A Realistic Look at Dairy Cattle Welfare

Dr. Jacob A. Hines
American Association of Bovine Practitioners

VETERINARIANS IN THE DAIRY CATTLE INDUSTRY HAVE BEEN CRITICIZED FOR GLOSSING OVER WELFARE ABUSES ON FARMS. THE CRITICISM IS THAT THEY ONLY TALK ABOUT THE SHOW PLACES AND NEW STATE OF THE ART DAIRY FACILITIES. IN MY ESTIMATION THIS CRITICISM IS JUSTIFIED.

INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANIZATIONS ARE DIVIDED INTO THREE POSITIONS REGARDING THE WELFARE OF DAIRY CATTLE

1)    THE FIRST GROUP INCLUDES ANIMAL RIGHTIST AND SOME CONSUMER GROUPS. THE VIEWS OF THESE PEOPLE RANGE ALL THE WAY FROM THE BELIEF THAT NO ANIMAL SHOULD BE USED FOR ANY PURPOSE BY HUMANS TO GENUINE CONCERN THAT CATTLE SHOULD BE TREATED HUMANELY.

2)    THE SECOND GROUP INCLUDES MOST PRODUCERS AND ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE A VESTED INTEREST IN THE DAIRY CATTLE INDUSTRY. THEIR VIEWS ARE THAT HUMANE CARE AND COMFORT ARE A VITAL PART OF SUCCESSFUL HUSBANDRY.

3)    THE THIRD GROUP CONSISTS OF PRODUCERS THAT DO NOT PROVIDE THE CARE AND COMFORT GENERALLY DEEMED ACCEPTABLE BY EITHER THE FIRST OR SECOND GROUP.

THE VIEWS AND OPINIONS OF BOTH THE FIRST AND SECOND GROUP ARE WELL KNOWN TO THIS AUDIENCE. THEY NEED NOT BE DISCUSSED HERE. IT IS THE THIRD GROUP THAT IS AND HAS BEEN A REAL CONCERN TO ME FOR THE PAST 47 YEARS AS A BOVINE PRACTITIONER.

I SPEAK PRIMARILY OF THE SMALL TWENTY TO ONE HUNDRED COW HERD IN THE MIDWEST. THESE HERDS ARE AND HAVE BEEN FAMILY HERDS THAT HAVE NOT CHANGED MANAGEMENT PRACTICES FOR DECADES. WHEN THE ORIGINAL DAIRY BARNS WERE BUILT, PROVISIONS WERE MADE FOR ALL CLASSES AND SIZES OF CATTLE, THAT IS COWS, A BULL, YEARLINGS AND BABY CALVES.

AS DESIGNED, THESE FACILITIES PROVIDED COMFORT AND THE ABILITY TO PROVIDE HUMANE CARE FOR THE ANIMALS. COWS WERE STABLED ON DIRT FLOORS. MANGERS WERE WOOD AND NECK CHAINS OR WOOD HEADLOCKS WERE USED FOR CONFINEMENT. MOST FACILITIES HAD AT LEAST ONE DIRT FLOOR PEN TO BE USED AS A MATERNITY PEN. YEARLINGS AND CALVES WERE STABLED IN PENS ALSO WITH DIRT FLOORS, OFTEN IN ADJOINING BUILDINGS. THE BARNS WERE CLEANED MANUALLY AND FEED AND BEDDING WAS PROVIDED BY HAND.

THE CHANGES IN THE DESIGNS OF HEAD CATCHES, PENS AND STABLES, DID LITTLE TO PROVIDE FOR THE WELFARE OR COMFORT OF THE CATTLE. THE STANDARD IN THE INDUSTRY WAS THE ‘HUMANE STANCHION’ THAT WAS TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL MOVEMENT OF THE COWS HEAD IN THE MANGER. THE FACT THAT COWS COULD CATCH THEIR FRONT FEET IN THE CHAIN THAT SECURED IT TO THE FLOOR CONTINUES TO BE A PROBLEM TO THIS DAY.

