Building a Culture of Welfare on Livestock Farms

Farm welfare culture — the shared values, attitudes, and practices of all farm staff toward animal welfare — is a determinant of welfare outcomes that transcends physical infrastructure and protocols.

Key Facts

Research shows that farmer attitudes toward animal sentience predict welfare outcomes better than physical resources
Farms with positive welfare culture have lower rates of workforce turnover and better animal care
Leadership by farm managers in demonstrating welfare-positive behaviour influences all staff
Training programmes that address attitudes alongside skills produce more lasting behaviour change

Welfare Considerations

Welfare culture is the invisible infrastructure of a livestock farm: the shared assumptions about whether animals matter, how much effort welfare is worth, and what is considered acceptable practice. High welfare culture farms treat animal welfare as intrinsically important rather than merely a compliance requirement, invest time in welfare observation beyond what is required, and respond promptly and positively to welfare problems identified by any staff member. Creating this culture requires leadership modelling, positive recognition of welfare-positive behaviour, and training that engages attitudes rather than merely conveying procedures.

What You Can Do

Support welfare training programmes that address farmer and worker attitudes toward animals
Advocate for animal welfare values to be incorporated in agricultural education
Recognise and celebrate farms demonstrating exemplary welfare culture
Support research into the determinants of positive welfare culture and how to develop it