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California Dairy Quality Assurance Program
Dairy Welfare
Evaluation Guide
Introduction
The California Dairy
Quality Assurance Program is taking the first step in assuring proper
care and handling of animals on California’s dairies with the
development of this voluntary assessment and education program. The
program is designed to accurately evaluate well-being of dairy animals
on facilities of all sizes and geographical locations throughout
California. The program consists of two parts: Assessment of the
Dairy Facility and a Technical Guide, which provides
science-based information on best management practices. To assure
consumers of proper animal care and well-being, future certification and
audits of dairy facilities for animal welfare may be desirable.
The Assessment of the
Dairy Facility is designed to objectively evaluate the major areas
of welfare on the dairy, including management policies, health care,
facilities and environment, feed and water, handling and transport, and
management of calves. The Technical Guide provides detailed
information on topics related to animal welfare, assisting the dairy
management in improving current policies and procedures for these
specific areas. Additional expertise should be utilized as needed to
assure animal welfare.
The Dairy Welfare
Evaluation Guide was developed from the Animal Care Series: Dairy
Care Practices (University of California, 1998), Recommended Code of
Practice for the Care and Handling of Dairy Cattle (Agriculture Canada,
1990), and Caring for Dairy Animals (Agri Education, Inc., 2002) to meet
the objectives of the California Dairy Quality Assurance Program.
Authors
Carolyn L. Stull, PhD
Animal Welfare Specialist, Veterinary Medicine Extension
Steven L. Berry, DVM, MPVM
Dairy Management and Health Specialist,
Department of Animal Science
Barbara A. Reed, MS
Dairy Farm Advisor, Central Valley Region
Michael A. Payne, DVM, PhD
Program Director, California Dairy Quality Assurance Program,
Department of Environmental Toxicology
Published by:
Cooperative Extension, University
of California, Davis
June 2004
To download a copy of the
Dairy Welfare Evaluation Guide, click here. |
