Table 8.
Differences between individual automation systems on Welfare principles. p-values smaller than 0.05 are marked in bold (p < 0.05).
| Dependent Variable | Fixed Factor | All Farms | Automation Score 0 | Automation Score 1 | Automation Score 2 | Sig. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good feeding | Feeding system | 86.7 (24.2–100) | 79.8 (52.9–100) | 89.4 (60.9–100) | 88.7 (24.2–100) | 0.239 |
| Absence of prolonged hunger | Feeding system | 89.5 (46.5–100) | 81.7 (46.5–100) | 85.5 (46.5–100) | 97.6 (88.2–100) | 0.077 |
| Good housing | Bedding system | 78.6 (47.4–100) | 75.5 (47.4–100) | - | 93.8 (82.8–100) | 0.014 |
| Percentage of cows with dirty udder | Bedding system | 14.0 (0.0–50.5) | 15.4 (0.0–50.5) | - | 2.7 (0.0–8.0) | 0.005 |
| Percentage of cows with dirty flank/upper legs | Bedding system | 25.0 (3.3–85.6) | 26.5 (3.3–85.6) | - | 10.7 (3.6–17.6) | 0.117 |
| Percentage of cows with dirty lower legs | Bedding system | 33.7 (1.2–97.8) | 38.2 (3.3–97.8) | - | 5.0 (1.2–13.3) | <0.001 |
| Good housing | Dung removal system | 78.6 (47.4–100) | 84.4 (59.1–100) | - | 76.7 (47.4–100) | 0.255 |
| Good health | Milking system | 40.9 (25.8–58.4) | 40.8 (25.8–58.4) | 33 | 41.4 (26.1–56.2) | 0.683 |
| Percentage of cows with milk somatic cell count of 400,000 or above | Milking system | 14.1 (7.5–21.5) | 13.2 (8.5–21.3) | 19 | 14.4 (7.5–21.5) | 0.457 |
| Good health | Feeding system | 40.9 (25.8–58.4) | 39.2 (26.1–58.4) | 40.4 (31.5–50.3) | 42.4 (25.8–56.4) | 0.736 |
| Good health | Bedding system | 40.9 (25.8–58.4) | 40.6 (25.8–58.4) | - | 41.6 (33.0–56.2) | 0.819 |
| Percentage of cows with milk somatic cell count of 400,000 or above | Bedding system | 14.1 (7.5–21.5) | 13.9 (7.5–21.5) | - | 15.0 (7.7–19.0) | 0.300 |
| Good health | Dung removal system | 40.9 (25.8–58.4) | 37.9 (25.8–50.3) | - | 41.9 (26.1–58.4) | 0.285 |
| Percentage of moderately lame cows | Dung removal system | 6.7 (0.0–38.0) | 5.4 (0.0–10.0) | - | 7.2 (0.0–38.0) | 0.915 |
| Percentage of severely lame cows | Dung removal system | 0.6 (0.0–4.4) | 0.4 (0.0–1.3) | - | 0.7 (0.0–4.4) | 0.848 |
| Appropriate behavior | Milking system | 33.5 (22.5–43.5) | 29.6 (24.1–35) | 38.4 | 35.4 (22.5–43.5) | 0.021 |
| Appropriate behavior | Feeding system | 33.5 (22.5–43.5) | 29.1 (24.1–35) | 33.3 (22.5–40.4) | 36.3 (27.6–43.5) | 0.013 |
| Appropriate behavior | Bedding system | 33.5 (22.5–43.5) | 31.6 (22.5–38.8) | - | 39.7 (37.6–42.2) | <0.001 |
| Appropriate behavior | Dung removal system | 33.5 (22.5–43.5) | 31.7 (27.6–38.7) | - | 34.1 (22.5–43.5) | 0.307 |