Policy

The Economics of Animal Welfare Improvements

Economic analysis shows that improving animal welfare often makes financial sense as well as ethical sense.

Key Facts

Healthier animals with better welfare produce more efficiently and with fewer losses
Lameness in dairy cows costs farmers an average of 300 pounds per case in lost milk
Tail biting outbreaks in pigs can cost thousands of pounds per affected pig
Consumer willingness to pay for higher welfare products is significant and growing
Some welfare improvements like enrichment and lower stocking density have clear payback periods

Welfare Considerations

The economic case for animal welfare improvement is often stronger than it appears. Many welfare improvements reduce disease costs, improve production efficiency, and open access to premium markets. Framing welfare as exclusively in tension with profitability is misleading and hinders necessary progress.

What You Can Do

Support agricultural policy that makes welfare improvement economically viable
Choose higher-welfare products to sustain the premium markets that reward better practice
Advocate for welfare standards to be included in agricultural support payments
Encourage farmers to engage with welfare improvement programmes and calculate their economic benefits