Canadian dairy farmer views about animal welfare
Catherine A Schuppli, Jeffrey M Spooner, Marina AG von Keyserlingk

TL;DR
This study explores Canadian dairy farmers' views on animal welfare, revealing their commitment to animal care and shared values with the public.
Contribution
The study provides new insights into dairy farmers' perspectives on animal welfare, emphasizing shared values and emotional connections.
Findings
Farmers emphasized biological functioning and emotional well-being of animals.
Shared values with the public include natural living and individual animal care.
Emotional relationships with animals highlight non-utilitarian values among farmers.
Abstract
Concerns regarding the welfare of farm animals continue to grow. Traditionally, research efforts have largely focused on refining existing management practices to improve welfare. However, the incorporation of views from those directly involved in animal care is equally, if not more, important. This study investigated the perspectives of Canadian dairy farmers on animal welfare. We conducted 16 interviews with a total of 22 participants from four provinces across Canada. Recorded audio files and field notes were transcribed, anonymised, and coded using deductive and inductive thematic analysis. The interview data revealed two major themes: (1) animal dimension of animal welfare, including views related to biological functioning, naturalness and affective states; and (2) dairy farmer identity, including, the voice of the ‘city’, what it means to be a good ‘cow-man’, and the nature of…
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Taxonomy
TopicsAnimal Behavior and Welfare Studies · Human-Animal Interaction Studies · Geographies of human-animal interactions
