JUNE2021

RSPCA welfare standards

Dairy cattle

Copyright © 2021 RSPCA. All rights reserved. This material must not be reproduced or used in any
manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the RSPCA.

RSPCA welfare standards for dairy cattle

June 2021

Contents

Introduction

4

Guide to the use of the RSPCA welfare standards
RSPCA Farm Animals Department

55Food and water

6

Food
Water

6
7

Environment

11

Buildings
Thermal environment and ventilation
Lying area/space allowance
Cubicle housing
Lighting
Calving accommodation
PastureMilking parlour
Robotic milking systems
Dairy
Bull pens
Handling facilities
Fencing
Disposal of waste
Climate change and animal welfare

Management

26

Managers
Stock-keepers
Handling
Identification
Equipment
Inspection
Farm dogs
Protection from other animals

26
27
28
29
30
30
31
31

Transition/freshly calved cows

RSPCA welfare standards for dairy cattle

12
13
16
17
19
19
20
22
23
23
23
24
24
24
25

36

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June 2021

Health38

Health and welfare monitoring
Bovine Tuberculosis
Lameness
Body condition scoring
Mastitis
Husbandry procedures
Breeding/calving
Medications/vaccinations
Downer cattle
Casualty animals/emergency slaughter

38
41
42
44
44
45
45
46
48
48

Welfare Outcome Assessment

50

Transport

52

NEW Trading Cattle

52
52
53
53
54

Casualty animals
Training
Handling/loading/unloading
Transport

Slaughter/killing

56

Training
Casualty animals
Closed circuit television
Lairage
Pre-slaughter handling
Slaughter equipment
Stunning
Slaughter/killing methods
Sticking
Slaughter of pregnant cattle

56
58
59
59
60
61
62
63
63
64

Specific standards and guidance
for the rearing of calves

66

Food and water

66

Food
Water

66
70

Environment

71

Lighting
Calf hutches

72
72

Management

74

Receiving new calves onto the unit
Handling facilities
Transport/marketing of calves

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74
75
75

June 2021

Health and welfare

76

Transport

78

Slaughter/killing

79

Male dairy calves

80

Appendix 1

82

Herd biosecurity

82

Appendix 2

83

Transport – standard operatingand emergency procedure83

Appendix 384

Appendix 4

87

AssureWel Dairy Cattle Assessment
Protocol and Scoresheet

Index

RSPCA welfare standards for dairy cattle

87

96

3

June 2021

Introduction
The standards are based upon the ‘Five
Freedoms’ as defined by FAWC. Althoughthese ‘freedoms’ define ideal states, they
provide a comprehensive framework for theassessment of animal welfare on farm, intransit and at the place of slaughter, as well
as representing an important element offarm assurance requirements.

The RSPCA welfare standards for dairy
cattle are used to provide the only RSPCAapproved scheme for the rearing, handling,transport and slaughter/killing of laying
hens. The RSPCA welfare standards fordairy cattle take account of UK legislation,
government welfare codes, scientificresearch, veterinary advice,recommendations of the Farm Animal
Welfare Committee (FAWC) and thepractical experience of the farming industry.

••

These freedoms will be better provided forif those who have care of livestockpractise/provide:

Freedom from hunger and thirstby ready access to fresh waterand a diet to maintain full healthand vigour.

• caring and responsible planningand management

Freedom from discomfort byproviding an appropriate environment
including shelter and a comfortable
resting area.

• skilled, knowledgeable andconscientious stockmanship

Freedom from pain, injury or
disease by prevention or rapid
diagnosis and treatment.

• appropriate environmental design•

Freedom to express normal
behaviour by providing sufficientspace, proper facilities and companyof the animal’s own kind.

• humane slaughter.

•

Freedom from fear and distressby ensuring conditions and carewhich avoid mental suffering.

•

RSPCA welfare standards for dairy cattle• considerate handling and transport

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Guide to the use of the RSPCA welfare standards• The numbered requirements are the• Some standards have been labelledstandards, all of which must becomplied with.

as shown below, which have thefollowing meaning:• Boxed sections (indicated by)give additional information, including:providing the reasoning behind astandard, expand on a standard, state
how a standard can/will be assessed
and/or highlight areas where thestandards will be reviewed in the future.

refers to a standard that isbased on an England legal requirement.
LEGAL

refers to a standard or
information box that was in theprevious edition of these standards
but has been amended.
REVI SED• It is expected that all relevant UK
legislation regarding farm animalhusbandry and welfare on-farm, duringtransport, and at the abattoir, will be fully
implemented in addition to the RSPCA
welfare standards.

NEW refers to a completely new
standard or information box, whichmust now be adhered to.

• Farmers are required by law to havea thorough knowledge of the Defra
Code of Recommendations for the
Welfare of Livestock: dairy cattle.

RSPCA Farm Animals Department
The RSPCA’s Farm Animals Department
develops the RSPCA welfare standards forfarm animals. These detailed documents
are intended to represent ‘best practice’in the care and welfare of farm animals.
The RSPCA works to continually develop
and improve the welfare standards usinga range of information, including the latest
scientific research and practical farming
experience. We regularly consult with otheranimal welfare and agricultural scientists,
veterinary surgeons, and farming industry
representatives. This helps to ensure that
the RSPCA welfare standards continue tobe at the forefront of farm animal care andwelfare, and are also achievable oncommercial farms.

RSPCA welfare standards for dairy cattle

5

We always value constructive feedback
and ideas for improvement from those whoare implementing the RSPCA welfare
standards. Comments/feedback can be
discussed with RSPCA Farm Animals
Department scientific staff, by contacting
them on the below details:
Address: Farm Animals Department
RSPCA
4th Floor Parkside
Chart Way
HorshamWest Sussex RH12 1GY
Phone: 0300 123 0183
Email: farm-animals@rspca.org.uk
The RSPCA does not approve equipment,
but sets standards to ensure any equipment
permitted for use is managed appropriately
to safeguard the welfare of animals.

June 2021

Food and water
Livestock need to have ready access to fresh water and a diet to maintain full health and promotea positive state of well-being.

Food
FW 1.1

FW 1.2REVISEDAll units must:a)

have a nutrition planb)review the nutrition plan at least twice yearly.

LEGAL

Cattle must be fed a wholesome diet which:a) is appropriate to their speciesc)is fed to them in sufficient quantity to maintain them in good healthd) satisfies their nutritional needs.
NEW Care should be taken to avoid the over-supplement of minerals, particularly copper, toa level which may be toxic. Care should also be taken to avoid mineral deficiencies (seestandard FW 1.14). Industry agreed standards state cattle should not be provided with dietshigher in copper than 20 mg/kg DM).

FW 1.3LEGAL Cattle must have access to food each day, except when required by the attending veterinary
surgeon.

FW 1.4REVISED

Producers must:a)

have a written record of the nutritional value of the feed given to all cattle, whether purchased or homeproduced, andb)

use this information in the development of their nutrition plan (see standard FW 1.1).
NEW

The nutritional value of the food is the % protein, fibre, ash etc that the food contains.

FW 1.5LEGAL No feedstuffs containing mammalian or avian derived protein are permitted, with the exception ofmilk and milk products.

FW 1.6

Cattle must be fed so that their body condition is likely to sustain full health and normal reproductive
capacity over their maximum foreseeable life span.

FW 1.7

Efforts must be made to avoid sudden changes in the type and quantity of food.

FW 1.8Adult cattle and calves must be provided with fibre to allow them to ruminate, which must be of suchquality and length as to help avoid acidosis.

FW 1.9Cattle must have no necessity to compete for food.

FW 1.10

Fresh food must be kept within reach of cattle at all times.

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Food and water

In feed barrier systems, cattle can push food away from the barrier as they carry out theirforaging behaviour. This feed then needs “pushing up”, i.e. moving back closer to the feedbarrier, so the cattle can access it at all times.

FW 1.11

Any uneaten feed must be removed prior to the next feed delivery being presented.

FW 1.12REVISED

Feeding space allowance for adult cattle must be as follows:In buildings built from July 2020

750mm/headIn buildings built before July 2020

600mm/head

Troughs or feeding surfaces should have a smooth base to encourage exploration andforaging. Any edges of the feeders coming into contact with the cattle should be smooth.

FW 1.13

Cattle must not be maintained in an environment which is likely to predispose them to nutrient deficiency.

FW 1.14

Managers must:a)be aware of any mineral deficiencies on the farmb)

correct these as appropriate.

FW 1.15

All food troughs and feeding equipment must be managed hygienically at all times.

FW 1.16LEGAL Feeding and watering equipment must be designed, constructed, placed and maintained so that
potential contamination of any feed and water is minimised.

FW 1.17

Control practices must be in place to minimise access to poisonous plants and unsuitable
feedstuffs.

FW 1.18LEGAL To prevent the introduction and potential spread of disease, procedures must be in place toprevent the contamination of stored animal feeds.

LEGAL

Water
FW 2.1

All animals must be provided with continuous access to an adequate supply of clean, fresh drinking water eachday, except when required by the attending veterinary surgeon.
Water sources should be placed strategically to ease competition at peak times of drinking,such as after milking. Cattle can drink 15-20 l/min at their peak. We would recommend aflow rate of at least 10 l/min. Flow rate should be sufficient to maintain water level during
peak times. A large diameter water supply pipe and a high pressure are required to achievesufficient flow rates. Professional advice should be obtained if insufficient flow rate isa problem.

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Food and water
FW 2.2FW 2.2.1

REVISED

The drinking quality of non-mains water must be:a)

independently testedb)tested frequently, and at least as frequently as required by the local authority for the testing of nonmains water for the purposes of human consumptionc)tested at the source (post-treatment or post-storage, if borehole water is used).

The water quality test records relating to standard FW 2.2 must:a)clearly indicate whether the water tested is considered an acceptable source of drinking water
for livestockb)

be kept for at least 2 years.
Drinking water considered suitable for dairy cattle should not exceed the following
parameters:
NEW

Constituent

Maximum value< 15 cfu/100 ml (adult)

Total bacterial count (TBC)< 1 cfu/100 ml (calves)

Faecal coliform count0 cfu/100ml

Salinity (total dissolved solids)< 3000 ppm< 1000 ppm (adults)

Sulphates< 500 ppm (calves)

Iron< 0.3 ppm

Nitrates< 44 ppm

pH

6.5 – 8.5

This table is derived from Nutrient Requirements of Dairy Cattle – seventh revised edition.
Published by the National Research Council in 2001, available online.

It is important to stress that water quality may change over time and therefore one should
not rely on past analysis. Although water testing should be conducted routinely undernormal circumstances, any unusual situation such as changes in water smell, clarity, taste
or changes in animals eating or drinking habits, loss of performance, or health problems
should immediately trigger the need for testing.

FW 2.3

When cattle are housed, the flow rate of water delivery systems must allow 10% of the herd to drink at
any one time.

FW 2.4REVISED

Minimum drinking space per head must be calculated from the following:
300 – 500 mm
500 – 700 mm

From birth up to 350kg
350kg - ≥700kg

RSPCA welfare standards for dairy cattle8

June 2021

Food and waterThis drinking space can either be in a linear trough or a round trough, using trough perimeteras the linear measurement.
Herd size

Minimum effective
drinking perimeter (m)

50
100
125
150
200

2.25
4.50
5.65
6.75
9.00

(Figures based on standard FW 2.3 and FW 2.4 – 10% of the herd must be able to drink at any
one time).

NEW Regarding standard FW 2.4, animals at the upper end of the weight range are to beprovided with the higher space allowance in the range.

FW 2.5A sufficient number of drinking sites must be provided to prevent undue competition for water.
Each group of cows should have access to drinking water at a minimum of two
separate locations.

