Livestock kept by subsistence farmers in low-income countries face different welfare challenges than those in commercial Western production, with poverty, disease, and inadequate veterinary access causing significant welfare suffering at enormous scale.
Livestock welfare in subsistence farming contexts requires understanding the complex relationship between animal welfare and human poverty. Animals experiencing welfare problems from disease, malnutrition, and overwork also perform less productive work and produce less milk and meat, creating a direct link between welfare improvement and livelihood improvement. Interventions that provide veterinary care, improve nutrition, and reduce workloads create genuine welfare improvements while making economic sense to farmers. The welfare and development dimensions of subsistence livestock are inseparable, requiring integrated approaches.