The housing system, sometimes integrated with the option of outdoor grazing, impacts on cow health, productivity, welfare and the ability to exhibit normal behaviour. The ability to be able to demonstrate animal-friendly systems for housing cattle is also essential to retrain consumer confidence, addressing some societal concerns over current systems of production. Providing a good housing environment for dairy cows is becoming even more critical, as an increasing proportion of cows are being housed on a continuous basis.

Optimising the housed environment is a sub-theme within the EuroDairy Work Package on Animal Care, and fits into the overall objective to support economic, social and environmental sustainability of European dairy farming.

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