Effect of a reduced amount of straw bedding on goats’ comfort and hygienic characteristics of milk and straw

The present study aims to understand the influence of a reduced amount of straw litter ongoats’lying comfort and hygienic characteristics of milk and straw. Lying behaviour (frequency,lying posture, location and social context) of 24 Alpine goats subjected to two different strawtreatments (Regular: 2 kg/straw/headþ1 kg straw/head/day,n¼12; Scarce: 1 kg straw/headþ0.5kg straw/head/day,n¼12) was observed from video recordings using a scan samplingmethod at 15-min scan intervals in March 2017. Moreover, straw and milk samples were submit-ted to microbiological analysis for the detection of total bacteria (SPC) and Enterobacteriaceaecount. No significant differences in the duration of lying were observed between treatments,except at the beginning of the experimental period (Day 1: Regular: 26.0%; Scarce: 20.3% ofscans;p<.05). In both treatments lying behaviour followed the normal lying patterns for goats,with a preference for sternal lying (99.4% of scans), in contact with a pen wall (78.2% of scans)and not in contact with other goats (alone: 79.7% of scans). Milk and straw SPC andEnterobacteriaceae count were not affected by the treatment. This preliminary study suggeststhe possibility to reduce the amount of straw as bedding material in goat farms, without affect-ing animal welfare and microbiological characteristics of milk and straw litter. However, furtherstudies are required to confirm these results under different climatic conditions.