Dairy cow welfare - perceptions vary significantly between key industry stakeholder groups

ProWelCow (DAFM RSF - A 14/S/890), a nationally funded research project, was set up to investigate risks and strategies to protect/improve the welfare of Irish dairy cows. A questionnaire was conducted with dairy farmers (F; n = 115), cattle veterinarians (V; n = 60) and Teagasc dairy advisors (A; n = 48). The 223 respondents were asked, 1) Do you perceive that expansion in the dairy industry poses concerns for dairy cow welfare? 2) Identify the main causes of poor welfare in cows and, 3) Rank in order of importance the main reasons for culling. A high proportion (c. 80%) of respondents in all groups agreed that expansion poses challenges for cow welfare (P > 0.05). The majority of farmers (22.6%) chose poor body condition as the 1o welfare issue; advisors (10.4%) and vets (8.3%), (P < 0.001). The majority of advisors (43.8%) chose social stress, different to farmers (14.8%, P < 0.05) but not to vets (30.0%), (P > 0.05). The highest proportion of vets selected lameness as a primary welfare issue (28.3%); differed from advisors (2.1%) and farmers (13.0%) (P = 0.001). The main reason for culling cows was infertility, followed by lameness and mastitis/high SCC. Vets (P = 0.01) and advisors (P = 0.021) perceived infertility as the primary reason for culling more often than farmers. There was a lack of consensus regarding the importance of lameness and poor BCS between stakeholders. This was surprising, and worrying, but probably reflects the differing focus/areas of expertise between the groups. Given these results, greater cross-dialogue between stakeholder groups is required.