Improving animal welfare for dairy cattle

As of June 2024, there were just over 5.9 million dairy cattle farmed in New Zealand. The Code of Welfare for Dairy Cattle sets out minimum standards required for their care. In comparison, SPCA Certified has animal welfare standards for dairy cattle that ensure animal welfare is improved by exceeding the minimum legal requirements laid out in the Code of Welfare.

One of the ways SPCA Certified works to improve farmed animal welfare is to focus on providing dairy cattle with opportunities to engage in situations that result in positive animal welfare outcomes.

Provision of good animal welfare is about ensuring the many different aspects of the farming system and the animals’ requirements are kept top-of-mind to provide for their behavioural, physical, and mental needs. Providing opportunities for positive experiences leads to improved farmed animal welfare. SPCA Certified Standards therefore ensure pasture access so dairy cattle can display their natural behaviours such as grazing, the provision of objects to scratch and groom on, and access to shade and shelter at all times. SPCA Certified standards also require dairy farmers to have an animal health plan in place which is regularly updated with a veterinarian.

All SPCA Certified farms are independently audited at least twice a year. Under the Code of Welfare, animal welfare audits are not required.

At SPCA Certified we believe in making it easier for consumers to know what they are buying and how to support better welfare. The infographic below compares welfare requirements for dairy cattle under the Code of Welfare and SPCA Certified standards. See how the different standards compare in terms of dairy cattle health and behaviour, access to shade and shelter, and consumer assurances for how dairy cattle are farmed.