The Pros And Cons Of Animal Welfare
Animal welfare should be a top priority for each and every farm. Animal welfare means how an animal is coping with the conditions in which it lives. An animal is in a good state of welfare if it is healthy, comfortable, well nourished, safe, able to express innate behavior, and if it is not suffering from unpleasant states such as pain, fear, and distress (Animal Welfare: What is it). In order to practice good animal welfare owners and managers must be proactive in disease prevention and veterinary treatment, apply appropriate shelter, management, nutrition, humane handling and humane slaughter. The dairy industry along with all other sectors of animal production face large amounts of scrutiny from the general public. The majority of scrutiny
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that the dairy industry is obstructed with comes from cows being locked in total confinement facilities for example free-stall, tie-stall, or open corrals. Many people who argue that dairyman do not take proper care of their animals by housing the cows in a confined environment, limiting exercise, social interactions, inadequate space to lay, and constant walking on cement don’t understand that this is the best environment to improve efficiency, reduce carbon footprint, and increase production. However, the truth is that the bulk of dairy research relates back to cow comfort and the research has consistently provided us information on how to improve animal welfare to allow the best possible environment for the cow to live in. This research is focused free-stall design and the effect of stall design upon stall occupancy and the time spent resting (Le Blanc, 2006). Many people who argue that confine housing is unethical come up with the solution that grazing is the best way to raise dairy cows.
However, grazing cows results in an increase of the carbon footprint, decreased milk production, and decreased efficiency. That fact is that improved dairy practices, more attention to animal welfare, and advancement in technology has put us in a position where grazing cattle is not the optimal situation to produce large quantities of milk. These advancements have resulted in a four - fold improvement in milk yield between 1944 and 2007. This allowed the US dairy industry to produce 59% more milk using 64% fewer cows and conferred considerable reductions in feed (77%), land (90%) and water (65%) use per gallon of milk. The carbon footprint of the entire US dairy industry was reduced by 41% over the same period. The advancement moving from grazing systems to total confine housing has resulted in a positive impact for every individual in the world. These impacts range from cheaper prices of dairy products at the store to reduced carbon footprint (Capper, Cady, Bauman, …show more content…
2016). Another area of concern for dairyman is heat abatement and in the winter time keeping heifers out of mud and snow.
There are seven practical strategies that dairyman try to incorporate into their facilities to ensure proper welfare during periods of heat stress. The strategies include shade, ventilation, drinking water, supplemental cooling (fans, sprinklers etc.), feeding routine, ration formulation, and stocking density (Seven Practical Heat Stress Abatement Strategies). Situations where animals are standing in large amounts of mud or snow are prime locations for dairymen to be attacked by animal activists. It is important that dairymen use preventive techniques such as cleaning any excess manure or dirt before large storms, applying dry bedding in the high points of corrals or under shade, supplying enough food to prevent a decrease in feed intakes, and ensure that all energy requirements are met (Kerr,
2008). Animal Welfare is a very serious concern for each and every farmer. It is our job as farmers to take care of our animals as humanely as possible to ensure that we allow each animal to live a healthy and productive life. The idea of proper animal welfare has a direct correlation to every dairyman’s goal of producing a healthy nutritious product for the consumer. Just remember, “Happy cows come from California!”
that the dairy industry is obstructed with comes from cows being locked in total confinement facilities for example free-stall, tie-stall, or open corrals. Many people who argue that dairyman do not take proper care of their animals by housing the cows in a confined environment, limiting exercise, social interactions, inadequate space to lay, and constant walking on cement don’t understand that this is the best environment to improve efficiency, reduce carbon footprint, and increase production. However, the truth is that the bulk of dairy research relates back to cow comfort and the research has consistently provided us information on how to improve animal welfare to allow the best possible environment for the cow to live in. This research is focused free-stall design and the effect of stall design upon stall occupancy and the time spent resting (Le Blanc, 2006). Many people who argue that confine housing is unethical come up with the solution that grazing is the best way to raise dairy cows.
However, grazing cows results in an increase of the carbon footprint, decreased milk production, and decreased efficiency. That fact is that improved dairy practices, more attention to animal welfare, and advancement in technology has put us in a position where grazing cattle is not the optimal situation to produce large quantities of milk. These advancements have resulted in a four - fold improvement in milk yield between 1944 and 2007. This allowed the US dairy industry to produce 59% more milk using 64% fewer cows and conferred considerable reductions in feed (77%), land (90%) and water (65%) use per gallon of milk. The carbon footprint of the entire US dairy industry was reduced by 41% over the same period. The advancement moving from grazing systems to total confine housing has resulted in a positive impact for every individual in the world. These impacts range from cheaper prices of dairy products at the store to reduced carbon footprint (Capper, Cady, Bauman, …show more content…
2016). Another area of concern for dairyman is heat abatement and in the winter time keeping heifers out of mud and snow.
There are seven practical strategies that dairyman try to incorporate into their facilities to ensure proper welfare during periods of heat stress. The strategies include shade, ventilation, drinking water, supplemental cooling (fans, sprinklers etc.), feeding routine, ration formulation, and stocking density (Seven Practical Heat Stress Abatement Strategies). Situations where animals are standing in large amounts of mud or snow are prime locations for dairymen to be attacked by animal activists. It is important that dairymen use preventive techniques such as cleaning any excess manure or dirt before large storms, applying dry bedding in the high points of corrals or under shade, supplying enough food to prevent a decrease in feed intakes, and ensure that all energy requirements are met (Kerr,
2008). Animal Welfare is a very serious concern for each and every farmer. It is our job as farmers to take care of our animals as humanely as possible to ensure that we allow each animal to live a healthy and productive life. The idea of proper animal welfare has a direct correlation to every dairyman’s goal of producing a healthy nutritious product for the consumer. Just remember, “Happy cows come from California!”