Access to pasture for dairy and beef cattle provides significant welfare benefits including increased movement, natural behaviour expression, and reduced stress. Grazing season management affects welfare throughout the year.
Pasture access provides welfare benefits that indoor housing with enrichment cannot fully replicate. The space, varied ground surface, social freedom, and natural feeding opportunity of grazing represent a qualitatively different welfare experience. The visible excitement of cattle at spring turnout is compelling evidence of the welfare value of pasture access. As year-round housing expands with increasing herd sizes, welfare standards that maintain minimum grazing seasons preserve this welfare benefit for dairy cows.