Abstract

The ‘Animal Welfare Problem’ is, in fact, two problems. One is the problem as perceived by the general (human) public. This tends to classify words like natural and grass as ‘good’; words like intensive and high output as ‘bad’. According to this simplistic world view, the New Zealand Dairy Industry ranks as good; an image which is your advertising industry reinforces by happy pictures of Jersey cows grazing peacefully, sometimes, quite shamelessly, with calves at foot! The other, quite distinct animal welfare problem is that perceived by the cows themselves, which cannot be reduced to pretty pictures. My address will consider only this latter problem; the impact of modern feeding, breeding and management practices on the welfare of the dairy cow herself. It is for you to decide how this information may be used for the good of the dairy cow and the good of the dairy industry.

AJF, Webster

Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production, Volume 60, Hamilton, 207-213, 2000