Cattle welfare science has advanced significantly in recent decades, providing validated tools for welfare assessment that are increasingly being applied at farm and industry level.
The application of welfare science to cattle farming has produced validated assessment tools and clear evidence for priority welfare issues including lameness, mastitis, and thermal comfort. The challenge is translating this evidence into routine practice change. Farm economic pressures can create barriers to welfare improvement even when farmers are motivated to improve. Market and regulatory signals that reward welfare improvement are essential for system-level change.