Evidence map›Paper›PMID 30250369›Full record

ArticleVeterinary world2018

A cross-sectional study of the welfare of calves raised in smallholder dairy farms in Meru, Kenya, 2017.

Emily K Kathambi, John A Van Leeuwen, George K Gitau, Shawn L McKenna

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Veterinary world, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Effects ofVeterinary medicine international · 2020
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Emily K KathambiDepartment of Health Management, Atlantic Veterinary College, University of Prince Edward Island, Canada.
John A Van LeeuwenDepartment of Health Management, Atlantic Veterinary College, University of Prince Edward Island, Canada.
George K GitauDepartment of Clinical Studies, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya.
Shawn L McKennaDepartment of Health Management, Atlantic Veterinary College, University of Prince Edward Island, Canada.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

aimThis study was aimed at describing calf comfort and determining the individual and pen level factors that affect comfort status (in particular, calf leg hygiene scores) of smallholder dairy farms in Meru County, Kenya. MATERIALS AND

methodsA cross-sectional study was carried out on 52 calves that were up to 1 year old in 38 dairy farms (mean±standard deviation: Herd size=1.71±0.7 milking cows and milk production=6.7±3.1 L/day) in Meru, Kenya, in 2017, with the intention to describe their comfort and determine the factors associated with leg hygiene as a critical parameter for calf comfort assessment. Calves' biodata, health status, and leg hygiene were assessed, along with pen characteristics such as area, hygiene, and knee impact and knee wetness scores, while a questionnaire was administered to the farmers to gather information regarding calf housing management practices in the farm.

resultsThe calves had a mean body weight of 85.2±32.8 kg and average daily weight gain of 0.50±0.45 kg per day. 71% of calves had a good body condition score (≥2.5), and the mean space allowance per calf was 2.52±1.56 m

conclusionOverall, some calf comfort aspects were covered for the majority of calves examined, but 69% of the pens were categorized as dirty, especially those with wooden or concrete floors and poor bedding management. Smallholder dairy farmers in Kenya should be trained on calf housing management to improve calf comfort and productivity.

Indexed as

calf comfortcalf hygienedairy calvesKenya

Identifiers

PMID30250369
PMCPMC6141292

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.