Dairy farmers’ heterogeneous preferences for animal welfare-enhancing flooring properties: A mixed logit approach applied in Sweden

E Owusu-Sekyere,H Hansson,E Telezhenko

doi:10.1016/j.livsci.2021.104591

E Owusu-Sekyere, H Hansson + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.livsci.2021.104591

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Abstract

In this paper, we examine preferences for flooring properties that enhance animal welfare in dairy cattle barns among a sample of Swedish dairy farmers. The findings reveal that respondents differ in their choice of flooring properties that improve farm animal welfare. The findings also show that they consider low-slip risk and the softness of floors to be the most important properties. Findings from a latent variable model revealed that floor packaging and installation, workability and animal welfare are important factors that explain the respondents’ preferences for different types of floors. The findings demonstrate that dairy farmers who prefer soft, low-slip and less abrasive floors are influenced by the way the floors are incorporated and installed into the building design, the ease with which other tasks can be performed after installing the flooring and the welfare that the specific flooring provides for the animals. The findings contribute relevant insights that are needed for the promotion and adoption of farm management practices that improve animal welfare.

Highlights

European dairy farming is progressively investing in farm manage ment practices that enhance animal welfare (Barkema et al, 2015; Vanhonacker et al, 2008)
We examine dairy farmers’ preferences for alternative flooring solutions that enhance animal welfare in dairy cattle barns
This study uses data collected from a sample of Swedish dairy farmers

Summary

Introduction

European dairy farming is progressively investing in farm manage ment practices that enhance animal welfare (Barkema et al, 2015; Vanhonacker et al, 2008). It is worth mentioning that an increase in productivity does not necessarily mean improved welfare and vice versa. The role of farmers in maintaining and improving animal welfare is crucial (Kauppinen et al, 2010, Kauppinen et al, 2012), but is often not addressed by re searchers. It is the farmers who make the actual decisions concerning what animal welfare measures to adopt, and thereby ulti mately determine the living conditions of animals in agricultural pro duction. It is important to understand the farmers’ decisions and the factors that drive farmers’ decision in situations that affect animal welfare (Vanhonacker et al, 2008)

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