Animal Welfare Considerations

Since all farm contexts are different and AMP grazing is by its nature adaptive, there is no exact protocol for its implementation on farm. Good observation and management skills are therefore vital for realising the positive welfare potential of AMP grazing systems, including adaptive outwintering. Animal movements must be based on animal needs and good planning is key – considering the group size, age and the nutritional requirements of the cattle, as well as the infrastructure required¹⁰. The following box provides some recommendations to help ensure good welfare in regenerative cattle systems.

Compassion recommendations to ensure good welfare in regenerative cattle systems

Housing and Environment

Pasture access – Animals should have permanent free-choice access to well-drained pasture with shade/shelter (options include agroforestry/silvopasture, corridors to shade/shelter, man-made structures).
Infrastructure – invest in good quality, farmer and stock safe infrastructure future proofed for planned stock changes (e.g. herd expansion, species diversification)
Indoor housing design – Indoor housing (if used) should include non-slip solid surfaces (no fully-slatted systems) with deep straw bedding or equivalent (at least 30 cm deep, or 3 kg of straw/day/cubicle), and enrichment including cow brushes.
Indoor stocking density – Animals should be free to move at all times (no tethering or tie stalls). Indoor housing (if used) should provide at least 9m² and at least 1 cubicle per dairy cow (dimensions appropriate for the size of the cow), or calculate the space based on the animal’s bodyweight for beef cattle (> 350 kg: 5 m² bedded area + 3.7 m² loafing area, + 1m²/100 kg thereafter).

Breeding & Genetics

Breed – select robust and, where relevant, dual-purpose breed(s) that are well suited to an extensive AMP grazing system and the local context to allow interventions to be minimised.

Management & Practices

Feed & water – Animals should have permanent access to clean water and obtain the majority of their diet from grazing on pasture. Assess pasture cover frequently and plan carefully to ensure sufficient availability, plus reserve capacity (e.g. to cope with droughts) and contingency plans (e.g. alternative water supply). Supplementary feeding should be provided when necessary to ensure the animals’ nutritional requirements are met, ideally using conserved forage (e.g. bale grazing), with any concentrates from allowed and nutritionally appropriate waste / by-products (e.g. brewers grains) or regenerative / sustainable sources.
Painful procedures – Avoid the practice of painful procedures such as dehorning, disbudding and castration.
Health management – Always provide care/treatment where required to ensure good health and welfare.
Transport & slaughter – Keep transport times to a minimum (4 hours max, including loading and unloading) and ensure animals are slaughtered humanely with effective pre-slaughter stunning

Welfare Outcome Assessment

Frequent checks – at least twice a day, animal moves present a good opportunity for detailed observation. Regular monitoring of key welfare outcome measures across all three pillars of animal welfare.
Key indicators on farm – Beef cattle: Respiratory problems (Nasal/Ocular discharge and coughing), injuries and swellings, dirtiness, claw condition, lameness, behaviour, stereotypies, body condition, hydration, caesarean rate, emergency killing rate/mortality, positive behavioural indicators (ear position, play, allogrooming, brush use, behavioural synchronicity, and Qualitative Behavioural Assessment QBA).
Key indicators on farm – Dairy cows: Mortality, culling rate/longevity, mobility (lameness/gait score, digital dermatitis, hock and knee alterations), body condition score, cleanliness, somatic cell count and clinical mastitis, foot and neck sores and lesions, broken tails cow comfort index/lying behaviour, response to stockperson, use of enrichment, self-grooming and social behaviours (allogrooming, behavioural synchrony, agonistic interactions).