Open AccessArticle
A Results-Oriented Approach for the Animal Welfare Measure of the European Union’s Rural Development Programme
by
1,*, 2
, 2 and 2
1
Thünen Institute of Farm Economics, Bundesallee 63, 38116 Braunschweig, Germany
2
Thünen Institute of Organic Farming, Trenthorst 32, 23847 Westerau, Germany
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Academic Editors: David S Beggs, Peter Mansell and Mandy Paterson
Received: 12 February 2021
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Revised: 4 May 2021
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Accepted: 19 May 2021
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Published: 27 May 2021
Simple Summary
So far, the animal welfare support measures of the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy for dairy cows have been action-oriented. Farmers receive a payment for their welfare friendly housing system or management (inputs). As the actual animal welfare output is not considered, these support-measures can create good conditions for animal behaviour, but are not able to address animal health. This would be possible in a results-oriented support measure, where the payment is linked to the output (animal-based indicators). With the aim of making animal welfare support more effective, we therefore examined which indicators would be suitable for a results-oriented support measure and how such a measure would have to be designed to encompass all dimensions of animal welfare: animal health, behaviour and emotional state. In a multi-stage selection process involving scientists and practitioners, 10 indicators were identified as appropriate. Because these only cover animal health, a combined action- and results-oriented measure is recommended, in which the dimensions “behaviour” and “emotional state” are addressed via action-oriented requirements and the dimension “health” via results-oriented indicators. With the results of our research, we provide the knowledge base for policy makers and administrators to implement agricultural support policies which can effectively improve the welfare of dairy cows.