FW 2.6

If individual drinkers/bowls in isolation pens or short-term housing are used, there must be at least 2 individual
drinkers/bowls for up to 10 cattle and 1 drinker/bowl per additional 10 cattle thereafter.
The following table from AHDB Dairy’s Water Provision booklet indicates cattle waterrequirements taking into account milk yield, ration dry matter and ambient temperature.
It should be used as a guide to estimate individual or herd water requirements.
Dairy milk yield
Temperature<16°C

20 litres
16-20°C

30

50

57

65

71

82

94

40

54

62

71

76

87

100

50

57

66

76

79

91

105

60

62

71

82

84

96

110

70

64

74

85

87

100

115

Ration DM%

>20°C

<16°C

30 litres
16-20°C>20°C

Litres of water per cow per day

Source: AHDB Dairy ‘Dairy Housing – a best practice guide’ Booklet, Chapter 11 ‘Water
Provision’ which can be downloaded from the website www.dairy.ahdb.org.uk orrequested by post via the website, or by phone: 024 7647 8702.

FW 2.7All drinking facilities must be:a)kept thoroughly cleanb)managed in a way which ensures that they are capable of dispensing sufficient water at all times.

RSPCA welfare standards for dairy cattle9

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Food and water
FW 2.8Water troughs must:a)

not result in wetting/fouling of bedded areasb)

be accessed, where possible, from concrete.
Ideally, the water troughs should be set into the bedded area with one side bordering thehard standing/loafing area. This will assist scraping. The water trough should be walled-off
on the bedded side to a height of approximately 1.4m above the level of bedding to prevent
cattle drinking from the bedded area and therefore help prevent any poaching of thebedded area.
At pasture, the area around water troughs should be managed to avoid excessive
poaching of the land and, if necessary, consideration should be given to placing troughson concrete aprons.
To maximise water intake, cattle should not be expected to have to walk more than 250m
to access water.
Wherever possible, troughs and gateways should be sited away from the bottom ofslopes and dips in the ground. This will ensure better drainage and will reduce poachingof the land.

FW 2.9When cattle are kept extensively at grass, a supply of sufficient fresh, clean water must always
be available.

FW 2.10REVISED Where cattle have access to natural open water sources for drinking, e.g. a stream, advice must
be taken regarding any potential disease risk.

Natural open water sources, such as streams, are not recommended for the provision ofdrinking water.

FW 2.11

Provision must be made to ensure an emergency supply of suitable drinking water is available in casenormal supplies fail, for instance, due to freezing, drought etc.

.

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Environment
The environment in which livestock are kept needs to take into account their welfare needs andbe designed to protect them from physical and thermal discomfort, fear and distress, and allow
them to perform their natural behaviour.

If good practices and procedures are being implemented on-farm, the following should beachieved and be seen as contributing to positive dairy cow welfare:• all cattle are clean• no areas of hair loss, lesions or swellings visible on hocks, carpal joints,
udders and back of the neck• no broken tails• a clinical mastitis incidence of < 25 cases/100 cows
• a lameness prevalence of < 10%.
E 1.1

Where management systems, designs or layout of facilities not covered in the RSPCA welfare standards arebeing employed or considered, these must be referred to, and discussed with, the RSPCA Farm Animals
Department before they can be considered for certification .

E 1.2

LEGAL There must be nothing in the cattle’s environment that is likely to cause injury or distress to theanimals that can be avoided.

Injury is defined as damage severe enough for the formation of granular scar tissue
and to an extent significantly greater than would be caused by accidental bumps
and scratches.

E 1.3

Except where preservatives with an insecticidal role are used, cattle or calves must not come into
contact with toxic fumes or surfaces, for example from paints, wood, preservatives or disinfectants.
LEGAL

Indicators of a poor environment include:

E 1.4• neck calluses• interdigital infections• knee, hock swellings/calluses• haematomas• teat/udder injuries• abscesses• bruised soles• broken tails• laminitis• chronic scar tissue• soft feet• very dirty animals.

All out wintered dairy cattle will be treated as a novel system (to include pads used for lying down) andmust be referred to the RSPCA Farm Animals Department for further evaluation.

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Environment

Buildings
E 2.1

E 2.2

For all accommodation, the key points relating to welfare must:a)be recorded on the farm site planb)be amended accordingly.

Regarding standard E 2.1, the key points recorded must include:a)total floor areab)number of cubicles or bedded areac)number of cattle in relation to age, weight, feeding and drinking, and bedding space.
If practical, this information should be displayed at or near to the entrance to eachbuilding.

E 2.3

Dairy systems which house cattle all year round are prohibited. See also standard E 8.1.

E 2.4

Smooth concrete floors must be grooved (9mm deep) or treated with a non-slip coating.
Floors should be made of non-slip material or be maintained so as to reduce the risk ofslipping. Floors should never be so rough as to cause foot damage nor so smooth as toresult in slipping. Rubberised flooring can be incorporated into areas of heavy use, suchas collecting yards, milking parlours and feed passageways. This makes walking surfaces
more comfortable and reduces the risk of causing injury to the soles of the feet. Carefulmanagement of these compounds is required to avoid them becoming slippery.

E 2.5

All electrical installations at mains voltage must be:a)inaccessible to cattleb)well insulatedc)safeguarded from rodents

d)properly earthede)tested at least once a year.
By law, electrical installations need to be tested every 3 years as part of theElectrical Installation Condition Report. However, at least once a year, the ‘trip switch’needs to be tested to ensure it is in correct working order.
REVISED

E 2.6

Buildings must be of a height adequate to allow the normal expression of mounting behaviour at oestrus.

E 2.7

Passages must be of such a design and width, and so constructed, to allow 2 animals to pass freely.

E 2.8

Efforts must be made to minimise, and ideally exclude, the number of blind alleyways in buildings, inorder to avoid the incidence of bullying by dominant animals.

E 2.9Internal surfaces of housing and pens must be made of materials which can be readily cleansedand disinfected or be easily replaced when necessary.

E 2.10

Cow brushes (home made/purpose built) must be installed in the cattle housing.

LEGAL

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Environment
E 2.11E 2.12

Cow brushes must be maintained so that they are:a)suitable for purposeb)accessible to the cows.

REVISEDCow brushes (static or rotary) must be installed at the following ratios:a)a minimum of one brush per group of cows, andb)a minimum of one brush per 60 cows.

Thermal environment and ventilation
E 3.1

The thermal environment must not be so hot or so cold as to significantly affect production orcause distress.
REVISED Temperature-Humidity Index (THI) for adult dairy cattle indicating temperaturesand relative humidity above which they start to suffer from the effects of heat stress:

For calves, the thermal environment should not have a temperature below +7°C (unlessclean calf jackets are applied). Calves tend to be capable of withstanding a higher THI thanadult dairy cattle so maintaining them within the comfort parameters to the THI chart
above should be adequate at preventing them from experiencing heat stress.
Please note the values shown in the chart are just index figures.
Chart taken from the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA).

E 3.2

Effective ventilation of buildings, permitting air movement at low velocity whilst avoiding draughts andingress of rain and snow, must be provided.

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Environment

The primary concern of winter housing is to keep cattle out of wind, rain and snow which
reduces insulation.
Properly designed natural ventilation reduces the risks associated with mechanicalfailures.
This is best achieved by:• space boarding along side walls to a depth of at least 1 metre below the eaves, andfrom eaves to the ridge at each gable end• 100mm planks with gaps of 20mm
• open roof ridges.
E 3.3

Provisions must be made to ensure that, when cattle are housed, aerial contaminants do not reach alevel at which they are noticeably unpleasant to a human observer.

E 3.4

Building ventilation must achieve a relative humidity below 80% when ambient conditions allow.
The objective is to provide a large volume of air and high ventilation rates to remove themoisture produced by the stock and to reduce the number of airborne pathogens being
passed from animal to animal.
Factors contributing to provide good ventilation include sufficient and correctly
positioned air inlets and outlets, and correct air inlet-outlet height differential.
For example, adequate inlet and outlet capacity; sufficient height to the eaves(14.2m/14ft); a solid wall up to 3m (10ft) high; 2 inch spaced Yorkshire boarding between
the wall and the eaves and the gable ends. (Gable ends are not always enclosed if theprevailing weather conditions are favourable).
Professional advice should be sought if ventilation problems are being encountered.

E 3.5

E 3.5.1

Ammonia, dust and relative humidity must be measured and recorded in each building:a)at least quarterlyb)using meters or testing tubes (for ammonia, dust and relative humidity) or using sensory evaluation(for ammonia and dust only).

If using sensory evaluation to assess ammonia/dust, the standardised protocol shown in the information
box below must be used.

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Environment

Whilst the use of calibrated meters is encouraged, the following air quality assessment
protocol can be used instead:
Step 1: Using the chart below, assess ammonia and dust levels (at the animal’s level)
immediately upon entering the housing.
Step 2: Just prior to leaving the housing during that inspection, assess the air quality
once again.
Step 3: Record the highest score from the two assessments.
Score

Description

0

Zero: odour and dust not noticeable; easy to breathe.

1

Weak: odour and dust hardly noticeable; can breathe without effort.

2

Moderate: odour and dust distinct; experience watery eyes and/or coughing.

3

Strong: odour and dust irritating; experience stinging eyes and/or mouth, and/or
excessive coughing/sneezing.

E 3.6

When using sensory evaluation to assess air quality, scores of 2 and 3 indicate that ammonia and dust
are excessive and air quality must be improved without delay.

E 3.7

When using meters or testing tubes to assess air quality:a)ammonia must not exceed 25ppmb) dust must not exceed 10mg/m3.
E 3.8

A building must provide adequate air space:
Weight class (kg)Minimum unit building volume

Up to 60
61 to 100
101 to 200
> 201

7m³
10m³
15m³
20m³

E 3.9

When removing slurry from under slats, care must be taken to avoid fouling the air with dangerous gases
which may be fatal to man and animals.

E 3.10LEGAL

When cattle are kept in partially roofed units they must be provided with:a)effective shelter from the windb)a dry, comfortable lying area.

E 3.11For summer conditions, a shaded area must be accessible to the cows.

E 3.12REVISED Steps must be taken to protect cattle from biting insects if trees are used to seek shade, as anumber of biting fly species can also inhabit these areas. See standard E 8.4 d).

REVISED Consideration may need to be given to the provision of artificial shade or toallowing animals to have access to buildings. Summer climatic conditions causing high
THI values (see the information box below standard E 3.1) will limit the productivity of ananimal as well as potentially compromising their welfare.

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Environment

Lying area/space allowance
E 4.1

E 4.2

Cattle kept in straw yard accommodation must be kept on, or have access at all times to, a lying
area which is:
LEGAL

a)

well-drained or well maintained with dry beddingb)of sufficient size to accommodate all cattle lying down together in normal resting posture.

The floor space allowances in straw yard accommodation must be as follows:
Weight of animal(kg)

Minimum bedded
lying area (m2)Minimum non-bedded/
loafing area (m2)Minimum total area
per animal (m2)

< 100
101 to 199
200 to 299
300 to 399
400 to 499
500 to 599
600 to 699
700 to 799
> 800

1.5
2.5
3.5
4.5
5.5
6.0
6.5
7.0
8.0

1.8
2.5
2.5
2.5
2.5
2.5
2.5
3.0
3.0

3.3
5.0
6.0
7.0
8.0
8.5
9.0
10.0
11.0

(Space allowances for weights in the range of 200kg to 800kg comply with British Standard BS 5502:2005)
E 4.2.1

REVISED The space allowance for cattle (see standard E 4.2) must be increased for horned cattle, taking
into account the length and shape of the horns.

NEW Please note that the mixing of horned and polled cattle is not permitted (seestandard M 3.7). However, where a social group containing both horned and polled cattle
already exists then the space allowance is to be increased accordingly.

E 4.3

Cows must be able to lie down in a normal position without risk of being trodden on or kicked byother cows.

E 4.4

Loose housed, growing cattle must be grouped according to size and age.

E 4.5

All cattle must at all times have:

E 4.6

E 4.7

a)

sufficient freedom of sideways movement to be able to groom themselves without difficultyb)sufficient room to lie, freely stretch their limbs and to rise.

