Animal Welfare Initiatives in the Dairy Industry

Alan Davenport

National Dairy Industry Animal Welfare Strategy

• Consultation– ADF AH&W Advisory Group– Dairy Australia Animal Welfare Reference Group

• Assessment– Extension Programs– On-farm Quality Assurance– Regular Reviews

• Investigation– Animal Husbandry Survey– Barriers & Drivers for change

• Change Management– Communication / Education

Key findings of the 2008 survey

Substantial changes in animal husbandry practices since 2005 linked to the following:

– Information on best practices read by 68% of dairy farmers– Increased awareness of the Code of Practice for the welfare of

animals (92%)– Desire to improve animal comfort and reduce stress levels– Peer and industry encouragement– Concern over potential impact on international dairy markets.

Animal welfare priorities

• Calf management

• Tail docking

• Lameness

• Induction

• Disbudding

Development of action plans for priorities

• Areas of consideration when developing action plans for key priorities in animal welfare include

– Effective regulation and industry policy– Issues management process– Industry support– Appropriate R & D– Evaluation and review– Communication strategy

Calf management

• Calf trial in Victoria to investigate more efficient mechanisms for

traceability of calves from farm to slaughter

• Communication of industry

standards and guidelines

across the supply chain

Tail docking• Dairy industry does not

support tail docking and actively promotes alternatives to tail docking

• 2005 Animal Husbandry Survey – 16% of farmers routinely docked

tails (51% in Tasmania)

• 2008 Animal Husbandry Survey– 10% of farmers routinely docked

tails (37% in Tasmania)

Lameness

• 100% of all dairy farms in Tasmania have a lameness strategy in place– Maintaining laneways– Ensuring cows are not

pushed to walk too fast or – left standing on concrete

for too long– Most herds are fed zinc or

some other supplement.

Induction

• Significant reduction in the number of people using induction as a fertility management tool often in Tasmania– Down from 59% in 2005 to

22% in 2008

Disbudding

• Disbudding calves is the preferred management tool by the industry for horn removal

• Significant increase in the number of farmers that disbud calves rather than dehorn heifers– Increase in Tasmania from 71% in

2005 to 90% in 2008