Page 276 - The Welfare of Cattle

ethICaL IMPeratIVe of TELOS 253

SOCIetaL PerCePtIONS OF COW WeLFare aND TELOS

The public has become increasingly interested in the quality of life that cows are afforded in
modern production systems and may become particularly critical relative to potential mismatches
between cow ethology and living conditions. Some have suggested that members of the public may be
more attuned to dairy cattle welfare issues than those of other livestock species, due in part to strong
associations between dairy product consumption and childhood nutrition (Widmar et al., 2017). The
idea of the dairy cow as “foster mother” to the human race (Albright, 1987) likely also plays a
significant role in drawing attention to cow welfare. Bucolic images of cattle grazing near public
roadways, as well as commercials featuring “Happy Cows” (see inset on page 257), may also serve to
keep the dairy cow more visible in the public eye than other livestock species (Glenn, 2004; Croney
and Reynnells, 2008). This level of attentiveness to dairy cattle holds significance for public and
consumer support of today’s dairy industries. Findings from Wolf et al. (2016), who indicated that
over 63% of respondents expressed concerns about dairy cattle welfare in a national study of 1201
US residents’ perceptions about dairy industry practices, appear to illustrate this point. Further to
this point, Widmar et al. (2017) reported that in a study of over 1200 US residents surveyed about
their purchasing behaviors and perceptions of dairy production practices, 12% had altered their
consumption of dairy products over the past 3 years specifically because of animal welfare concerns.
When public concerns about cow welfare are analyzed, several consistent themes emerge that
reflect underlying expectations that cows should be cared for and managed in a manner consistent
with their ethology, that is, in a way that affords some semblance of “natural living.” For example,
the quality of the animals’ living environments, the amount of space provided (Ellis et al., 2009),
the extent to which they are able to express natural behaviors (Te Velde et al., 2002; Vanhonacker
et al., 2008), move around freely (Lassen et al., 2006; Maria, 2006; Vanhonacker et al., 2008; Ellis
et al., 2009), and access the outdoors (Ellis et al., 2009) have all been identified as points of conten-
tion in various studies of public perceptions of dairy cow welfare. For example, McKendree et al.
(2012) found that in a national survey of US residents, confinement of cows indoors generated the
most concern of all the production practices investigated. Similarly, Schuppli et al. (2014) reported
that although most North American dairy farms provide little to no access to pasture, Canadian and
US participants with and without affiliations to dairy production considered cow access to more
natural, pastoral living conditions to be important.
Pasture access seems to be particularly important to public stakeholders, who associate it with
access to fresh air, social living, freedom of movement, better cow health, and more healthful milk
products. Cardoso et al. (2016) found that public respondents in an online survey were concerned
about the quality of life experienced by dairy cows, with a special focus on natural living and
its perceived relationship to (improved) milk quality. Responses to questions aimed at identifying
people’s conceptions of ideal dairy farm characteristics included the importance of cows being
able to roam freely and have access to open space, the outdoors, and a diet that included grass.
A survey by Ventura et al. (2016) similarly found that public views on what constitutes a good
life for cows included several elements typical of a natural living conception of animal welfare
(see Fraser et al., 1997), such as pasture, space, fresh air and sunshine, social interactions with
companions, and feedstuffs deemed to be natural for cows—preferences that held even after respon-
dents toured a dairy farm in person.
These sorts of characteristics appear to significantly influence people’s perceptions of dairy
farming practices. However, the body of research on perceptions of dairy cow welfare indicates
several areas of growing disconnect between the public’s view of what constitutes a good life for a
cow and standard dairy industry practices. For example, Ventura et al. (2016) observed that some
participants’ initially positive attitudes about the welfare of cows on dairy farms became more nega-
tive after a dairy farm visit. Moreover, those who did become more critical about dairy farming