Cattle must not be closely confined except in the following circumstances:a)for the duration of any examination, routine test, milking, blood sampling, veterinary treatmentb)while they are being fed on any particular occasionc)for the purpose of marking, washing or weighingd)while accommodation is being cleanede)during the procedure of artificial inseminationf)awaiting entry to the milking parlourg)while they are awaiting loading for transportation.

The use of housing systems in which cattle are tethered either for the whole, or part, of the housing
period is prohibited.

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Environment

Cubicle housing
The emphasis of cubicle design should be to maximise the comfort of the animal. Given
the wide range of sizes and bodyweights within and between herds and individual
breeds, it is difficult to prescribe actual dimensions of cubicles. We strongly recommend
the following:• cubicle dimensions should be suitable for the largest 10% of cows in the herd
• cubicle width should be at least 1.8 x hip width (measured as the distance between thepin bones)• cubicle length depends on cubicle layout and size of cow. AHDB Dairy’s ‘Dairy Housing– a best practice guide’ (which can be downloaded from the website
www.dairy.ahdb.org.uk or requested by post through the website or by phone: 024 7647
8702) includes the following table as guidance:
Weight of cow (kg)

Total length of bed (m)Open front

Closed front

Head to head

550

2.10

2.40

4.20

700

2.30

2.55

4.60

800

2.40

2.70

4.80

E 5.1

For cubicle housing systems, animals must be provided with a minimum total social/loafing area
(exclusive of cubicles) of 6m2 per head.

E 5.2

Unbedded areas must be:a)slatted or of solid concreteb)scraped at least twice daily.

E 5.3

Slats must not result in injury to feet.

E 5.4

Cubicle housing must provide a clean, dry and comfortable bed, free from contamination.

E 5.4.1

Recycled Manure Solids (RMS) are not permitted as bedding substrates.

E 5.5

Adequate bedding must be provided on the cubicle base.

E 5.6

Bedding must be managed in a way that maximises cow comfort.

E 5.7

Fouled bedding must be removed at least twice daily.

E 5.8

Animals using cubicles must be able to stand with all 4 feet in the dry cubicle.

E 5.9

In each cubicle, animals must be able to change position from standing to lying and vice versa ina normal manner without difficulty, hindrance or injury.

E 5.9.1

REVISEDREVISEDTo help achieve standard E 5.9, for each cubicle:a)there must be a minimum of 0.7m provided for forward lunging and bobbing of the head,b)

where the 0.7m forward lunge space cannot be met, it must be clearly demonstrated that the largest
animals in the herd have sufficient, unobstructed space to rise and lie down without hindrance.

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Environment

With reference to standard E 5.9.1 b), the following protocol shall be used to assess rising
behaviour. Assess the largest 20% of cows in the group, or the largest 12 cows, whicheveris the greater number. Where possible, observe each cow rising and score its rising
motion as follows (adapted from Huxley and Whay, 2006):
0

Unrestricted

Rises as if she were in an open space1

Mild restriction

Rises smoothly and comfortably but with slight
modification, e.g. a slight side lunge

2Moderate restriction

Takes time to rise and/or makes contact with the
cubicle structures whilst rising

3

Severe restriction‘Dog sits’ to stand up or makes multiple attempts andshifts to rise.

If any of the cows assessed fall into category 2 or 3, then it will be concluded that thecows do not have sufficient space to rise and lie down in a normal manner.
Source: Huxley, J. and Whay, H. R. (2006) Welfare: Cow based assessments Part 2: Rising restrictions andinjuries associated with the lying surface, Livestock, 11 (4): 33-38.

E 5.10The cubicle must be constructed so that it prevents the animal from standing or lying so far forward that it
either consistently soils the back of the cubicle or becomes unable to rise normally.

E 5.11

Cubicle divisions must be designed to:a)align a cow properly in her own cubicleb)prevent interference with her neighbourc)prevent injury to her neighbour or herself.

E 5.12

Cubicle divisions must be constructed or adapted so that space sharing is possible.

E 5.13

Where cubicles are narrower than the ideal, rigid lower horizontal rails must be removed and replaced bya flexible alternative.

E 5.14At least 5% more usable cubicles than cows must be provided and preferably 10 to 20%.
A usable cubicle is one that meets the space and comfort standards and is available foruse by the animals (see standards E 5.6, E 5.7, E 5.8, E 5.9, E 5.10, E 5.11 and E 5.12).

E 5.15The step between the cubicle bed and the dung passage must:a)

avoid slurry being pushed into the bed during scrapingb)encourage cows to enter the cubicle headfirst.

E 5.16The height of the step must not be such that it results in an increased incidence of concussion injuries tothe soles.

E 5.17

Heifers must be familiar with the cubicle environment prior to them entering the transition period (seeinformation box above standard TC 1.1).

E 5.18All flushing and automatic slurry systems must be designed and used so as not to compromise the healthand welfare of the cattle.

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Environment

NEW For example, some automatic systems can damage cattle tails and teats if they areoperated when the animals are not lying in their cubicles properly.

Lighting
E 6.1

LEGAL In all cattle housing, adequate lighting, whether fixed or portable, must be available to enable them
to be thoroughly inspected at any time.

E 6.2

REVISED Housed cattle must have access for the normal period of daylight hours to an area lit to a level ofat least 100 lux at cow eye level.

Light intensity should be adequate to inspect cattle clearly for injuries and allow
farm workers to carry out their jobs effectively.
REVISED

E 6.3

LEGAL

During housing, a period of low level lighting must be provided to promote resting behaviour.

Calving accommodation
E 7.1

Where any cows which are calving are kept in a building, they must be kept in a pen or a yard that isfully bedded.

E 7.2

LEGAL The pen or yard must be of such a size and equipped with a means of restraint so as to permit aperson to safely attend the cows and their calves.

E 7.3

LEGAL

E 7.4

When housed there must be enough calving space to accommodate the number of cows calving.

E 7.5

If individual calving pens are used:

Cattle that are calving must be kept separate from other livestock other than calving cows.

a)pens must be at least 12m2b)cows must not remain in a pen for more than 48 hoursc)when in the pen, cows must be able to see and hear other cows.
Accommodation for cows/heifers that are calving should provide sufficient space/pens forthe expected calving pattern. However, providing more space/pens is recommended toallow for variation in expected peak demand.

E 7.6

Hospital, calving and isolation pens must be designed so that they can be managed hygienically.

E 7.7

Adequate provision for securing cattle must be provided.

E 7.8

Adequate provision for milking isolated cows must be provided.

E 7.9

Calving cows and heifers must be inspected at least twice per day.

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Environment

PastureE 8.1

Cattle must have access to pasture for at least:a)

4 hours per day, and ideally 6 hoursb)

the minimum number of days per year calculated using the following farm-specific equation:
Number of days in the year – Predicted number of days whereby access to pasture may not bereasonable due to inclement weather – Average transition/freshly calved period (in days) = expected
minimum number of days available for each cow to have access to pasture per year.

Calculations and the relevant farm data must be available upon request.
The calculation used in standard E 8.1 takes into account the number of days in the year,
the local meteorological conditions for the farm and the farm’s average transition/freshly
calved period.
The example calculation below assumes the following typical scenarios for eachparameter, i.e. a 365 day year, 165 days whereby access to pasture is consideredunreasonable and an average transition/freshly calved period of 90 days:
365 – 165 – 90 = 110 days
Therefore, we would expect most UK farms to provide their cattle with access to pasture
for at least 110 days per year.

REVISED

Producers should note:• Access to pasture may be provided at any time in a 24 hour period, providing
conditions allow.

• The period of the year that cows will go out will vary according to how an individual
cow’s production cycle coincides with the calendar year and local weather conditions.

• It should be ensured that cows are given sufficient access to a supplementary dietthat can meet their nutritional and intake requirements.

• Planning should be undertaken with available pasture in mind to ensure sufficientrotation to allow for pasture recovery.

• Animals should be turned out into a pasture with a grass height and density capableof providing a contribution to nutritional requirements.

• Prior to turnout, provision of long fibre is essential to reduce the risk of acidosis andbloat in the early part of the grazing season.

• Consideration should be given to reducing the risk of heat stress during periods whereclimatic conditions result in a high THI value (see the table in the information box below
standard E 3.1). This may include putting cows out to pasture at night, rather than during
the day.

E 8.2

A plan must be drawn up, according to the individual farm’s calving pattern, to specify how the access topasture requirement will be met. This must be made available upon request.

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Environment

The plan should address field space and rotation, number of cows expected to calve atcertain times of year and specifically how spring calvers and high yielding cows will meetthe requirement.

E 8.3

If the cows did not have access to the pasture for the calculated minimum number of days (see standard
E 8.1) then a review must be written as part of the VHWP (see standard H 1.1) describing thecircumstances surrounding why it was not possible. This document must be made available uponrequest.

E 8.4

REVISED Producers must ensure that the welfare of cattle is not compromised by providing access topasture by ensuring:a)

cow tracks are designed to not risk damaging the animals’ feetb)

cow tracks are maintained in a condition which does not damage the feet of the animals

c)

LEGAL

d)

animals are given sufficient protection from biting insects.

there is enough effective shade and shelter available for all animals to use at any one time

Cow tracks should be wide enough for at least two cows to walk side by side and should
not have tight corners or any bottleneck points. When cattle are put out to pasture as aherd, the following track widths from AHDB Dairy’s ‘Cow Tracks’ booklet should be used
as a guide:
Number of cows in herd

Width of track (surfaced)

200

4m

300

5m

400

6m

500

7m

It is recommended that this booklet is obtained and read before building a track to ensure
optimal design that can be downloaded from www.dairy.ahdb.org.uk or requested by post
either through their website, or by calling 024 7647 8702.
Providing sufficient protection from biting insects involves treating both the animals andthe shelters if possible. Animals should not be excessively annoyed by insects (i.e.
repeated stamping, tail swishing and head swiping) and animals should be happy to use
the shelter/ shade supplied.

E 8.5

Pasture must be managed so that the cattle are kept clean.
Pasture is often only used to give the animals exercise in a sacrifice paddock. The
stocking densities in these paddocks can be up to 10-12 cows per acre. Consideration
should be given to the soil type and rainfall of the area when deciding on an appropriate
stocking density.
REVISEDRSPCA welfare standards for dairy cattle21

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Environment

Milking parlour
E 9.1

The highest standards of hygiene must be practised in the parlour to reduce the risk of infection.

E 9.2

REVISED

Prior to application of the cluster:a)udders and teats must be clean and dry, andb)teats must be free from open sores and wounds.
NEW Cattle that have udders with open sores should be milked. Not milking such animals
could lead to further problems, such as mastitis. Open wounds and sores on teats may
deteriorate when milking using clusters, and cows often resist application of the cluster
due to pain. In these cases, advice should be sought from the vet where necessary andcream should be applied to the wounds/sores to aid healing. In addition, milking theanimal by hand should be considered to help provide some relief from build up ofpressure in the udder.

E 9.3'Multi-use' udder cloths must not be used.

E 9.3.1

Medicated teat towels must be used according to the manufacturers' recommendations.

E 9.4

Parlour staff must have clean hands when handling teats.

E 9.4.1

REVISED

E 9.5

Disposable rubber gloves must be:a)worn by those carrying out the milking, andb)changed as frequently as necessary during the milking.

Routine 'fore-milk' examination must be made to identify early cases of mastitis.
NEW It is recommended that producers have a Standard Operating Procedure covering
the processes taken to maintain good hygiene in the parlour and prevent the spread of
pathogens. This could be displayed in the parlour and would help maintain consistency
between regular and relief milkers.

E 9.6

Milking machinery must be properly maintained.

E 9.7

All teats must be properly dipped or sprayed with appropriate teat products after milking.

E 9.7.1

An emollient must be used when teats are dry, chapped or cracked.

E 9.8

Following completion of milking, cows must be encouraged to remain standing for approximately half anhour to allow the teat canal sphincter to close before returning cows to the relatively dirty conditions of
the cubicle house or straw yard.

