In temperate regions, cattle are often housed indoors through winter. The quality of winter housing significantly affects their welfare, health, and productivity across the coldest months.
Winter housing quality is one of the most significant determinants of dairy and beef cattle welfare in temperate climates. Animals confined indoors for months face risks that range from physical — lameness from hard flooring, hock injuries from poor cubicle design, respiratory disease from poor ventilation — to social and behavioural. Overcrowded housing reduces lying time, increases competitive interactions, and limits access to feed and water. Stereotypic behaviours including tongue rolling may emerge in chronically understimulated animals. Straw yards, when well managed, allow more natural behaviour including exploration, play, and comfortable lying — but deep straw systems require more management and higher bedding costs. The financial pressure to house cattle at maximum density is a persistent driver of poor welfare in winter systems.