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ethICaL IMPeratIVe of TELOS 263

will likely require a multifaceted approach. To that end, management approaches must be devised
to reduce metabolic stress on the cow (Oltenacu and Broom, 2010). Selection strategies are needed
for multiple traits that favor overall cow welfare while maintaining acceptable levels of productiv-
ity. On this front, the dairy industries are already making significant progress. For example, Zoetis
has introduced a commercially available product for genetic evaluation of wellness traits that allow
farmers to assess risk factors for economically relevant diseases and conditions such as mastitis,
metritis, ketosis and lameness that specifically designed for wellness traits in US cattle (www.zoeti-
sus.com/animal-genetics/dairy/clarifide/clarifide-plus.aspx). Likewise, the Council on Dairy Cattle
Breeding has recently completed efforts to develop genetic and genomic evaluations for health con-
ditions of dairy cattle (including common problems such as displaced abomasum, mastitis, metritis,
ketosis) that can potentially inform decision-making.
Finally, continued deliberation is needed about reasonable, economically feasible ways in which
to better address the nature of the cow in contemporary production so as to identify win–win solu-
tions for the dairy industries.

CONCLUSIONS

Societal pressures require the US dairy industries to better and more comprehensively address
animal welfare in keeping with the expectations of all stakeholders. As consumers and members of
the public increasingly attend to natural living as an indicator of animal quality of life, and by exten-
sion, the quality of products derived from the animals (Harper and Makatouni, 2002; Cardoso et al.,
2016), the notion of telos and its application to dairy cow management and production becomes
increasingly relevant. The idea that cows have natures of their own and interests that flow from
those (Rollin, 1993, 2016) suggests that their preferences should be paramount in the systems in
which we choose to raise them. The extent to which cows are afforded their telos by way of conces-
sions toward natural living appears to have tangible impacts on various aspects of their welfare,
impacts that also matter to farmers and others within the dairy industries. Bruijnis et al. (2013) call
for an integrated perspective wherein “more than only the functioning and feelings of the animals
in the present is of importance… and where flourishing is worthwhile striving for in itself.” Broader
consideration of the cow’s welfare in the context of flourishing and living in accordance with her
telos—rather than simply surviving, reproducing and producing—is therefore needed, and may be
critical in ensuring the sustainability and social acceptability of dairy production.

reFereNCeS

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