Prof. Dr. Mehmet Ali Kaşlıoğlu
(Expert in Food and Nutrition Science)
Livestock fattening can be defined as the intensive feeding of animals to obtain a carcass that meets consumer demands in a short time and through economical methods. In operations practicing natural fattening, animals fed entirely with natural feed, whose genetic structure has not been altered, and that are resistant to environmental conditions, climate, and diseases are used as breeding stock.
In natural fattening, animals are not tethered but are allowed to roam freely. However, an authorized organization, considering animal welfare regulations, may permit the tethering of animals for a limited period to ensure their safety and well-being. When animals are raised in groups, the group size depends on the developmental stage and behavior of the animal species and is determined by an authorized organization based on expert opinions. In conventional production, economic efficiency is prioritized, while ecological aspects and health criteria are often neglected. As a result, the harmful effects of conventional animal husbandry on the environment, animal health, and human health are becoming evident today. Therefore, natural fattening is preferred.
In natural fattening, animal welfare is of utmost importance. Animal welfare is a concept that reflects the mental and physical quality of life of animals. Cattle should be provided with sufficient amounts of feed tailored to their age, weight, behavior, physiological needs, and expected performance. Approximately 30% of the dry matter in the feed may consist of transitional feed materials. If these feed materials are sourced from the farm where the animals are raised, this proportion can increase to up to 60%. All animals should have access to adequate food and water at regular intervals, in line with their physiological needs.
Pasture Grazing and Animal Welfare
In natural fattening, all animals should have access to pastures or open areas as well as open shelters. Animals should be able to use these areas as long as their psychological conditions, weather conditions, and the state of the terrain allow it. The number of animals per unit area on pastures and open areas should be limited to ensure sufficient supply of animal manure to agricultural lands. The animal density should be such that nitrogen emissions do not exceed 170 kg/ha/year.
In natural cattle fattening, pasture grazing is often preferred. The reason for this is that it can halve the financial expenditures for cattle farming. However, in pasture grazing, which can be implemented more quickly and easily with a low budget, special attention must be paid to preventing animal diseases. Sick animals can cause significant damage to the farm. Raising cattle in enclosed living spaces with open areas for grazing and other activities is the most recommended method for healthy meat production from a health perspective.
Animal welfare refers to meeting the needs of animals in a manner that aligns with their natural lives. Animal husbandry should occur under conditions that promote the natural behavior of animals without compromising their physiological, biological, and psychological integrity. Production activities should not endanger animal health or restrict their freedom of movement.
An animal is in a good state of welfare if it is healthy, comfortable, well-nourished, safe, can express its innate behavior, and does not suffer from pain, fear, or similar unpleasant conditions. Good animal welfare requires disease prevention and veterinary care, appropriate housing, nutrition, humane treatment, and humane slaughter/euthanasia.
Natural Fattening and Stress
Very dark or excessively lit environments, noise, shouting, hitting, startling, running, slippery floors, rain, mud, stuffy environments, drafts, high humidity, heat, excessive sunlight, thirst, hunger, spoiled feed, sudden changes in feed and air, interventions by unauthorized persons, isolation, inadequate lighting, and all other poor environmental conditions cause stress in cattle. In short, anything that disrupts the comfort and well-being of animals is a source of stress. It must not be forgotten that animal welfare, which has a primary impact on the metabolism of animals, can never be considered separately from the health and performance of animals.
Transport of Cattle
Since the rearing and slaughter locations for animals are often different, transport before slaughter is essential. According to the regulations on the protection and welfare of animals during transport, animals should be provided with rest periods, water, and feed in appropriate quality and quantity based on their sex, species, age group, and live weight. The area available to each animal during transport is referred to as "loading density." Loading density is influenced by factors such as species, age, live weight, sex, transport duration, ambient temperature, and the presence of horns. When measuring loading density, it is more accurate to consider the area per unit of live weight rather than the area per animal.
Animals experience stress when they have to leave their familiar environment and social groups and enter an unfamiliar group of animals or a transport vehicle. To minimize trauma in transported animals, the animals should be healthy and fit for transport, their basic needs should be met, and transport should be carried out in suitable vehicles. To prevent digestive disorders during and after transport, animals should not be excessively fed with green/juicy, concentrated, and high-energy feed before transport.
Housing
The construction of housing for animals serves various purposes. These include creating a suitable environment for the animals' lives, meeting their nutritional and care needs, and protecting them from negative environmental influences. All these structures are referred to as animal housing. The housing should feature a free system, be sheltered, easy to clean, allow contact between the animals and the ground, and have adequate ventilation.
In cattle farming, the condition and functional dimensions of housing are important environmental factors. It is known that environmental factors have significant impacts on the health and performance of cattle. In traditional cattle farming operations, facilities such as feed storage, quarantine areas, silage pits, manure piles, and slurry pits are often inadequate.
When planning animal housing, great emphasis is often placed on environmental conditions such as temperature, humidity, and lighting, while aspects such as indoor air quality, harmful gases like ammonia, carbon dioxide, and hydrogen sulfide, odors, and organic as well as inorganic particles in the air are often not sufficiently considered.
