Dairy goats are highly social, curious animals whose welfare in commercial production depends on appropriate social housing, enrichment, and healthcare.
Dairy goat welfare shares many challenges with dairy cattle but receives less regulatory attention and consumer awareness. The same fundamental tension between productivity-focused management and behavioral need satisfaction applies. CAE virus is endemic in many dairy goat herds and causes chronic pain in affected animals. Routine painful procedures like disbudding are performed without adequate analgesia. The social and cognitive needs of goats — highly curious, agile animals that explore vertical and horizontal space — are often unmet in conventional production settings.