E 9.9

Measures must be in place to minimise the risk/incidence of mastitis in dry cows.

E 9.10Milking machine testing must be carried out and recorded at least every 6 months.

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Environment
E 9.11

Proper application, function and maintenance of the milking machinery must be ensured by:a)

avoiding under and over milkingb)selecting appropriate teat cup linersc)checking teat cup liners daily and replacing damaged/rough teat linersd)replacing liners according to manufacturers’ recommendationse)ensuring the vacuum regulation is functioning correctly and preventing vacuum fluctuationf)ensuring correct pulsation rate and a correct release/squeeze ratio.

Robotic milking systems
E 10.1

E 10.2

Any robotic milking system must have equipment that is:
a)

clean

b)

properly maintained (the maintenance requirements must be at least the same as those for a static
milking parlour).

The area around the robotic milking system must:a)be clean and tidyb)contain no loose objects or sharp protrusions that could injure the cattle.

E 10.3

The area around the robotic milking system must be lit so that the cattle can be easily inspected.

E 10.4

Cattle must be monitored so that it can be confirmed that they are using the robotic milking
system effectively.

E 10.5Cattle must be inspected in the same way as herds using non-robotic systems.

E 10.6

The robotic milking system must have measures in place to control insects, birds or mammals that may
frighten the cattle or prevent them from using the equipment.

Dairy
E 11.1

Producers must adhere to the appropriate Food Hygiene Regulation(s).

Bull pens
E 12.1

Bull pens must be sited so as to allow the bull sight, sound and odour of other cattle and generalfarm activity.

E 12.2

Bulls must be attended to at least twice daily by farm staff.

E 12.3

Individual accommodation for an adult bull of average size must include a bedded sleeping area of notless than 16m².

E 12.4For very large bulls, the sleeping area must not be less than 1m² for each 60kg liveweight.

E 12.5

An exercise and service area must:a)be providedb)

be no less than 25m² in total area.

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Environment
E 12.6

Bull pens must:a)

be safe for the stock-keepers tending themb)

include adequate restraining facilitiesc)include an escape route.

Handling facilities
There must be appropriate holding and handling facilities on the site.

E 13.1REVISEDE 13.1.1

REVISED All holding and handling facilities (whether indoors or outdoors) must minimise stress and prevent
injury to the animals

E 13.2

Races and gates must be designed so that animals can move through them unhindered when required.

E 13.3

When operating gates and catches, every effort must be made to reduce excessive noise that may cause
distress to the animals.

E 13.4

If a problem relating to standard E 13.3 is identified, noise reduction mechanisms must be fitted asnecessary.

E 13.5

Loading facilities must provide a ramp of no more than a 20% incline.

E 13.6REVISEDTo prevent animals from slipping or falling off, all loading ramps and tail boards must:a)be fitted with side gates,b)

have foot battens that are suitably spaced, andc)be covered with straw or another suitable material.
Consideration should be given to providing a loading bay and/or ramp that enables
animals to walk straight into or out of the vehicle on the level or slight gradient.

Fencing
E 14.1All fencing must be adequately inspected and maintained.

E 14.2

Electric fences must be designed, installed, used and maintained so that contact with them does notcause more than momentary discomfort to the cattle.

E 14.3The use of electric fencers on self-feed silage systems is prohibited.

E 14.4

Alternative feed barriers must be designed so as to avoid any potential threat to the animals; for example,
becoming trapped between the feed face and the barrier.

Disposal of waste
E 15.1

Animal waste and effluents must be stored and disposed of in such a way as to:a)minimise the risk of spread of disease to other animals or humansb)

avoid polluting the environment.

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Environment
E 15.2

Muck and slurry storage must be located in a safe situation and precautions taken to avoid the spread of
disease both to livestock and humans.

E 15.3

Muckheaps in fields must be fenced off to prevent direct access by grazing livestock.

Climate change and animal welfare
The issues relating to climate change have the potential to significantly affect the welfareof farm animals. The RSPCA believes that it is necessary to react to, think ahead, andconsider what can reasonably be done to mitigate any negative effects that adverse
weather conditions may have/be having on the welfare of farm animals now, and in
the future.
Examples of important considerations include:• the need to ensure that the farm buildings can withstand more severe weather
conditions• ensuring ventilation systems are working efficiently• in addition to ventilation systems, providing misters/showers in areas where cattle aregathered or handled, or above the feed line, to assist temperature regulation• ensuring that drinking water systems are working efficiently (e.g. not leaking), to prevent
drinking water from being wasted.

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Management
A high degree of caring, responsible management and stockmanship is vital to ensure goodanimal welfare. Managers and stock-keepers need to be thoroughly trained, skilled and competentin animal husbandry and welfare, and have a good working knowledge of their system and thelivestock under their care.

If good practices and procedures are being implemented on-farm, the following should beachieved and be seen as contributing to positive dairy cow welfare:• cattle are confident and comfortable around the stockpeople• cattle move through the handling system easily• cattle are free from any handling injuries.
M 1.1

All records and other documentation that the RSPCA welfare standards for dairy cattle require theproducer to keep and maintain must be made available on request.

Managers
M 2.1

Personnel with responsibility for the management of approved establishments must be named
and recorded.

M 2.2

Managers must ensure that all stock-keepers:

M 2.3

a)

have access to a copy of the current version of the RSPCA welfare standards for dairy cattleb)

are familiar with its content

c)understand and apply its content.

Managers must:a)develop and implement a suitable training programme for stock-keepers with regular updates andopportunities for continuing professional development and keep records of such training within the
VHWP (see standard H 1.1)b)demonstrate the staff with responsibilities for stock care have the relevant and necessary skills toperform their duties

c)ensure that the VHWP is:i.

implemented

ii.

updated annually, andiii. that the required data is recorded appropriatelyd)e)maintain records of production data and use of medication, which must include:i.

documentation on all incoming and outgoing stock on the farm

ii.

LEGAL

types and quantities of medicine used

develop and implement a transport plan to an abattoir which:i.

includes a method of identification of animals (see standard M 5.2), andii.

minimises waiting time for the cattle.

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Management
M 2.4

REVISEDManagers must:a)develop and implement plans and precautions to prevent/cope with emergencies such as fire, flood,storm damage, breakdown of environmental control systems and interruption of supplies. e.g. food,water, electricityb)provide an emergency action board sited in a prominent position that is visible to all farm staff andthe emergency services, which must include:i.

the procedures to be followed by those discovering an emergency, e.g. fire, flood, power failureii.

the location of water sources for use by the fire services

iii. a map grid reference, GPS co-ordinates and postcode for the location of the unitc)develop and implement a biosecurity plan to minimise the risk of introducing disease onto a site (seeAppendix 1).

M 2.5

Should an emergency require the relocation of livestock to non-RSPCA Assured premises,
RSPCA Assured must be informed immediately.

M 2.6

Managers must:

M 2.7

REVISEDa)have access to, and make available to all stock-keepers, a copy of the Defra (formerly MAFF)
booklet Emergencies on Livestock Farms (PB 1147, 1992) (Available online)b)

have access to the Defra booklet, Farm Fires: advice on farm animal welfare (PB 9326, 2011)c)

be familiar with and implement the relevant content from the publications cited in a) and b), above.

All farms must be milk recorded using a recognised International Committee for Animal Recording (ICAR)
approved milking system.

Stock-keepers
M 3.1

Prior to being given responsibility for the welfare of livestock, stock-keepers must be given
appropriate verifiable training for their specific area/s of responsibility. Evidence of this must be provided
upon request.
REVISED

LEGAL

NEW

Please note, all staff includes temporary staff.

Verifiable training can be obtained through attending a course run by Lantra,
City and Guilds or agricultural universities or colleges. A local veterinary practice may
also run appropriate courses. A letter from the farm’s veterinary surgeon detailingwhich procedures named members of staff are competent to undertake would also
be acceptable.
REVISED

M 3.2

Prior to being given responsibility for high-risk procedures, stock-keepers must have passed apractical assessment. Evidence of this must be provided upon request.
NEW

NEW

High risk procedures are those listed under standard M 3.6.

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Management
M 3.3

M 3.4

REVISEDAll stock-keepers must:a)understand the times and circumstances where cattle are prone to welfare problems on theirown unitb)

be able to demonstrate their competence in recognising and dealing with welfare problems relating
to (a)c)have appropriate knowledge and understanding specific to their area of work and those areas listed
under standard M 3.4d)be able to recognise signs of normal behaviour, abnormal behaviour and fear, ande)be able to recognise signs of common diseases and understand their prevention and control, and toknow when to seek veterinary help.

REVISED Specific areas of knowledge relating to standard M 3.3 which stock-keepers must have aknowledge of are:a) what constitutes good nutrition in cattleb) body condition scoring and locomotion scoringc)the functional anatomy of the normal foot, its care and treatmentd) the functional anatomy of the normal teat and uddere) the requirement for good parlour hygiene and a well maintained milking machinef)breeding implications, particularly the selection of bulls for heifers,g) calving and the care of the new-born calf, including routine procedures such as castration anddisbudding, andh) administration of drugs, particularly orally, intramammary and via injection.
M 3.5

Stock-keepers must be able to demonstrate competence in handling animals in a positive andcompassionate manner.

M 3.6

Stock-keepers must be able to demonstrate their proficiency in procedures which have thepotential to cause suffering, e.g. injections, oral dosing (including stomach tubing), intramammary
applications, foot trimming, disbudding, castration, marking, calving, per rectum procedures, e.g. AI
and PDs.

M 3.7

When loose housed, polled and horned cattle must not be grouped together, except where a socialgroup exists.

M 3.8

Precautions must be taken to prevent injury through bullying.

REVISED

Handling
M 4.1

Cattle must be handled quietly and firmly at all times, with care to avoid unnecessary pain or distress.

M 4.1.1

REVISED The behaviour of cattle must be taken into account when they are being moved, so as to avoid
unnecessary fear or distress (see information box below).

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Management• Cattle have poor vision for distance and detail, so they should not be led into darkareas i.e. areas with poor lighting.

• Cattle are easily startled and so should not be subjected to sudden movement of
nearby objects.

• Cattle have hearing that is similar to humans, so they should not be subjected tosudden loud noise.

• Cattle have a strong instinct to herd, so they should not be isolated.
M 4.2

Animal handlers must:a)be trainedb)understand the likely stress factors cattle may be subjected toc)appreciate how cattle react towards other cattle, towards humans and to strange noises, sights, sounds
and smells.
Animal handling training may be delivered by a local university or college, via
Lantra, City and Guilds or other providers. It may also be provided by suitably qualified
members of the farm’s staff.
NEW

M 4.3

Cattle must not be moved or loaded unless:a)the way forward for the lead animal is clearb)

there is adequate space available for them to move into.

M 4.4

Cattle must not be rushed or run along tracks/races/passageways or through gateways.

M 4.5

Animals must not be pulled or lifted by the tail, ears or limbs.

M 4.6

Sticks must not be used for hitting cattle.
Sticks or other benign handling aids may be used as extensions of the arms.

M 4.7

Electric goads must not be present or used on any site.

M 4.8

A cattle-handling unit must be available, comprising a collecting system and a method of restraint,
appropriate to the type, temperament and numbers of stock to be managed.

Identification
M 5.1

M 5.2

Neckbands, tailbands or legbands must:a)

only be used for identification purposesb)be fitted with care and adjusted as required to avoid unnecessary pain or distress.

The marking of cattle must be done:a)with care by trained, competent operatorsb)so as to avoid unnecessary pain or distress to the animals.

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Management

REVISED Acceptable methods of permanent on-farm marking, when carried out by a trained
and competent person, include ear tagging as approved by Defra (a legal requirement)
and implanted electronic transponders.

Tattooing and freeze-branding result in a permanent mark which allows cattle to be
identified from a distance. Whilst not prohibited under the standards, they cause pain
when being applied so the use, whenever possible, of alternatives such as appropriately
fitted neck bands and leg straps is strongly encouraged.

