Animal welfare: Of increasing importance in modern dairy production

Charlotte Hallén Sandgren; Torkel Ekman

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Animal welfare: Of increasing importance in modern dairy production

In: Mastitis in dairy production

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Charlotte Hallén Sandgren

Charlotte Hallén Sandgren

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Torkel Ekman

Torkel Ekman

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Type:: Chapter

Pages:: 75–81

DOI:: https://doi.org/10.3920/9789086865505_008

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It is well documented that consumers are interested in and often express concern about the welfare and well being of animals in modern agriculture. Swedish consumers have, in repeated studies, rated the way cows are managed and fed among their 5 main concerns about dairying. Internationally the Farm Animal Welfare Council (FAWC) in the UK has defined “the five freedoms” of animals:

1. Freedom from hunger and thirst - by ready access to fresh water and a diet to maintain full health and vigour.

2. Freedom from discomfort - by providing an appropriate environment including shelter and a comfortable rest area.

3. Freedom from pain injury or disease - by prevention or rapid diagnosis and treatment.

4. Freedom to express normal behaviour - by providing sufficient space, proper facilities and company of the animal´s own kind.

5. Freedom from fear and distress - by ensuring conditions and treatment which avoid mental suffering.

Modern dairying would be wise to incorporate these basic cow rights into its quality control programs as soon as possible.

Swedish and Danish dairy companies have decided to develop a common system called “Program for cow welfare” that eventually is to be used by all Swedish and Danish dairy farmers. The intention is to increase cow welfare and well being in order to keep consumer confidence and strengthen the economic return on dairy farms and dairy companies. Current systems in research that evaluate animal welfare are time consuming and costly, however. The hypothesis is that information in the Nordic animal disease and treatment recording systems and information from the cow control data bases on fertility, milk production and culling can be combined to an index that will indicate animal welfare. The production parameters should make it possible to also calculate the economic benefits of increased cow welfare.

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Mastitis in dairy production

Current knowledge and future solutions

E-Book ISBN:: 9789086865505

Publisher:: Wageningen Academic

Print Publication Date:: 24 Oct 2005

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- Life Sciences

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Animal welfare: Of increasing importance in modern dairy production

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Mastitis in dairy production

Current knowledge and future solutions

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