Goat dairy is a growing global industry with welfare standards that lag behind dairy cattle. Addressing housing, kidding, and milking welfare is essential as production scales.
Dairy goat welfare in intensive systems mirrors many of the concerns in dairy cattle production. Zero-grazing confinement denies goats access to outdoor environments that satisfy their exploratory nature. Social grouping must allow stable groups without excessive competition for resources. Kid separation — occurring within hours of birth in commercial systems — causes distress in both does and kids. Male kids without market value face the same fate as male dairy calves. Foot care is essential as goats in intensive systems are highly prone to foot problems requiring regular trimming and treatment. As the global dairy goat industry grows, establishing robust welfare standards before poor practices become entrenched is an important preventive welfare strategy.