Happy, healthy cows grazing in a lush pasture, symbolizing animal welfare on a dairy farm.

Is Your Dairy Farm Up to Snuff? How to Ace Animal Welfare Assessments

Q: What are Animal-Based Measures (ABM) and why are they important in dairy farm assessments?

The focus is on Animal-Based Measures (ABM), which are crucial in dairy farming. They are a way to evaluate and improve the welfare of dairy cows. These measures include examining things like Hock Injuries (HI), Lameness (LM), Body Condition Score (BCS), and Cleanliness (CLN). This allows for a comprehensive understanding of the animals' well-being.

Q: What is the purpose of the training mentioned in this context?

The training is designed to improve the accuracy and consistency of those conducting evaluations using Animal-Based Measures (ABM). The study used a 3-day training workshop to enhance the ability of assessors to accurately score ABMs like Hock Injuries (HI), Lameness (LM), Body Condition Score (BCS), and Cleanliness (CLN). This ensures that different assessors will assess animal welfare consistently, improving the reliability of welfare assessments across different farms and regions.

Q: What specific Animal-Based Measures (ABM) are discussed and how are they evaluated?

Hock Injuries (HI) involve checking for swelling or hair loss. Acceptable hocks show no swelling or hair loss, while unacceptable hocks exhibit swelling or scabs. Lameness (LM) is assessed using locomotion scores (LS) or in-stall lameness scores (SLS), with acceptable cows showing no limp and unacceptable cows displaying a noticeable limp. Body Condition Score (BCS) involves assessing the cow's energy reserves, where acceptable BCS is >2 on a 5-point scale. Cleanliness (CLN) covers the udder, flank, and legs, with minor splashing being acceptable and distinct manure plaques being unacceptable.

Theo Raines in Health & Wellness December 2025 • 4 min read.

"A comprehensive guide to animal-based measures (ABM) for dairy farms, ensuring top-notch welfare standards and assessment precision."

In today's dairy industry, demonstrating a commitment to animal welfare is more critical than ever. Quantitative assessments are becoming standard practice, but their effectiveness hinges on the precision and consistency of those conducting the evaluations. How do you ensure your team is up to the task?

A recent study published in the Journal of Dairy Science sheds light on this challenge, exploring a 3-day training workshop designed to improve the accuracy of animal-based measures (ABM). This research offers a blueprint for farms looking to enhance their welfare assessment practices and ensure reliable, consistent results.

This article dives into the key findings of the study, providing actionable insights and practical takeaways to elevate your farm's animal welfare assessment capabilities. We'll explore the specific ABMs covered, the training methods employed, and the impressive results achieved, empowering you to implement similar strategies on your own farm.

Decoding Animal-Based Measures: What to Assess and Why

Happy, healthy cows grazing in a lush pasture, symbolizing animal welfare on a dairy farm.

The study focused on six critical ABMs, each providing valuable insights into the well-being of dairy cows. The scoring systems were modified to create a simple, binary outcome: acceptable or unacceptable. This approach streamlines the assessment process and improves consistency among assessors.

Here's a breakdown of the ABMs evaluated:

Hock Injuries (HI): Acceptable hocks show no swelling or hair loss. Unacceptable hocks exhibit swelling or scabs.
Lameness (LM): Assessed using locomotion scores (LS) or in-stall lameness scores (SLS). Acceptable cows show no limp (LS <3) and minimal behavioral indicators in stalls. Unacceptable cows display a noticeable limp (LS ≥3) or multiple behavioral indicators.
Body Condition Score (BCS): Acceptable BCS is >2 on a 5-point scale; unacceptable is <2. This indicates whether cows have sufficient energy reserves.
Cleanliness (CLN): Encompassing udder, flank, and legs. Acceptable cleanliness includes minor splashing, while unacceptable cleanliness shows distinct manure plaques.

