will respond to predation risk or threats from conspecifics by increasing vigilance, while decreasing time spent feeding. The amount of fear animals experience may be related to the amount of time spent vigilant. The time spent vigilant was tested in dairy cows in response to a variety of situations: a new location, the presence of a dog, or the presence of an aversive, gentle or unfamiliar handler. The cows were tested individually in a large outdoor enclosure with an appealing food source. The animal’s vision was restricted by the feeder, so the animal could not feed and scan at the same time. Any time the animal’s head was raised was defined as vigilance time. Each cow was tested 12 times. There was greater vigilance time during the initial trials, but this decreased over time. The presence of a dog resulted in greater time spent vigilant than did the presence of human. The vigilance time, of cows that had been trained to recognize an aversive and gentle person, was recorded in a pen that contained an appealing food source and the aversive, gentle or unfamiliar person close by. Vigilance time increased when the aversive person was in the vicinity, but not when the gentle or unfamiliar person was nearby. These results suggest that increased vigilance is correlated with increased fearfulness in animals.

Back fat measurements in sows from three commercial pig herds: relationship with reproductive efficiency and correlation with visual body condition scores

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