The dairy cow carries the double burden of producing large amounts of milk, whilst at the same time trying to maintain her own body condition and carry her next calf. This is very physically demanding, and can cause various animal welfare problems. Many of our concerns were also raised by the Farm Animal Welfare Council (FAWC), in their last report into the welfare of dairy cattle in 1997. This report made 191 recommendations to improve the welfare of the dairy cow.

Selective breeding
Selective breeding has traditionally focussed on increasing the amount of milk cows produce, which has caused many of the current welfare issues. RSPCA-commissioned research with a leading cattle breeding company, carried out by the Scottish Agricultural College (SAC), has shown that moving the focus of breeding away from increased milk production can actually improve both the welfare of the cow and profitability for the farmer.

Lameness
Foot lameness in the dairy cow is a painful condition that can lead to a great deal of suffering. It can be caused by a number of factors such as poor nutrition, breeding and housing. In their report FAWC stated that, “lameness in dairy cows is at an unacceptably high level”. We are very concerned that this situation does not appear to have improved since their report. RSPCA-commissioned research done by Bristol University showed that over 20 per cent of the cows tested were lame and, on some farms, stock-keepers didn’t spot many of these cases. At the National Cattle Mobility day in 2008, one of the keynote speakers claimed that the UK had the worst incidence of lameness in the world. There are currently a number of lameness projects being carried out around the country, to try to make improvements.

Mastitis
Mastitis is an inflammation of the udder usually caused by bacterial infection, for example, as a result of poor hygiene during milking, an unhygienic lying area when housed, or flies biting the teats during summer. It can cause cows great discomfort, pain, severe illness and even death if not treated properly. Dairy cows have four ‘udder quarters’, and mastitis occurs in around 10 percent of all quarters each year. This figure has remained unchanged for almost twenty years.

Housing
Keeping cows comfortable during the winter is essential to ensure good welfare. However, many cows are kept in cubicle housing which, if not well designed and managed, can be uncomfortable for them to lie down in. This discomfort can lead to a number of further welfare problems. Over the years, cows have got bigger, but in many cases the housing systems have not grown to accommodate them. Investment in new buildings is often needed, but on many farms this money is not available.

Some high yielding herds are housed throughout the year. This may help in providing the animals with an appropriate diet, but we believe that the cows need to have access to an outside exercise area to let them exercise and carry out their natural behaviours.

Dairy calves
Male dairy calves that are not used for beef or breeding are sometimes shot soon after birth, because they are not considered to have any economic value. This raises a difficult ethical issue because of the short lives these animals lead. However, it shouldn’t be an animal welfare problem, providing that the calves are handled carefully and killed humanely in a way that does not cause suffering. Because they are often considered to be of little value, there is also the question of whether they are given the correct amount of colostrum (first milk) and suitable care after they have been born. 

The long distance live transport of veal calves and other cattle to the EU restarted in May 2006 after a 10-year ban. This raises significant welfare concerns, as young calves can legally be transported for nine hours with a rest/feed break of just one hour, before another nine hours or more of travel. The additional complexity of a sea crossing adds further problems. Veal crates were banned in Europe at the end of 2006, but in many cases the relatively barren group housing systems commonly used on the continent do not satisfy the calves' welfare requirements, and would be illegal in the UK.

Further information about veal calf welfare is also available in our downloadable Veal production information sheet (PDF 93KB).