Welfare of beef cattle

Abstract

This Scientific Opinion provides an assessment of beef cattle welfare focusing onrisks related to flooring, water access, nutrition and feeding, high environmentaltemperatures, lack of environmental enrichment, lack of outdoor access, minimumspace allowance and mixing practices. In addition, risks related to pasture andfeedlots, weaning of suckler calves, mutilations (castration, disbudding, dehorn-ing and tail docking), and to breeding practices (hypermuscularity, dystocia andcaesarean sections, polledness, maternal ability and temperament) are assessed.Decision-making criteria for the euthanasia of cull cows are also addressed. A selec-tion of animal-based measures (ABMs) suitable for collection at slaughterhousesis proposed to monitor on-farm welfare of fattening cattle. Recommendations toimprove the welfare of housed fattening cattle include increasing space allow-ance and feeding more roughage in relation to current practice, and promotingthe use of well-managed bedded solid floors. Provision of enrichment such asbrushes and roughage and an outdoor loafing area for housed cattle are recom-mended. Cattle kept outdoors should have access to a dry lying area and sufficientshade. Water should be provided ad libitum via large open water surfaces, and theuse of nipple drinkers should be avoided. Mixing of unfamiliar cattle should beavoided and groups should be kept stable. Mutilations should be abstained from,but if carried out, a combination of analgesia and anaesthesia should be appliedregardless of the calf's age. Early weaning of suckler calves should be avoided (< 6months). Homozygous double-muscled animals should be excluded from breed-ing. Selected ABMs for collection at slaughterhouses to monitor some of the highlyrelevant welfare consequences experienced by fattening cattle on farm are bodycondition, carcass fat levels, carcass condemnation, lung lesions and skin lesions.Key data gaps identified are thresholds for dietary fibre, ABM thresholds for fitnessfor transport and potential long-term effects of mutilations on pain sensitisation