Dairy goat farming is growing in the UK, with welfare challenges around disbudding of kids, housing systems, and the fate of surplus male kids in dairy goat operations.
Goat welfare in dairy production involves several specific concerns. Disbudding of kids - burning horn buds at 2-7 days of age - causes acute pain and requires appropriate anaesthesia and analgesia under UK regulations, but compliance varies. Male kids from dairy herds may be killed at birth or reared under poor conditions as their commercial value is limited. Intensive housing of highly active, climbing animals in inadequate enrichment causes frustration and stereotypic behaviour. Goats are gregarious and suffer from isolation. Higher welfare dairy goat production includes appropriate anaesthesia for disbudding, commercial utilisation of male kids, enriched housing, and social group management.