Welfare Science

Cattle Welfare Progress and 2027 Outlook

Reviewing cattle welfare progress through 2026 and priorities for continued improvement in the year ahead.

Key Facts

Cattle lameness prevalence on UK dairy farms has declined with better awareness
Pain management during routine procedures including dehorning has improved with vet guidance
Precision monitoring technology adoption is increasing welfare detection capability
Consumer awareness of cattle welfare issues has grown through labelling and media
EU Farm to Fork strategy commitments remain influential on welfare legislation trajectory

Welfare Considerations

Cattle welfare has improved measurably in areas including lameness detection, pain management, and monitoring technology. Progress is uneven - leadership farms achieve excellent outcomes while others lag behind. The gap between best practice and average practice remains wide. The 2027 priority is accelerating adoption of proven welfare improvements across the mainstream of production through stronger assurance requirements and market incentives.

What You Can Do

Support cattle welfare assurance schemes with strong outcome requirements
Advocate for mandatory lameness prevalence reporting in dairy welfare legislation
Choose dairy and beef from farms demonstrating evidence of welfare improvement