Dairy goat production has grown rapidly globally, but welfare standards lag behind those for dairy cattle in most regulatory frameworks. Understanding goat welfare needs is essential for improvement.
Dairy goat welfare has received less regulatory and research attention than dairy cattle welfare despite the similar cognitive and social complexity of the species. Goats are highly curious, agile animals with strong motivation to explore and interact with their environment — needs that zero-grazing indoor systems systematically fail to meet. Disbudding without adequate pain relief is a significant welfare issue: the procedure causes evident acute pain and current best practice requires local anaesthetic and analgesia, yet compliance is variable. Internal parasite management is critical to goat welfare — Haemonchus is a blood-sucking parasite that causes anaemia and death if unmanaged, and anthelmintic resistance is a growing challenge. Consumer demand for goat dairy has grown substantially, yet welfare standards have not kept pace with production growth.