PENS WERE DESIGNED FOR THE EASE OF HANDLING OF CATTLE AND NOT FOR THE WELFARE OF THE CATTLE. ALL SURFACES IN THE DAIRY BARN WERE CONCRETE AND PIPE DIVIDERS WERE PLACED BETWEEN INDIVIDUAL COWS. THESE SURFACES COULD BE VERY SLIPPERY IF NOT CONSTANTLY MAINTAINED WITH BARN LIME AND PROPER MAINTENANCE. DIVIDERS WERE OFTEN BROKEN AND COWS COULD BE SERIOUSLY INJURED.

AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERS DESIGNED FACILITIES TO MEET THE LEGAL STANDARDS FOR MILK PRODUCTION. VERY LITTLE INPUT BY PRODUCERS WAS UTILIZED WHEN DESIGNING THESE FACILITIES.

THE FRUSTRATION OF SEEING DEPLORABLE CONDITIONS IN DAIRY BARNS AND NOT REALLY BEING ABLE TO CHANGE THESE CONDITIONS HAS REALLY BOTHERED ME. I HAVE SEEN COWS IN STANCHIONS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN TURNED OUT FOR DAYS ON END.

I HAVE SEEN CATTLE IN STANCHIONS AND TIE STALL BARNS WITH NO BEDDING UNDER THE COWS. I HAVE SEEN FREE STALL BARNS DESIGNED WITH RUBBER MATS IN THE FREE STALLS THAT BECOME SO SLIPPERY THAT THE CATTLE PREFERED TO LAY DOWN IN THE CONCRETE ALLEY WAY ON THE BARE CONCRETE. I HAVE SEEN CALF PENS IN BARNS WITH LIQUID MANURE 6-12 INCHES DEEP.

OBVIOUSLY THESE CALVES HAVE NEVER HAD A DRY PLACE TO LIE DOWN. I HAVE SEEN WHAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A MATERNITY PEN THAT EITHER HAD NO BEDDING OR MORE URINE AND MANURE THAN BEDDING. WORKING IN THESE CONDITIONS AS A VETERNARIAN WAS NOT ALWAYS THE MOST ENJOYABLE ACTIVITY TO SAY NOTHING OF THE WELFARE OF THE POOR ANIMAL.

WHY DIDN’T I DO SOMETHING TO CORRECT THESE CONDITIONS? IF I REFUSED TO WORK UNDER THESE CONDITIONS THE OWNER WOULD SIMPLY FIND ANOTHER VETERINARIAN. THERE WERE INSTANCES WHEN I WOULD ASK THE FARMER TO BED THE PEN THAT I WAS TO WORK IN.

IF I WAS WORKING ALONE, AS OFTEN WAS THE CASE, I WOULD FIND BEDDING AND BED THE PEN MYSELF. THERE HAVE BEEN TIMES THAT I HAVE REFUSED TO WORK UNDER THESE CONDITIONS. I KNEW THAT THIS WAS AT BEST, ONLY A TEMPORARY FIX.

OVER THE YEARS OWNERS OF OTHER TYPES AND CLASSES OF ANIMALS SUCH AS VEAL, SWINE AND POULTRY HAVE MADE MAJOR CHANGES IN HOUSING AND MANAGEMENT PRACTICES THAT HAVE GREATLY IMPROVED THE WELFARE OF THESE ANIMALS. THIS HAS COME ABOUT AS A RESULT OF PRESSURE FOR CHANGE FROM OUTSIDE SOURCES.

WHY HASN’T THIS OCCURRED TO ANY GREAT EXTENT IN THE DAIRY INDUSTRY? I FEEL I KNOW WHY BUT HAVE NEVER HEARD IT ADDRESSED. THINGS THAT WE WOULD CONSIDER WELFARE CONCERS ARE OUT OF THE VIEW OF THE PUBLIC. IT IS A TRADITION THAT NEIGHBORS DO NOT VISIT ONE ANOTHERS’ DAIRY BARNS. THEY WILL VISIT THEIR HOMES AND MACHINE SHOPS BUT BECAUSE OF THEIR INGRAINED COMPETITIVENES, THE ONLY PERSON ON A REGULAR BASIS THAT SEES THE INTERIOR OF THEIR BARN IS THEIR VETERINARIAN.