By focusing on these key indicators, farms can gain a comprehensive understanding of their animals' welfare and identify areas for improvement. The binary scoring system simplifies the process, making it easier for assessors to reach consistent conclusions.

The Future of Welfare: Training for Success

The study's findings are clear: with adequate training, multiple assessors can achieve substantial agreement on ABMs. This is crucial for ensuring consistent and reliable welfare assessments across different farms and regions.

By investing in comprehensive training programs, dairy farms can empower their teams to accurately assess animal welfare, identify areas for improvement, and demonstrate their commitment to ethical and sustainable practices.

The key is to incorporate a mix of classroom instruction, live assessments, and ongoing feedback. As the study demonstrated, even a relatively short 3-day workshop can yield significant improvements in assessor accuracy and inter-rater reliability.

About this Article -

This article was crafted using a human-AI hybrid and collaborative approach. AI assisted our team with initial drafting, research insights, identifying key questions, and image generation. Our human editors guided topic selection, defined the angle, structured the content, ensured factual accuracy and relevance, refined the tone, and conducted thorough editing to deliver helpful, high-quality information.See our About page for more information.

This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: 10.3168/jds.2018-14469, Alternate LINK

Title: Training Method For Animal-Based Measures In Dairy Cattle Welfare Assessments

Subject: Genetics

Journal: Journal of Dairy Science

Publisher: American Dairy Science Association

Authors: S.L. Croyle, C.G.R. Nash, C. Bauman, S.J. Leblanc, D.B. Haley, D.K. Khosa, D.F. Kelton

Published: 2018-10-01

Everything You Need To Know

What are Animal-Based Measures (ABM) and why are they important in dairy farm assessments?

The focus is on Animal-Based Measures (ABM), which are crucial in dairy farming. They are a way to evaluate and improve the welfare of dairy cows. These measures include examining things like Hock Injuries (HI), Lameness (LM), Body Condition Score (BCS), and Cleanliness (CLN). This allows for a comprehensive understanding of the animals' well-being.

What is the purpose of the training mentioned in this context?

The training is designed to improve the accuracy and consistency of those conducting evaluations using Animal-Based Measures (ABM). The study used a 3-day training workshop to enhance the ability of assessors to accurately score ABMs like Hock Injuries (HI), Lameness (LM), Body Condition Score (BCS), and Cleanliness (CLN). This ensures that different assessors will assess animal welfare consistently, improving the reliability of welfare assessments across different farms and regions.

What specific Animal-Based Measures (ABM) are discussed and how are they evaluated?

Hock Injuries (HI) involve checking for swelling or hair loss. Acceptable hocks show no swelling or hair loss, while unacceptable hocks exhibit swelling or scabs. Lameness (LM) is assessed using locomotion scores (LS) or in-stall lameness scores (SLS), with acceptable cows showing no limp and unacceptable cows displaying a noticeable limp. Body Condition Score (BCS) involves assessing the cow's energy reserves, where acceptable BCS is >2 on a 5-point scale. Cleanliness (CLN) covers the udder, flank, and legs, with minor splashing being acceptable and distinct manure plaques being unacceptable.

How does the use of a binary scoring system impact the assessment process?

A binary scoring system simplifies the assessment process. The assessments, such as those for Hock Injuries (HI), Lameness (LM), Body Condition Score (BCS), and Cleanliness (CLN), were designed to have a simple outcome: acceptable or unacceptable. This method makes it easier for assessors to reach consistent conclusions about the welfare of the cows. This is a move towards standardization and more reliable results.

Why is it important for assessors to achieve agreement on Animal-Based Measures (ABM)?

The study demonstrates that with proper training, assessors can achieve significant agreement on Animal-Based Measures (ABM). This ensures reliable welfare assessments across various farms. Accurate assessments of Hock Injuries (HI), Lameness (LM), Body Condition Score (BCS), and Cleanliness (CLN), are critical for demonstrating a commitment to animal welfare within the dairy industry. Consistency in these assessments is increasingly essential.