Dairy goats produce milk valued for its digestibility and flavor, but welfare concerns including kid disbudding without anaesthesia and kid disposal practices are widespread in the industry.
Goat disbudding without anaesthesia is one of the most commonly performed painful procedures in small ruminant production. The practice is widespread, often performed without veterinary oversight, and causes measurable acute pain responses. Male kid disposal at birth reflects a fundamental economic structure that creates unavoidable welfare compromise unless market opportunities for males are developed.