Farm Animals

Pasture Management and Livestock Welfare

Access to high-quality pasture is fundamental to the welfare of grazing livestock and underpins higher welfare farming systems.

Key Facts

Grazing livestock on pasture can express natural behaviors including foraging, social interaction, and movement
Pasture-based systems significantly reduce the prevalence of lameness, mastitis, and metabolic disease in cattle
Soil quality and pasture management affect forage nutritional quality with direct welfare implications
Zero-grazing systems confine dairy cows year-round, preventing expression of natural grazing behavior
Outdoor access requirements vary widely in welfare certification schemes from minimum to substantial

Welfare Considerations

For grazing animals, pasture is not merely a food source but an environment that allows fundamental behavioral needs to be expressed. Cattle, sheep, and goats on well-managed pasture can graze, move freely, engage in social behavior, and experience seasonally appropriate environments. Pasture quality — including nutritional content, parasite management, and shelter provision — determines whether access delivers genuine welfare benefit or mere proximity to grass.

What You Can Do

Choose pasture-raised and grass-fed animal products from certified welfare farms
Support farms transitioning from zero-grazing to pasture-based systems
Advocate for meaningful outdoor access requirements in dairy and livestock welfare regulations
Visit farms to understand what pasture access genuinely looks like versus marketing claims
Support organizations promoting regenerative agriculture that combines pasture access with soil health