Goat dairy production is growing globally. Welfare challenges include kid separation, disbudding, and housing conditions that differ from those optimal for this active, curious species.
Dairy goat welfare parallels dairy cow welfare in key respects: early kid separation and routine mutilation without analgesia cause preventable suffering. Goats are highly intelligent, curious animals with strong browsing motivation that cannot be expressed in barren housing. Welfare improvements including pain management for disbudding, extended kid contact, and browse provision would significantly reduce suffering across the sector.