M 5.3

Aerosols or paints used for temporary marking must be non-toxic.

Equipment
M 6.1

When equipment is installed which affects animal welfare, stock-keepers must be able to:a)demonstrate an ability to operate equipmentb)demonstrate the ability to carry out routine maintenancec)

recognise common signs of malfunctiond)demonstrate knowledge of action to be carried out in event of a failure.

M 6.2

All automatic equipment must be thoroughly inspected by a stock-keeper, or other competentperson, not less than once each day, to check that there is no defect in it.

M 6.3

LEGAL

M 6.4

LEGAL

Where a defect relating to standard M 6.2 is found:a)the defect must be rectified immediately, orb)

if this is impracticable, such measures as are required to safeguard the livestock from suffering
unnecessary pain or distress as a result of the defect must immediately be taken and maintained
until the defect is rectified.

LEGAL

Where the automatic equipment includes a ventilation system, the system must contain:a)an alarm which will give adequate warning of the failure of that system to function properlyb)

an alarm which will operate even if the principal electricity supply to it has failedc)additional equipment or means of ventilation (whether automatic or not) which, in the event of such a
failure of the ventilation system, will provide adequate ventilation so as to prevent the livestock from
suffering unnecessary distress as a result of the failure.

Inspection
M 7.1

M 7.2

When cattle are housed, stock-keepers must:a)inspect their livestock, and the equipment upon which such stock may depend, at least twice dailyb)record any observations and/or actions taken.

Any welfare problems seen during an inspection by the stock-keeper/producer must be dealt withappropriately and without delay and recorded.
Welfare problems of sufficient severity that they should have been noticed on previous
inspections and dealt with, shall be taken by the RSPCA Assured Assessor or RSPCA
Farm Livestock Officer as evidence of negligence of duties by the stock-keeper.

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Management

Farm dogs
M 8.1

Dogs, including working dogs, must:a)be properly trainedb)

not cause injury or distress to cattlec)be kept under control at all times.

M 8.2

Producers must ensure that the farm dogs are well cared for, with suitable housing, feeding and proper
attention to their health and welfare needs.

M 8.3

All farm dogs must receive regular, appropriate vaccination and treatment of internal and externalparasites with the date of administration and details of each treatment recorded within the VHWP
(see standard H 1.1).

M 8.4

Farm dogs must not be allowed to scavenge on carcasses or animal parts, including placentae.
REVISED The parasite Neospora caninum is a problem in the cattle industry and can infectcattle (initially) through the ingestion of infected dog faeces. Infected cows can pass it on
to their foetus if pregnant, or abort. Dogs can become infected via scavenging infectedcarcasses, placentae/aborted foetuses or potentially through a raw food diet. Bitches canalso transmit the infection to puppies through the placenta and those puppies would thenpass the organism in their faeces. We recommend taking all possible steps to avoid
infection in the first place, and always clearing up after your dog and any visitors dogs
around the farm.

For those farms with public footpaths running through them we recommend taking steps
to educate dog walkers about the risks of Neospora to your cattle and, where possible,
placing fencing around the public footpath to ensure dogs cannot stray into the field.

Protection from other animals
M 9.1

M 9.2

A written Wild Animal Control Plan (WACP) must:a)be in place, andb)be implemented on farm.

Levels of potentially harmful wild animals (e.g. rodents and birds) must be humanely managed to avoid:a)the risk of disease spread to livestockb)

damage to livestock buildings and the services on which livestock dependc)contamination and spoilage of feed.

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Management

In England and Wales, the following legislation applies to the management of wildlife:• Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981
• Animal Welfare Act 2006
• The Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017
• Protection of Badgers Act 1992
• Pests Act 1954
• The Spring Traps Approval (England) Order 2018
• The Spring Traps Approval (Wales) Order 2019
• The Small Ground Vermin Traps Order 1958
• Food and Environment Protection Act 1985
• The Control of Pesticides Regulations (COPR) 1986
• Animals (Cruel Poisons) Act 1962
Equivalent legislation applies in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

M 9.3

The primary means of protecting livestock from wild animals, as documented in the WACP, must be by:a)physical exclusion methodsb)

the removal of elements in the vicinity of the dairy cattle that could encourage the presence ofwild animalsc)maintaining units in a clean and tidy condition to minimise the risk of wild animals gaining accessto the unit.
Physical exclusion measures are the most humane and effective methods of providing
protection from wild animals. Proofing measures should only be applied after the area
has been checked and cleared as applying proofing can interfere with rodent behaviour
and encourage them to spread to other areas. Methods of proofing and physicalexclusion include:• construction/maintenance of fencing that is appropriate for excluding the wild animals
in question• removal of shelter/cover (e.g. weeds, heaps of rubble, broken equipment etc.) in thearea surrounding livestock buildings• removal/protection of obvious food sources• maintenance of drains• maintenance/proofing of buildings against wild animals• storing bedding away from animals.

Rodents are less likely to inhabit an area if there is no cover or food supply. Reduced foodavailability will also increase the likelihood of rodents consuming bait, where applied.
When stores or livestock buildings are empty, the opportunity should be taken to checkand maintain spaces and introduce any necessary controls before restocking.

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Management
M 9.4

Where any lethal method of control is being considered, a site survey of the unit must be carried out
before applying the control (i.e. bait or traps), identifying:a)the type, level and extent of the problem speciesb)

any non-target animals likely to be presentc)any housekeeping and proofing issues.

M 9.5

Where any lethal method of control is used, its use must have taken into account the results of the site
survey (see standard M 9.4).

M 9.6

The WACP must include provisions that specifically exclude the snaring or gassing of animals, and theuse of glue traps.

M 9.7

Long-term baiting must not be used as a routine rodent control measure.
Long-term baiting should not be necessary if bait or traps are applied effectively. Longterm baiting can also contribute to bait resistance in rodents.

The RSPCA is opposed to the use of poisons that cause animal suffering and it isimportant not to rely solely on the use of rodenticide. The RSPCA is concerned about thewelfare of all animals that have the capacity to suffer, and therefore all alternative forms ofhumane deterrent should be exhausted before resorting to the use of poisons for rodents.

Any baiting programme should be considered carefully and justified in risk assessments
for each location where used. Consideration should be given to using non-toxic baits inorder to ascertain the presence of rodents, which may necessitate the use of rodenticide.

M 9.8

M 9.9

When bait and/or traps are used, records of the use must be kept and:a)state the location of the bait/trapsb)state what bait/traps were usedc)state the volume/number of bait/traps placedd)state the name of the person who placed the bait/trape)be retained for at least two years.

Bait and traps must:a)be placed in suitable positions, andb)be sufficiently protected to avoid harming non-target animals.
Site plans should highlight potential high risk areas for wild animal activity rather thanpermanent baiting locations.

M 9.10Bait must be used according to the manufacturer’s instruction for:a)storageb)usage, including areas of use and replenishmentc)disposal.

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Management
M 9.11

M 9.12

Traps must be:a)used according to the manufacturer’s instructionsb)maintained in good orderc)disposed of appropriately if no longer fit for purpose, e.g. have brokend)stored safely and securely.

Bait points must:a)be monitored regularly, andb)records of monitoring be kept including:i.

levels of activity at each bait pointii.

any missing or disturbed baitiii. the name of the person responsible for monitoring the bait points.
M 9.13

Trap points must:a)be monitored at least twice a day, ideally at dawn and dusk, andb)records of monitoring be kept including:i.

level of activity at each trapii.

any missing or disturbed traps

iii. the name of the person responsible for monitoring the traps.
M 9.14

Any injured, sick or dying wild animals found – that have been targeted for control – must be humanely
dispatched immediately to prevent further suffering.
Regular replenishment of bait will help prevent sub-lethal doses, which can result in abuild-up of resistance to the active ingredient.

M 9.15

Where bait is used, dead animals must be disposed of safely, in line with the manufacturer’s
product label.
Safe disposal of wild animals that have died as a result of poisoning reduces the risk of
secondary poisoning in non-target species, such as domestic and other wild animals(including birds), that may consume the carcasses.

M 9.16

Once treatment has finished, all traps and traces of bait must be:a)removedb)disposed of according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

M 9.17

Domestic animals must not have access to the unit, other than farm dogs and cats.

M 9.18

Farm cats must be:

M 9.19a)in a healthy conditionb)

regularly wormed (record to be kept in medicine book).

Wild animal control methods must be covered by the farm COSHH assessment, where required.

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Management
M 9.20Managers must ensure all stock-keepers:a)have access to a copy of the Campaign for Responsible Rodenticide Use, ‘UK Code of Best Practiceand Guidance for Rodent Control and the Safe Use of Rodenticides’b)are familiar with the content

c)understand and apply its content.
Producers are strongly encouraged to complete the free, self-study training course on
rodent control available at: http://rodentcontrolonfarms.co.uk/login/index.php. The
content of the course is based on a LANTRA course and is approved by the Campaign
for Responsible Rodenticide Use. Further information is also available in the AHDB
document ‘Rodent Control on Farms: A practical guide to effective and responsible useof bait rodenticides’.

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Transition/freshly calved cows
Transition/freshly calved cows need to be provided with an enhanced environment which takes
into account their specific health and welfare needs. Management practices also need to be
tailored to optimise the health and welfare of these animals.

If good practices and procedures are being implemented on-farm, the following should beachieved and be seen as contributing to positive dairy cow welfare:• endometritis prevalence <5%• clinical ketosis prevalence <2%• subclinical ketosis prevalence <20%
• left displaced abomasum prevalence <1%• hypocalcaemia prevalence <5%• clinical mastitis prevalence <8% in the first 30 days of lactation• cows dying/being culled in the first 60 days post-calving <4% total cows calving.

The transition/fresh period can be variable depending on the animals involved, but as arough guide, 90 days is a realistic baseline figure.

TC 1.1

Transition/freshly calved cows must:a)

be given a total feeding space allowance of 100cm per cowb)have a specific section in the nutrition planc)be introduced to changes in nutrition graduallyd)have steps taken to increase their lying comforte)undergo minimal social stress caused by group mixing.

TC 1.2

If housed in cubicle systems as a group, there must be at least 15% more cubicles than the expected
number of transition/freshly calved cows at any one time.

TC 1.3

If housed in straw yard accommodation, the floor space allowances must be as follows:
Weight of animal (kg)
400 to 499
500 to 599
600 to 699
700 to 799>800

RSPCA welfare standards for dairy cattle

Minimum bedded
lying area (m2)
6.5
7.0
7.5
8.0
9.0

Minimum nonbedded/loafing area (m2)
3.0
3.0
3.0
3.5
3.5

36

Minimum total area
per animal (m2)
9.5
10.0
10.5
11.5
12.5

June 2021

Transition/freshly calved cows

It is recommended that transition/freshly calved cows are kept under particularly close
observation and that the following is achieved:• body condition scoring (BCS) should be undertaken every fortnight during late lactation,
aiming for a BCS of 2.5-3 at drying off which should be maintained until she calves• luke warm water or rehydration electrolytes should be offered to cows after calving• screening for disease should be undertaken regularly in the three weeks post-calving
with high levels of hygiene maintained• feed should be managed to maximise intake – 5% feed should be left over each day andrefusal removed.

TC 1.4Heifers’ feet must be pre-conditioned to concrete prior to the heifer entering the transition/freshly calved
period. Also see standard E 5.17.

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HealthThe environment in which livestock are housed must promote good health.

REVISED If good practices and procedures are being implemented on-farm, the following

should be achieved and be seen as contributing to positive dairy cow welfare:• good or above average fertility outcomes. It is best to look at a range of measures in
conjunction with your vet to assess this outcome, such as calving to conception
interval, conception rate and non-return rate

• no cow with a mobility score of 3
• all animals are clear of IBR, BVD and Johne’s Disease, or there are plans in place
proactively controlling these diseases.

