The dairy industry in the developed world has undergone profound changes over recent
decades. In this paper, we present an overview of some of the most important recent …

Consumers perceive pasture-based systems of milk production as natural and therefore
better for cow welfare than confinement systems. However both systems are heterogeneous …

The importance of drinking water for production and animal welfare is widely recognized, but
surveys and animal welfare assessment schemes suggest that many dairy calves and dairy …

Common practices on dairy farms have fallen out of step with public values, such that the
dairy industry has now become a target for public criticism. In the present paper, we describe …

Many dairy cattle worldwide are housed in tiestalls, meaning that they are tethered by the
neck to individual stalls. On some farms, tied cattle are permitted seasonal access to …

In recent years, an increasing number of farmers are choosing to keep their cows indoors
throughout the year. Indoor housing of cows allows farmers to provide high-yielding …

Abstract This Scientific Opinion addresses a European Commission's mandate on the
welfare of dairy cows as part of the Farm to Fork strategy. It includes three assessments …

Many contemporary dairy cattle housing practices are at odds with societal perceptions of
positive animal welfare. The public (ie, those external to the dairy industry) typically …

Comparison of bacterial counts (BCs) among common bedding types used for dairy cows,
including straw, is needed. There is concern that the microbial content of organic bedding is …

Providing more space per animal, soft bedding, and free roaming in animal housing systems
is widely presumed to be beneficial for the welfare of the animals. This observational study …