Farm Animal Welfare

Cattle Welfare and Climate-Smart Farming

Climate-smart farming approaches reduce greenhouse gas emissions while maintaining or improving cattle welfare. Understanding synergies between climate and welfare action guides strategy.

Key Facts

Enteric methane from cattle is a major agricultural greenhouse gas
Improved nutrition and health management reduces emissions while improving welfare
Reducing cattle mortality and disease reduces embodied emissions per unit of production
Pasture-based systems often achieve better welfare and lower emissions than intensive systems
Genetic selection for improved feed efficiency can reduce emissions with welfare considerations

Welfare Considerations

Climate-smart farming and welfare improvement are largely complementary goals. Strategies that improve health, nutrition, and management quality simultaneously reduce welfare harm and environmental impact.

What You Can Do

Support farms adopting climate-smart practices that also improve welfare
Learn about the synergies between welfare improvement and emissions reduction
Advocate for agricultural climate policy that considers welfare co-benefits
Choose products from farms demonstrating both welfare and environmental credentials