I’m fed up with talking about the weather, but I can console myself with the fact we have grabbed every opportunity so far and progress is not too bad.Dairy industry 'must do more' to improve welfare
THE UK dairy industry must do more to improve the welfare of the dairy cow, according to a new report from the Farm Animal Welfare Council (FAWC).
The latest FAWC report claims while some improvements have been made by the industry over the past decade, the overall welfare of the dairy cow has ‘not improved significantly’.
The report calls for greater emphasis on training and stockmanship as well as advising a target lifespan of eight years for UK dairy cows.
It blames poor profits and a lack of confidence for the lack of progress on welfare since its last report in 1997, issuing a series of recommendations to Government in order to address its concerns.
FAWC chairman Professor Wathes said: “Economic pressures on the dairy industry over the past decade have forced British farmers to seek greater efficiencies, resulting in significant changes in dairy husbandry. Some believe that these developments have compromised the cow’s welfare.
“Certainly, the low profitability of dairy farming has compromised investment and maintenance on many farms which, in turn, may have hindered progress in reducing the incidence of lameness, mastitis and metabolic diseases.”
Chief among its recommendations is for the industry to increase the lifespan of dairy cows from today’s average of five years to a target age of eight by 2014.
The report said: “In Great Britain, the dairy cow, if well looked after and irrespective of milk yield, ought to have a lifespan of at least eight years.
“This can be achieved by reducing the number of cows that are culled involuntarily with the aim of extending the overall productive life without compromising welfare.
“A lifespan of eight years – or about five to six lactations - gives a replacement rate of around 20 per cent, which is currently achieved in the best performing herds within the UK.”
NFU Scotland’s milk committee chairman Jimmy Mitchell criticised the report, claiming it failed to recognise the fact welfare standards in the UK remained ‘amongst the highest in the world’.
He said: “All dairy farmers know that they are morally and legally obliged to look after their cows to the best of their ability but dairy farmers themselves have the greatest appreciation that a happy, healthy, comfortable cow is also the most profitable cow.
“Farmers are addressing issues such as longevity and mastitis and it is disappointing that the report largely ignored two key areas of improvement. The average age of a cow on UK dairy farms has been increasing, year-on-year, since the mid-nineties.
“In addition, the incidence of mastitis has plummeted and is now less than half that seen 30 years ago. The spin off from this is that the quality of the milk produced on Scottish farms has never been higher.”
The report’s recommendations
- The British dairy industry should aim to raise the standard of welfare of dairy cows over the next five years. A target lifespan of eight years for the dairy cow should be an aspiration of the industry.
- The British dairy industry should invest more in education, skills, training and professional development of farmers and stockmen.
- Breeding programmes used by British dairy farmers should place more emphasis on welfare traits, resulting in a cow that is better able to deal with the demands of modern dairying. Breeding programmes should aim to improve health and welfare rather than merely to halt their decline.
- The incidence of endemic diseases in dairy cows, particularly mastitis and lameness, should be reduced urgently. Government and industry should put every effort into agreeing and implementing an eradication plan for bovine tuberculosis. On-farm recording of disease and welfare by the farmer should be encouraged, perhaps as part of farm assurance schemes. Health and welfare plans are an important part of dairy husbandry and should be developed by the farmer with his veterinary surgeon.
- The Government should ensure that public surveillance of cow welfare is carried out efficiently and effectively so that progress can be monitored. Findings should be given greater publicity and information about best practice should be disseminated. A national database of information about cow health and welfare, as well as production measures, should be developed.
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FAWC opinion on dairy cow welfare (2009)
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Readers' comments (1)
Anonymous | 27 October 2009 6:58 pm
About time too!
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