Welfare considerations specific to dairy goats across seasonal management cycles.
Dairy goat welfare reflects a unique combination of caprine-specific needs and the general pressures of dairy production. Goats are inquisitive, social animals with strong bonds and a clear need for environmental enrichment and social stability. The kid separation question is as ethically significant for goats as for cattle, though it receives far less public attention. High-producing dairy goats are particularly vulnerable to metabolic disease around kidding, making transition period management a critical welfare priority. Goat welfare in small-scale artisan production may differ substantially from intensive dairy operations, but both require attention to the same fundamental needs: social stability, appropriate nutrition, and pain-free management practices.