Status of animal welfare awareness of producers and direction of animal welfare research in the future.

Most producers are as humane in their thinking and care of animals as are those people involved in the many activist organizations springing up around the United States. That there are no major problems of animal welfare with the dairy cow posed by changes of systems has been suggested. However, veal producers have been criticized for their production practices. The major areas to be resolved between animal welfare advocates and commercial veal producers is the matter of individual pens versus group systems that permit general freedom of movement. Recent developments of dairy cattle management that have improved the comfort and well-being of dairy cattle include raising of calves in individual pens or hutches; exercise prior to calving; change of flooring (grooving of concrete, use of dirt exercise lots, elimination of slats); use of free stalls rather than loose housing; use of materials to keep cows dry, clean, out of the mud, cool, and free from flies and pests; and elimination of stray voltage. Design of a system for animal welfare is only part of the solution. The most important factor in determining stress in the herd is the behavior, attitude, and consistency of the caretaker.