Health and welfare monitoring
H 1.1

All dairy units must have a written Veterinary Health and Welfare Plan (VHWP) drawn up in consultation
with the attending veterinary surgeon and other suitably qualified persons, for example nutritionists
and/or person(s) responsible for the animals. This plan must include:a)the names and specific roles of all personnel involved with the care of livestock on the farmb)

an infectious disease and vaccination plan with details of any vaccines required to be used, target
animals and boosters requiredc)a parasite control plan that specifies strategies to prevent infestations and worming programmes,
including target animals and medicines to be usedd)a biosecurity and infectious disease control policy for controlling the spread of infectious disease
between stock, which must include disease investigation and surveillance, the introduction ofincoming stock and the isolation of stock with infectious disease (see Appendix 1)e)a protocol for bringing new animals on site, including hire bulls, and including health screening,quarantine, vaccination, parasite control and lameness control. The timing and mechanisms bywhich these will be achieved must be clearly laid out

f)procedures for the management of casualty animals and downer cows, including methods forhumane emergency slaughter/killingg)an effective procedure for identifying animals that are undergoing/have undergone treatment, which
is known to all farm staff

h)procedures for the safe disposal of pharmaceutical waste, needles and other sharps, in accordancewith the relevant waste disposal regulations.

H 1.1.1

NEW

All plans and procedures laid out in the VHWP must be implemented as written.

H 1.2

Pain relief must be provided when any procedure performed on the animal is likely to cause pain
during and/or after the procedure, for example therapeutic foot trimming. All pain management must
be recorded.

H 1.3

REVISEDH 1.3.1

The VHWP must be:a)reviewed at least annually, andb)updated as required and in any case at least annually.

Dairy producers must arrange for quarterly veterinary visits to review health records and health andwelfare management.

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HealthH 1.3.2

The timing of visits relating to standard H 1.3.1 must be such that maximum health, welfare andmanagement advantage is achieved.

H 1.4

The individual farm VHWP must:a)identify and list all the health and welfare conditions currently affecting and likely to affect the herd(see standard H 1.5)b)document (i) how, (ii) when and (iii) how often each condition will be monitoredc)record the type of animal affected (i.e. age, stage of production etc.)d)record the level of each condition for the farme)

set a threshold limit for the level of each condition for the farm

f)monitor the level of each condition for the farmg)

for each condition, develop and implement a plan designed to prevent any increase in, and/or
reduce the average level of, that condition for the farm (a prevention plan), including the method ofcontrol to be usedh)ensure a treatment plan is developed for the health and welfare conditions listed in standard H 1.5.

H 1.4.1

If any conditions exceed the agreed threshold limits for that condition established in the VHWP they must
be reviewed and revised in consultation with the relevant advisor to address any problems which havebeen identified.

H 1.5

The following health and welfare conditions, where applicable to the unit, must be listed in the
VHWP (see standard H 1.4):
REVISEDa)metabolic disorders (hypocalcaemia, hypomagnesaemia, ketosis, displaced abomasum,
bloat, acidosis)b)problems at calvingc)

injuries (including those that result in the use of hobbles/shackles)d)body conditione)prevalence and incidence of lamenessf)incidence of mastitis

g)

LEGAL

h)

the main disease problems known or suspected to be present on-farm, e.g. mastitis, Johne’s
disease, TB, IBR and many others.

mortality – including sudden deaths and those humanely killed as unfit

NEW To reduce the time taken to complete the Welfare Outcome Assessment (WOA), andfor consistency to allow year-on-year comparison, it is recommended that producers, theirvets and other analysts looking at this data calculate H 1.5 e), f) and g) according to theguidance laid out in the WOA protocol in Appendix 4 (see Sections 1 (lameness), 9(mastitis), and 11 (mortality). This guidance has been drawn up using currently usedindustry methods and recommendations.

H 1.6

All sudden Tuberculosis
deaths, disease outbreaks and cattle killed as unfit must be reported to the veterinary
BovineH 1.6.1

The outcome of any action relating to standard H 1.6 must be recorded.

H 1.6.2

The date of all sudden deaths and cattle killed as unfit must be recorded along with the suspected or
known reason (where applicable).

surgeon, if appropriate.

NEW

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Health
H 1.7

Provision must be made for the segregation and care of sick and injured animals.

H 1.8

LEGAL

Any cattle suffering from illness or injury must be:a)segregated if necessaryb)treated without delay.

H 1.9

In relation to standard H 1.8, veterinary advice must be sought when needed, or if necessary, suchanimals must be humanely killed.

H 1.10NEW

LEGAL

After fitting cattle with shackles/hobbles they must be individually examined by a vet within 48 hours.
NEW After the first 48 hours, cattle fitted with shackles/hobbles should be re-assessed
as necessary by the attending veterinary surgeon. If a herd has >2% cows fitted withshackles/hobbles this may indicate an underlying problem that needs identifying
and addressing.

H 1.11

If abnormalTuberculosis
behavioural activities develop repeatedly in any particular animal(s), a programme of
Bovinemodification and enrichment must be:a)agreed together with the farm veterinary surgeon, andb)pursued until the problem is solved.
The repeated rubbing of brushes designed for the purpose should not be regarded asabnormal behaviour.
Likely possible abnormal behaviour patterns:• repeated rubbing in the absence of disease• tongue rolling/aerophagia• bar biting/chewing• pica (licking/chewing solid objects)• eating soil/sand/dirt• navel sucking• ear sucking• urine drinking

Bovine Tuberculosis

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HealthBovine Tuberculosis
H 2.1

NEW

The VHWP must include a Bovine Tuberculosis Management Plan.

H 2.2

NEW

The Bovine Tuberculosis Management Plan must include the following:a)the biosecurity measures in place to minimise the risk of introducing the disease onto the farm from:i.

other cattleii.

environmental sources, including from other animals and vehiclesb)

the biocontainment measures that will be put in place if reactors and inconclusives to the bTB test
are foundc)what, if any, enhanced testing is being carried out, andd)a contingency plan to ensure movement restrictions do not lead to a compromise in cattle welfare
should a TB breakdown occur.
NEW Current sources of information and advice to help develop the Bovine Tuberculosis

Management Plan include:• A farm’s private veterinary surgeon• the local APHA veterinary surgeon• the TB Advisory Service• TB hub: www.tbhub.co.uk
H 2.3

NEW As part of the Bovine Tuberculosis Management Plan, the following measures must be taken:
BovineTuberculosisa)restricting badger access to:i.

feed storesii.

water and feed troughsiii. mineral licksb)

not placing feed directly on the ground at pasturec)cleaning up feed spillages without delayd)boiling or pasteurising milk from the cows prior to feeding to the calves by artificial meanse)putting effective physical barriers in place between neighbouring herdsf)not sharing equipment or vehicles with other farms

g)spreading manure on arable land or pasture at least two months prior to being grazed by cattleh)

not using manure from other farms for spreading, andi)avoiding grazing practices that may increase the risk of cattle ingesting contaminated pasture.

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HealthLameness
H 3.1

REVISEDThe VHWP must include a foot care plan, which must include:a)the identification of all conditions that could affect foot health on-farm and the specific methods ofcontrol to help prevent/reduce themb)

the feet of all cattle to be inspected for signs of abnormal wear, infection or excessive growth atleast annually, by a competent foot trimmer (see information box, below)c)the feet of every animal to be inspected at drying offd)regular footbathing to be implemented, if deemed necessarye)a target prevalence for lameness, tailored to the individual farm, andf)the annual incidence of lameness as laid out in the Welfare Outcome Assessment (WOA) protocol(see Appendix 4).
A competent foot trimmer is defined as a trimmer registered with the National Associationof Cattle Foot Trimmers (NACFT) or the Cattle Hoofcare Standard Board (CHCSB) andhaving achieved at least the Dutch Diploma or NPTC Level 3.

H 3.2

REVISED Close attention must be given to the condition of the feet during the daily inspections of the cattle.
BovineTuberculosis

H 3.3

Cattle with a mobility score of 2 or 3 must receive immediate attention.

H 3.4

At least one permanent member of staff, named in the VHWP, must have undergone recognised training
in foot trimming, delivered by someone who holds a hoof-trimming instructor qualification. Evidence must
be provided upon request.
REVISED Training in foot trimming could be provided by Lantra, a local veterinary practice oranother course provider, such as agricultural colleges or universities.

NEW If the farm uses a contract foot trimmer then this person or company should also be
named in the VHWP, alongside any qualified member/s of staff. The contract foot trimmer
can count as the member of staff needed to meet standard H 3.4.

H 3.5

REVISED All lactating cattle must be mobility scored at least four times a year by a mobility scorer
registered with the Register of Mobility Scorers (RoMS) and the results recorded in the VHWP.

REVISED As a target, the annual average prevalence of lameness in the herd should be no

more than 15% for mobility score 2.
There is currently a zero tolerance policy for cattle with a mobility score of 3 which are
not undergoing treatment (see standards H 3.3 and H 3.5.1).
It is our belief that early detection and prompt, appropriate treatment can usually preventthe development of a score 3 lameness.
See the AHDB Dairy Mobility Scoring system in Appendix 3 for more information.

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HealthElectronic mobility scoring systems are in development and becoming commerciallyavailable. These systems currently vary in their accuracy and should be verified against
the AHDB Dairy Mobility Scoring protocol.
NEW

H 3.5.1

Where an animal with a mobility score 3 is identified, there must be a record of the treatments that the
animal has and is receiving, which must include the necessary pain relief and appropriate housing,
if applicable.

H 3.6

Producers must be able to demonstrate their methods for the prevention and treatment of acutefoot conditions.

H 3.7

REVISEDA footbathing facility must provide:a)a treatment containing an antibacterial agent at the appropriate concentration, which is regularly
topped up or replacedb)foot dipping of the entire herd at intervals appropriate to the antibacterial agent in current usec)a minimum fluid depth of 100 mm, maintained throughout the duration of footbathing (so thefluid will need to be deeper than this at the start, or regularly topped up with solution of an
appropriate concentration)d)a non-slip entry and exit surface.
A pre-treatment foot washing facility to remove excess dirt and organic matter isrecommended if the treatment bath is shorter than 3.0m.

H 3.8

Antibiotic agents must not be used in footbaths.
Monitoring the incidence of lameness is particularly useful when trying to address
the following diseases, when present on-farm:NEW• White line disease• Sole ulcers• Digital dermatitis
The methodology used to establish the incidence of lameness should be consistent toallow for effective monitoring of the farm’s lameness management.

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Health

Body condition scoring
H 4.1

Body condition change in cattle must be carefully planned, maintained and recorded in the Veterinary
Health & Welfare Plan (VHWP), according to the stage of production.

H 4.2

REVISEDa)

Body condition scoring must be:undertaken at least four times per year at the following times during a cow’s production cycle:i.

drying offii.

calvingiii. 60 days post-calving
iv. 100 days prior to drying offb)recorded in the VHWP for animals with scores below 2.0 or above 4.0 and above.
Body condition scoring guidance can be found on the AHDB Dairy website. It should be
carried out regularly, like monitoring lameness, and could be carried out every milkrecording to ensure this is achieved. To maintain good health and fertility, cows should
not lose more than 0.5 of a body condition score during their production cycle. The
following scores are the acceptable ranges which should be aimed for at various stagesof the production cycle:• at drying off: 2.5-3.0• at calving: 2.5-3.0• at 60 days post-calving: 2.0-3.0• at 100 days prior to drying off: 2.5-3.0.
Although these are minimum ranges, it should be noted that cattle should not be allowed
to get excessively fat (BCS ≥4.0) or thin (BCS <2.0).

H 4.3

The nutrition plan (see standard FW 1.1) must clearly detail how excessively thin (BCS <2) andexcessively fat (BCS ≥4) animals will be managed to ensure they achieve a BCS suitable to their stageof production.

Mastitis
H 5.1

A mastitis treatment and control plan must be detailed within the VHWP and include the following:a)pain relief treatments, which must be implemented for every affected cowb)a drying off policy based on targeted use of antibiotic therapy at drying off (prophylactic use ofantibiotics at drying off is not permitted)

c)a target incidence of clinical mastitis established according to the individual circumstance on-farmd)a cull policy.

