Measuring the effects of different farming conditions on the animal welfare status in Norvegian red cattle

Abstract

The aim of the study was to measure the effects of different farming conditions on the animal welfare status of the farms monitored. The Welfare Quality® project, founded by the European commission within the 6th EU framework program was used a guiding principle. It generates knowledge on practical strategies to improve animal welfare on the farm. The Welfare Quality® combined analyses of consumer perceptions and attitudes with existing knowledge from animal welfare science, by 4 principles identified by 12 criteria. The criteria are covered in the assessment system. It is concentrated on the so-called animal-based measures that address aspects of the actual welfare state of the animals, for instance their behavior, fearfulness, health and physical condition. The key production animal in the study is the dairy cow, NRF which is a dual purpose breed. The measured data is collected on 6 different farms. Duration of the data collection was 3 hours 6 times.