Identification of Suitable Animal Welfare Assessment Measures for Extensive Beef Systems in New Zealand

Y. Baby Kaurivi, Richard Laven, Rebecca Hickson, Kevin Stafford and Tim Parkinson
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Y. Baby Kaurivi: School of Veterinary Medicine, Massey University, Palmerston North 4471, New Zealand
Richard Laven: School of Veterinary Medicine, Massey University, Palmerston North 4471, New Zealand
Rebecca Hickson: School of Veterinary Medicine, Massey University, Palmerston North 4471, New Zealand
Kevin Stafford: School of Veterinary Medicine, Massey University, Palmerston North 4471, New Zealand
Tim Parkinson: School of Veterinary Medicine, Massey University, Palmerston North 4471, New Zealand

Agriculture, 2019, vol. 9, issue 3, 1-11

Abstract: Farm animal welfare assessment protocols use different measures depending on production systems and the purpose of the assessment. There is no standardized validated animal welfare protocol for the assessment of beef cattle farms in New Zealand, despite the importance of beef exports to the country. The aim of this study was therefore to identify welfare measures that would be suitable for an animal welfare assessment protocol for use in extensive pasture-based cow–calf beef cattle systems in New Zealand. The proposed animal welfare assessment measures were selected from the Welfare Quality protocol and the rangeland-based UC Davis Cow–Calf Health and Handling assessment protocol. Measures that were deemed impractical and/or unsuitable were excluded from the protocol. After testing the applicability of selected measures at one farm, additional measures that were deemed to be practical to undertake in New Zealand were identified and incorporated into the protocol. The intention was to identify animal welfare indicators that were assessable in the yard during a single farm visit, a questionnaire guided interview, and a farm resource assessment visit that evaluated cattle health and management. Further testing of the 50 measures that were identified as being appropriate will be undertaken on commercial beef farms to develop a practicable welfare protocol for extensive pasture-based beef systems.

Keywords: welfare assessment; extensive beef; New Zealand (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
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