Assessment of welfare on 24 commercial UK dairy goat farms based on direct observations.

The preliminary findings from an investigation into the health and welfare of goats on commercial dairy goat farms in the UK are described. An assessment protocol involving direct observations of the goats was developed in order to assess their welfare. Twenty-four dairy goat farms in England and Wales were visited and assessed during the period autumn 2004 to summer 2005. The main welfare issues identified were lameness and claw overgrowth, udder and teat lesions, skin lesions and pruritus.