UBC dairy study makes case for free-range cows
Consumers believe that dairy cattle should spend at least some of their time grazing on fields, and it turns out cows want that, too.
Researchers at the University of B.C. found that dairy cows will work as hard to get outdoors as they do for food when they are hungry — in other words, they will work pretty hard.
Most dairy cows will avoid the sun in the heat of the day, but many prefer to hit the fields at night, said lead author Marina von Keyserlingk, an animal welfare professor in the faculty of land and food systems.
“We tried to look at this through the lens of the cow and learn what she wants and then give the dairy industry something to think about,” she said.
To test the strength of the cows’ desire, the researchers left the cows unfed for two hours after milking and then allowed them to push through a weighted gate to get to their favourite feed mix, adding seven kilograms to the gate each day until they couldn’t get through.
When the gate was positioned between the cows’ indoor space and the pasture, they worked every bit as hard to get outdoors in the evening.
“Cows are highly motivated to be outside, especially in the evening,” she said.
There is no legal requirement to allow dairy cows access to the outdoors, according to the Dairy Farmers of Canada. The industry’s codes of practice contain extensive instruction on the care and comfort of cows, including bedding, grooming, ventilation and access to feed. However, the codes explicitly state that housing need not include access to pasture, but that “the system should allow cattle to express innate behaviour.”
Von Keyserlingk argues there is a “disconnect” between the real living conditions for dairy cows and how the public believes they should be treated.
“A lot of dairy cows live their lives without ever seeing a blade of grass,” she said.
And there is evidence consumers might be willing to vote with their wallets for cow freedom, much as they do for free-range eggs, said von Keyserlingk.
In an earlier study, 468 consumers were asked to describe their ideal dairy farm, and the welfare of the animals was mentioned 60 per cent of the time, three times more often than any other characteristic.
In a second phase of the research, 50 people were asked if they had any concerns about dairy farm operations. According to the report: “The four most frequently raised issues ... were quality of feed provided to the animals, whether cows had access to pasture, if they had sufficient space, and whether they were treated with care.”
The researchers also found that pasturing cows overnight, weather permitting, had no impact on milk production.