Policy

Veterinary Role in Livestock Welfare Improvement

Veterinarians play a crucial role in delivering welfare improvements across farm animal populations at scale.

Key Facts

Farm vets are often the first professional to identify systemic welfare problems on farms
The British Veterinary Association supports mandatory veterinary health planning for all livestock farms
Veterinary medicine increasingly focuses on flock and herd health rather than individual sick animals
Preventive veterinary medicine reduces welfare problems before they cause suffering
Vets face commercial pressure from farming clients that can compromise welfare advocacy

Welfare Considerations

Veterinarians are uniquely positioned to deliver welfare improvements in livestock farming through health planning, disease prevention, and advocacy for evidence-based management. Strengthening the welfare advisory role of farm vets and ensuring they can operate independently of commercial pressure is an important policy priority.

What You Can Do

Support mandatory veterinary health planning requirements for all farm animals
Advocate for vet-to-farmer welfare advisory services funded through agricultural policy
Choose products from farms that document engagement with preventive veterinary welfare plans
Support veterinary training programmes that emphasise animal welfare science