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Health

If the target incidence for clinical mastitis established in the VHWP is exceeded over a
2-month period, further investigations should take place to try and identify the specificorganism involved. The best way to achieve this is to regularly monitor the types ofmastitis causing bacteria within the herd by taking aseptic samples of milk from allclinical quarters. These samples should be kept in the freezer and older samples
discarded so that around 10 are retained. Therefore, if treatment strategies begin to beless successful, there are recent milk samples available for bacteriological analysis.

We recommend producers obtain and read the ‘Guidelines on the Responsible Use of
Antimicrobials in Dry Cow Management’ and implement its recommendations. This
document is issued by the Responsible Use of Medicines in Agriculture (RUMA) alliance(http://www.ruma.org.uk/cattle/responsible-use-of-antimicrobials-in-dry-cowmanagement/)

H 5.2

All cases of mastitis must be treated promptly, and underlying predisposing factors corrected.

H 5.3

Cows with chronic mastitis must be identified and humanely slaughtered.

H 5.4

The following must be monitored and recorded as part of the VHWP:a) individual cow cell countsb) clinical cases of mastitis, including quarter(s) affected and the duration of each case, and
c)

H 5.5

antibiotic tube usage.

Any cows with mastitis must be marked and milked last, and the milk discarded, or milked with a separate
cluster and bucket.

Husbandry procedures
H 6.1

H 6.1.1

The removal of horns from more mature cattle must:a)

only be performed by a veterinary surgeon, andb)

not be a routine procedure.

REVISED Practices or procedures which may be detrimental to welfare and have no purpose other thancosmetic enhancement are prohibited.

Breeding/calving
H 7.1

Induction of parturition must never be used as a routine management procedure.

H 7.1.1

Breeding must be planned in such a way that caesarean section does not become a routine procedure.
More than one caesarean section in a cow will be considered as caesarean sections
becoming a routine procedure for that cow.
NEW

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HealthH 7.2

LEGAL Non-veterinarians performing per rectum investigations or artificial inseminations must haveachieved a recognised standard in the relevant techniques.

Alternatives to per rectum pregnancy diagnosis should be considered, for example:• blood testing for Pregnancy Associated Glycoproteins (PAGs). This is only possible if
there is a voluntary waiting period of at least 60 days. Testing can occur 30-60 days, ormore than 80 days after service. If PAGs are high during these periods then the cow
is in calf.

• milk or blood testing for progesterone. At 18-24 days post-service, low levels indicate
the cow is not in calf. At more than 24 days post-service high levels indicate pregnancy
or a persistent Corpus Luteum.

H 7.3

Non-veterinarians performing per rectum ultrasound pregnancy detection must:a) have received appropriate training in the relevant techniques, andb) have reached a recognised standard.

H 7.3.1

REVISED Embryo Transfer and Ovum Pick-up are not permitted except in exceptional circumstances andwhere there will be an outcome that is demonstrably beneficial to animal welfare. Requests for
permission to perform these procedures must:a) be submitted in writing to the RSPCA Farm Animals Department by the producer in conjunction withthe unit’s veterinary surgeon,b) include the reasons for the request being made, andc)include an indication of numbers involved.
Embryo Transfer and Ovum Pick-up are invasive techniques and have been identified by
the Banner Committee’s Report on the Ethical Implications of Emerging Technologies inthe breeding of Farm Animals (1995) and the Farm Animal Welfare Committee’s Opinion
on the welfare implications of breeding and breeding technologies in commercial
livestock agriculture (2012) as posing a risk to animal welfare.

The use of genetically modified and/or cloned animals, and their offspring, is prohibited.

H 7.3.2

LEGAL

H 7.4

Cows must be clean at calving, paying particular attention to udder and teats.

H 7.5

Calving aids must only be used to assist a delivery and not to produce a calf as quickly as possible.

H 7.6

Before any type of calving aid is used, the cow must be examined to ensure that the calf is properly
presented and of a size where natural delivery can be reasonably expected, without causing undue painand distress to either the dam or the offspring.

Medications/vaccinations
H 8.1

H 8.2

Medicines must be:a)clearly labelled, andb)stored in accordance with the label instructions.

Medicines must be kept in a secure, lockable store which is safe from animals, children and birds.

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HealthH 8.3

The medicine store must be separate from food producing areas.

H 8.4

A nominated person must:

H 8.5

a)

be responsible for the management of the medicine store, andb)keep appropriate records for stock control purposes.

Any medicines used must be:a)licensed for use in the UK, and

b)

LEGAL

applied in accordance with UK and EU legislation.
It is recommended that producers obtain, read, and where appropriate apply, the advice
contained with the latest version of the Guidelines on Responsible Use of Antimicrobials
in Cattle Production, issued by the Responsible Use of Medicines in Agriculture (RUMA)
alliance (www.ruma.org.uk).

H 8.6

NEW

Antibiotics must only be used when necessary, and always used responsibly.
Prevention is better than cure, and it is the implementation of prevention strategies
alongside the adoption of farming practices that prioritise and promote animal welfare
that are key to reducing antibiotic use.
For more information on this issue, please see our information sheet Antimicrobial
resistance and farm animal welfare, available on our website (www.rspca.org.uk).

H 8.7

The use of antibiotics on-farm must be reviewed annually and this review must form part of the VHWP
(see standard H 1.1).
When reviewing the use of antibiotics on-farm, the following should be considered:• the different classes of antibiotic drug used
• which group/s of animals were treated, and for which condition/s• the number of animals treated per occasion• the total amount of each individual drug within a class that was used (in mg/kg or
mg/pcu) per occasion• a specific section covering all the above for ‘Critically Important Antibiotics’ (CIAs).
A group of animals refers to animals of a similar age and/or stage of production.
This review is intended to highlight which groups of animals are suffering fromparticular diseases and therefore aid the development and implementation of targeted
prevention strategies.

H 8.7.1

In light of the findings of the antibiotic use review (see standard H 8.7), an action plan must be drawn up
aimed at reducing the use of antibiotics on the farm through improvements in animal husbandry.

H 8.8

All personnel involved in the administration of animal medicines must be competent to do so.

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HealthDowner cattle
H 9.1

Any recumbent animal must be examined by a veterinary surgeon before the farmer attempts to use
lifting gear and, initially, the veterinary surgeon must supervise the operation.

H 9.1.1

Whatever type of lifting gear is used, care must be taken not to cause unnecessary pain or distress tothe animal.

H 9.1.2

Animals must only be lifted if there is full body support.

H 9.1.3

If animals must be moved, they must not be dragged.
Possible injury-free methods of moving recumbent cattle are as follows:• on a piece of plywood covered with a good layer of bedding• on a spare gate, covered in tarpaulin/sheeting and a good layer of bedding• along a path constructed of deep straw, whilst laid on a tarpaulin/piece of sheeting• in a foreloader bucket deeply lined with straw.
H 9.2

All recumbent (downer) cattle must be treated without delay.

H 9.3

Where the prognosis for recovery of a recumbent (downer) cow is poor, early intervention by humanely
destroying the animal on farm must be undertaken.

H 9.4

REVISED All procedures for dealing with downer cattle must be documented as part of the VHWP and all
staff must have full knowledge and understanding of their duties.

Casualty animals/emergency slaughter
H 10.1Each farm must have provisions for the prompt, humane slaughter of emergency/casualty cattle, carriedout by a named, trained, competent member of staff or a licensed slaughterman.

H 10.1.1

Where provisions relating to standard H 10.1 are not possible, a veterinary surgeon must be called out tocarry out the procedure.

H 10.1.2

REVISED Names and contact details of staff who are trained in humane slaughter/killing, and aslaughterman, must be:a)listed in the VHWP (see standard H 1.1), andb)available to all staff members.
Members of staff trained in humane slaughter/killing and slaughtermen named in the
VHWP should have read the following relevant HSA guidelines, available online atwww.hsa.org.uk/publications/online-guides:NEW• emergency slaughter• humane killing of livestock using firearms• captive bolt stunning of livestock

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Health
H 10.1.3

REVISED

Equipment for the slaughter/killing of animals must be:a)maintained according to the manufacturer’s instructionsb)easily accessible to the relevant member of staffc)checked at least monthly and immediately prior to first use of the day to ensure it is in goodworking order.

H 10.2

If there is any doubt as to how to proceed, the veterinary surgeon must be called at an early stage toadvise whether treatment is possible or whether humane slaughter is required to prevent suffering.

H 10.3

If an animal is in severe pain that is uncontrollable, then the animal must be promptly and humanely
slaughtered/killed.
It is not illegal to slaughter an animal to prevent further severe suffering if a method of
humane slaughter is available on the premises and there is someone competent toundertake the procedure. However, for non-emergency casualty slaughter, aslaughterman's licence is required if a captive bolt pistol is used.

H 10.4NEW

LEGAL

Cattle must only be slaughtered/killed on-farm using one of the following methods:a)Free bullet,b)

Captive bolt followed by bleeding or pithing,c)Chemical euthanasia by overdose of an anaesthetic drug (carried out by a veterinary surgeon)-

Or in an emergency when none of the above is available:d)shotgun.
All carcasses must be disposed of strictly according to current legislation.

H 10.5LEGAL

H 10.6

A record must be kept of how and where all such carcasses are disposed of.

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Welfare Outcome Assessment
Welfare standards for farm animals are primarily based on ‘inputs’, i.e. they describe what must
be provided to the animals in terms of certain resources, such as housing, space, feed, veterinary
care and management practices. However, it is important to know what effect these inputs arehaving on the welfare of the animals and therefore look at the ‘outcomes’ of these inputs, i.e. theimpact of these inputs on the health, physical condition and behaviour of the animals themselves.
This practice is known as ‘Welfare Outcome Assessment’.

RSPCA Welfare Outcome Assessment1 has been developed for dairy cattle and offers apractical and scientifically informed method to provide a more objective, animal-focussed
picture of the level of welfare being achieved on-farm for certain key welfare measures.
The welfare measures selected for assessment are listed in Appendix 4 at the back of
the document.
1

RSPCA Welfare Outcome Assessments are informed by AssureWel, a collaborative project led by

the RSPCA, Soil Association and University of Bristol with a primary aim of developing farm animal
welfare outcome assessments for use within farm assurance schemes.

The following information is applicable to RSPCA Assured members only:
Members of the RSPCA Assured scheme will receive a Welfare Outcome Assessment as
part of their routine RSPCA Assured farm assessment visits. Additional Welfare Outcome
Assessments may also be undertaken by RSPCA staff, such as Farm Livestock Officers,
as part of the RSPCA Assured certification process.

WA 1.1

It must be ensured that a Welfare Outcome Assessment is conducted:a) according to the protocol in Appendix 4 at the back of this documentb) using the assessment form, and in the case of RSPCA Assured scheme members, the scheme’s
equivalent current Welfare Outcome Assessment form must be usedc)on a regular basis or, for RSPCA Assured scheme members, during each scheme assessment visit

d) by
i.

a suitably competent person that is independent from the direct management of the farm and,ii.

in the case of RSPCA Assured scheme members, by the relevant scheme personnel.
With reference to standard WA 1.1 c), Welfare Outcome Assessments should be carriedout approximately every 12 months.

With reference to standard WA 1.1 d), a suitable person to conduct the assessment would
be a qualified vet; a relevant, independent consultant with a good knowledge of dairy
cattle welfare and production; a Farm Assurance Scheme Assessor; or the company
fieldsman (or, if the company does not have a Fieldsman, someone with an equivalent role
within the company).

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WA 1.2

WA 1.3

WA 1.4

A completed copy of the Welfare Outcome Assessment form (see standard WA 1.1 b)) or a record of theresults must be kept:a)

on farmb)

for a minimum of five years.

