Dr. Yolande Baby Kaurivi is a veterinary lecturer at the University of Namibia mainly foranimal health, reproduction, welfare and ethology. She obtained a BSc. Biology degree (University of Namibia), a Bachelor of Veterinary Science (University of Zimbabwe) and a Masters of Veterinary Studies (Sydney University, Australia). She is currently a full-time Ph.D. Veterinary Student at Massey University, New Zealand, where she is researching the effect of animal welfare on the reproductive performance of beef cattle in New Zealand and Namibia.

Before the commencement of her Ph.D. studies, Baby has been a focal person for

Animal Welfare in Namibia, a focal person for Animal Disease Notification for Namibia and the country’s Assessor for Artificial Inseminators, Semen and Embryo Collectors and the National Livestock Policy Focal Person.

Namibian beef is of a sufficiently high standard to be exported to highly profitable markets, despite cattle being reared extensively on semi-arid vegetation. In the 2018-2019 period, the country experienced its worst drought in over 90 years, with devastating impacts not just on people, but also on the health, production, and welfare of cattle. Although welfare protocols have been developed for a range of systems, unforeseen environmental conditions could impact and distort the status quo of animal welfare standards in extensive beef production systems, like those that predominate in Namibia (e.g. semi-commercial villages and communal villages). The aim of the current paper was to assess the impact of the recent drought on beef cow-calf animal welfare assessment in Namibia.

During an animal welfare assessment visit to 55 Namibia beef farming herds (17 commercial farms, 20 semi-commercial farming villages and 18 communal farming villages) in autumn 2019 (March to April), cows were assessed in the yards (total 2459 cows) and at grazing and farm resources inspected. Stockmanship and yard designs were evaluated if it allowed easy flow and handling of cattle. A questionnaire guided interview with the fam manager aimed to assess the health and management of cattle. Reproduction performance indicators were also captured including pregnancy rate and rates of reproductive conditions. A follow-up visit in winter evaluated changes in animal health, welfare and cattle management. The impact of drought was evident from the average increased mortality rate (15.1% cf. 7.5% p<0.05) due to poor nutrition and

poor body condition (more than 40% cows classified as emaciated in the villages) as well as observed high predation and plant poisoning cases. Pregnancy rates were much lower than normal (45.5% average cf. 60.3% p<0.05) with even commercial herds only achieving 60% average (cf. 68% p<0.05). The discrepancy between the commercial farms and the villages was also evident in the total high cases of reproductive conditions (2.9% cf. 1.9% vs. 10.2% cf. 9.6% p<0.05), specifically abortion, retained placenta, dystocia, and vaginal prolapse.