Dairy Cattle
What happens to bobby calves?
For cows to produce milk, they have to give birth to a calf. Most dairy calves are separated from their mother within 24 hours of birth to reduce the risk of disease transmission to the calf, and most do not stay on the farm for long.
Why do dairy cows become lame?
Foot lameness is a common problem in dairy farming and not unusual in wet conditions.
What is virtual fencing (and virtual herding) and does it impact animal welfare?
What is virtual fencing? Virtual fencing aims to remotely map and control livestock grazing behaviour without the use of fixed fences.
What is mastitis in dairy cows?
Mastitis is an infection that causes inflammation of a cow’s udder. It is caused by bacteria or by injury, and the dairy industry believes it affects around 5-10% of dairy cows in the typical Australian dairy herd during their lactation.
What is calving induction?
Calving induction involves administering a drug to dairy cows to stimulate calving before full term. Some dairy farmers do this to coordinate calving for the herd to ‘come into milk’ over a set period of time.
Is tail docking in dairy cattle legal in Australia?
State/Territory Legal? Name of Relevant Act / Special Conditions and Requirements Australian Capital Territory Yes No express prohibition on the docking of cattle in ACT legislation including the Animal Welfare Act 1992 (ACT) and the Animal Welfare Regulation 2001 (ACT).