THE MILK INSPECTORS CONCERN IS ONLY THAT THE MILKING EQUIPMENT AND FACILITIES PRODUCE ACCEPTABLE MILK. AS LONG AS THE MILK THAT IS PRODUCED MEETS MINIMUM STANDARDS, THERE IS NO INSPECTION OF HOUSING.

CLOSED MILKING SYSTEMS (PIPE LINES) AND REFRIGERATION HAVE PROVIDED THIS EVEN IN THE MOST UNSANITARY CONDITIONS. THE NEED TO PURCHASE MILK FROM PRODUCERS FROM COMPETING DAIRY PROCESSORS IS SO INTENSE THAT THEIR FIELD MEN ARE WILLING TO COMPROMISE ANIMAL CARE TO SECURE THEIR MILK.

THE DAIRY PRACTITIONER IS THE ONLY PERSON WHO HAS HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE OR UNDERSTAND THE SITUATION. WHY CAN’T WE CHANGE THIS?

IT IS DIFFICULT TO CONVINCE THESE PRODUCERS, EITHER DUE TO IGNORANCE OR INDIFFERENCE, THAT WELFARE CHANGES WOULD BENEFIT NOT ONLY THE ANIMALS, BUT ALSO THEIR POCKETBOOK. IF TOO MUCH PRESSURE IS APPLIED THE VETERINARIAN LOOSES THE CLIENT.

I HAVE BELIEVED THAT THE DAIRY INDUSTRY MIGHT CORRECT SOME OF THESE UNDESIRABLE PRACTICES. I DO NOT BELIEVE THEY ARE FULLY AWARE OF THESE WELFARE ABUSES. I AM SORRY TO SAY I DON’T SEE IT HAPPENING IN THE NEAR FUTURE. THE REDUCTION OF GOVERNMENT SUBSIDIES HAS ELIMINATED MANY PRODUCERS THAT HAVE USED POOR MANAGEMENT PRACTICES, BUT BY NO MEANS ALL.

THE TREND OF LARGER DARIES HAS CORRECTED MANY OF THE PROBLEMS SEEN IN THE SMALL DAIRY DUE TO COW FRIENDLY (COMFORT) FACILITIES THAT ARE BEING BUILT TODAY. THIS HAS DEVELOPED THROUGH THE DEDICATED EXPERTISE OF DAIRY PRACTITIONERS WHO HAVE CONVINCED ENGINEERS AND BUILDERS TO CONSTRUCT A COMFORTABLE, HEALTHFUL ENVIRONMENT FOR THESE ANIMALS.

 IF THE DAIRY INDUSTRY ITSELF WILL NOT ADDRESS THE WELFARE ISSUE AND THE INSPECTION PROCESS LAWS ARE NOT CHANGED TO ADDRESS WELFARE CONCERNS, THE ONLY WAY THESE CHANGES WILL COME ABOUT IS THROUGH PRESSURE FROM THE CONSUMER. IT IS NOT MY INTENT TO HAVE ANIMAL RIGHTS GROUPS BOYCOTT THE ENTIRE DAIRY INDUSTRY.

I HAVE FELT FOR A LONG TIME THAT THIS SUBJECT NEEDED TO BE ADDRESSED. IN ADDRESSING THIS SUBJECT IN THIS MANNER I REALIZE THAT SOME INDIVIDUALS IN THE DAIRY INDUSTRY MAY NOT BE VERY HAPPY WITH ME, BUT THEN AGAIN, THAT IS NOT WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT. THIS IS NOT ABOUT MY WELFARE. THIS IS ABOUT ANIMAL WELFARE.