Dairy goat farming is growing globally to meet demand for goat milk and cheese, but welfare standards lag behind those for dairy cattle in many intensive production systems.
Intensive dairy goat systems compress many of the same welfare problems as dairy cattle — forced early lactation, kid separation, painful disbudding without analgesia, and social housing that fails to meet behavioral needs. Goats also face specific welfare risks from their inquisitive nature — they require more environmental complexity than housed cattle and suffer disproportionately from barren environments.