With regards to standard WA 1.2, the document left on farm must include the following information:a)the date of the auditb)

the group auditedc)the name, organisation and job title of the person who undertook the assessmentd)the age of the herd at the time of the assessmente)

any action to be taken (see standard WA 1.4)f)

the signature of the person undertaking the audit.

Any health/welfare issue identified as an area of concern must be included within the VHWP
(see standard H 1.5).
The Welfare Outcome Assessment will not always provide a definitive farm level
prevalence for the measures assessed. The assessment has been designed to identify
areas of welfare concern that are likely to be more widespread on the farm and therefore
warrant further investigation and careful monitoring. Welfare Outcome Assessments canalso indicate areas where welfare is being safeguarded.

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Transport
Animal transport systems need to be designed and managed to ensure livestock are not caused
unnecessary distress or discomfort. The transport and handling of livestock needs to be kept toan absolute minimum. Personnel involved in transport need to be thoroughly trained andcompetent to carry out the tasks required of them.

If good practices and procedures are being implemented on-farm, the following should beachieved and be seen as contributing to positive dairy cow welfare:• no injuries as a result of transport• no deaths during transport• during handling, loading and unloading: <2% of animals vocalise, <3% to slip andnone fall.

NEW

Trading Cattle
Cattle presented for sale at livestock markets and passing through collection
centres will automatically lose their RSPCA Assured status, see standards S 1.1 andS(C) 1.1.
REVISEDWe have serious health and welfare concerns regarding cattle passing through markets
and collection centres, and therefore strongly recommend that these establishments are
not used. We continue to keep this situation under review.

T 1.1

REVISED Cattle must not be exported overseas, either directly from the farm of origin, or indirectly via athird party.

T 1.2

Producers must be able to provide verification of compliance with standard T 1.1 on request.

T 1.3

Producers must notify any auction markets they use that the animals they sell are not for export.

Casualty animals
T 2.1

T 2.1.1

REVISEDA sick or injured animal may only be transported if it is:a)being taken for veterinary treatment, andb)suitable for loading, travelling and unloading.

NEW If in doubt about an animal’s fitness to travel, a veterinary surgeon’s advice must be sought prior tothat animal being transported.

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Training
T 3.1

LEGAL

Personnel in charge of cattle transporters must:a)

have completed an approved training course, preferably validatedb)

be able to demonstrate competence in handling cattle when loading and unloading them, and whilein transit.

T 3.2

The Humane Slaughter Association (HSA) has developed a training programme (‘The Road Ahead –livestock welfare in transit’) for use by hauliers. This must be utilised as part of the staff training
programme.

T 3.3

Hauliers must:

T 3.4

T 3.5

a)

have access to a copy of the current version of the ‘RSPCA welfare standards for dairy cattle’b)be familiar with its relevant content, andc)understand and apply its content.

Animal handlers and hauliers must be trained to:a)understand the stress factors cattle are likely to encounterb)appreciate how cattle react to other cattlec)appreciate how cattle react to humansd)appreciate how cattle react to strange noises, sights, sounds and smellse)appreciate how driving style impacts the animals in transit.

The behaviour of cattle must be taken into account when they are being moved, so as to avoid
unnecessary fear or distress.
REVISED• Cattle have poor vision for distance and detail; so they should not be led into darkareas i.e. areas with poor lighting.

• Cattle are easily startled and so should not be subjected to sudden movement of
nearby objects.

• Cattle have hearing that is similar to humans, so they should not be subjected tosudden loud noise.

• Cattle have a strong instinct to herd, so they should not be isolated.

Handling/loading/unloading
T 4.1

Sticks must not be used for hitting cattle.
Sticks and benign handling aids may be used as extensions of the arms.

T 4.2

The presence and use of electric goads is not permitted on any vehicle or unit.

T 4.3

Races and gates must be designed and operated so that animals can move through them unhinderedwhen required.

T 4.4

When operating gates and catches, every effort must be made to reduce excessive noise which may
cause distress to the animals.

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Transport
T 4.5

If a problem relating to standard T 4.4 is identified, noise reduction mechanisms must be fitted
as necessary.

T 4.6

Cattle must not be moved or loaded unless:a)the way forward is clearb)

there is adequate space available for them to move into.

T 4.7

Loading facilities must provide a ramp of no more than a 20% incline.

T 4.8

REVISED To prevent animals from falling or jumping off, or slipping, all loading ramps and tail boards
must be:

T 4.9

a)

be fitted with side gates,b)

have foot battens that are suitably spaced, andc)be covered with straw or an alternative suitable material.

If a loading ramp is to be modified or newly installed, a reverse ramp must be provided.
When a ‘reverse ramp’ is installed, it is the vehicle that negotiates the incline until the tailgate is level with the ground and animals walk straight into or out of the vehicle on thelevel or slight gradient.

Transport
T 5.1

The timing of transport for any purpose must be planned between haulier and producer(s), andslaughterhouse, if applicable, to minimise travelling and waiting time for the cattle.

T 5.2

Cattle must be unloaded immediately at the slaughterhouse.

T 5.3

Cattle, including calves, must not be transported for more than 8 hours (from loading of first animal tounloading of the last).

T 5.4

Cattle, including calves, must have access to water up to the point of transport.

T 5.5

Cattle must have access to food up to at least 4 hours before loading onto the lorry.

T 5.6

All deaths and serious or widespread injuries must be recorded and reported to:

LEGAL

a)

the driverb)

the haulierc)the slaughterhouse managerd)the farm managere)

before the next consignment from the same source is collected.

T 5.7

An on-farm record must be maintained of all incidents during transit and kept within the VHWP.

T 5.8

All incidents relating to standard T 5.7 must be investigated and the outcome recorded.

T 5.9

Where causes relating to standard T 5.7 have been identified, prompt action must be taken to prevent
further deaths and suffering occurring.

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Transport
T 5.10All transporters must have a livestock capacity document on board at all times.
The 'livestock capacity document' will give data on the size of transporter and the carrying
capacity for different livestock species under different climatic conditions.

T 5.11

Transporters must provide minimum headroom, when standing in a natural position, of:Calves – 10cm above highest point of animal
Cattle – 20 cm above highest point of animal.

T 5.12

The floors of all vehicles must be covered with sufficient bedding in order to provide comfort and reduce
the likelihood of injury.

T 5.13LEGAL

The following space allowances must be provided during transport:
Cattle weight (kg)Area per head (m²)

Small calves

50

0.3 to 0.4

Medium calves
Heavy calves
Medium cattle

110
200
325-549

0.4 to 0.7
0.7 to 0.95
0.95 to 1.29

Heavy cattle
Very heavy cattle

550-699≥ 700

1.30 to 1.59
≥ 1.60

T 5.14

Appropriate lighting, whether natural or artificial, must be available when loading and unloading cattle andto enable cattle to be thoroughly inspected at any time.

T 5.15

There must be no sharp edges or protrusions on any vehicle, internally or externally, that are likely tocause injury or distress to an animal.

T 5.16

Air quality and air flow must be maintained on vehicles in a way that does not negatively affect thewelfare of the animals.

T 5.17All hauliers must have a written Standard Operating and Emergency Procedure to implement duringtransportation (see Appendix 2).

T 5.18NEW Cows in the last third of their gestation period (i.e. ≥27 weeks pregnant) must not be sent forslaughter, except for disease control or emergency/casualty slaughter purposes.

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Slaughter/killing
All slaughter/killing systems need to be designed and managed to ensure livestock are notcaused unnecessary distress or discomfort. The pre-slaughter handling of livestock needs to be
kept to an absolute minimum. Personnel involved in the slaughter need to be thoroughly trained
and competent to carry out the tasks required of them.

If good practices and procedures are being implemented at the time of slaughter, thefollowing should be achieved and be seen as contributing to positive dairy cow welfare:• Mis-stuns <1%• <2% of cattle vocalise in the stunning and slaughter areas (including the race)• <3% of cattle slip and no animals fall
• <10% of cattle require any encouragement to move through the slaughter facility.
S 1.1

NEW

Cattle being sourced for RSPCA Assured beef and veal products must:a)

have come direct from an RSPCA Assured farm andb)

not have come via a livestock market or collection centre.

Training
S 2.1

Managers must develop and implement an animal welfare policy.

S 2.1.1

The animal welfare policy (see standard S 2.1) must include written procedures regarding:a)maintaining animal welfare in the abattoirb)

the responsibilities and duties of staffc)emergency procedures, including for escaped, trapped or injured livestock.

S 2.2

The animal welfare policy must be reviewed at least annually and updated where necessary.

S 2.3

LEGAL Managers must appoint at least one trained Animal Welfare Officer (AWO), who is responsible forthe implementation of the animal welfare policy.

S 2.3.1

LEGAL

S 2.4

All AWOs must:a)hold a certificate of competence for all operations they are responsible for overseeingb)have attended the Bristol University Animal Welfare Officer training programme, or othersimilar recognised, named, validated course on animal welfare at abattoirsc)keep a record of actions taken to improve animal welfare in the abattoir for which they
are responsible.

REVISEDManagers must:a)develop and implement a training programme for all staff involved in the handling andslaughtering/killing of cattle, andb)

ensure that these staff are trained and competent to carry out their duties.

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Slaughter/killing

NEW For staff undertaking the following operations, a certificate of competence inaccordance with Council Regulation (EC) No 1099/2009 can be used to demonstratecompliance with standard S1.4 b):
1a)the handling and care of animals before they are restrained;b)

the restraint of animals for the purpose of stunning or killing;c)the stunning/killing of animals;d)the assessment of effective stunning;e)the shackling or hoisting of live animals, andf)the bleeding of live animals.

Council Regulation (EC) No 1099/2009 on the protection of animals at the time of killing,
Article 7, Paragraph 2.
1

S 2.5

REVISED When developing the staff training programme (S 2.4 a)) the following areas must be included,
as appropriate:a)cattle welfareb)cattle behaviourc)handling and movement of cattled)lairage, including lairage conditions and care of cattle during lairagee)restraint of cattlef)slaughter/killing method/s, including emergency back-up methodsg)assessment of an effective stun/kill, andh)bleeding.
In relation to S 2.5, The Humane Slaughter Association (HSA) ‘Humane Slaughter Taking Responsibility’ training package can be used to help inform the content of the
training programme.
NEW

S 2.5.1

Staff must have access to the HSA booklet ‘Best Practice Guidelines for the Welfare of Cattle in
Abattoirs’ and to any relevant HSA handbooks for their area of expertise, e.g. stunning, handling etc.
These must have been read, understood and the recommendations applied by the relevant personnel.

S 2.6

LEGAL

An AWO must:a) be present on the site at all times whilst slaughter is being carried outb) make frequent and thorough checks throughout the day to ensure that animals are being effectively
stunned and are insensible throughout the slaughter operation.
S 2.7

LEGAL Where it is suspected that animals are not being effectively stunned, the slaughter line must be
stopped and immediate remedial action taken.

S 2.8

The managers, AWOs and all slaughter staff must:a)

have access to a copy of the current Defra Codes of Practice relating to slaughter (available online)b)

have access to a copy of the current ‘RSPCA welfare standards for dairy cattle’c)be familiar with and implement their relevant content.

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S 2.9

The AWO must ensure that animal welfare during the slaughter process is not compromised byoperator fatigue.

S 2.10To reduce the likelihood of operator fatigue, managers must ensure that rotation of staff is practiced asnecessary, and recorded.

S 2.11

Noise must be kept to a minimum at all times in all areas of the abattoir, both from staff and equipment.

S 2.11.1

Noise levels must be monitored by the manager or AWO.

S 2.11.2

When acceptable noise levels are exceeded, the causes must be investigated and addressed.
Maximum decibel levels may be set in the future. Unacceptable noise levels are thosewhich are causing fear and distress in the animals, such as startle responses or
reluctance to move through the handling system.

Casualty animals
S 3.1

LEGAL

Except in exceptional circumstances, cattle that are unable to walk must be slaughtered:a) without delayb) without the animal being moved, i.e. on the lorry or in the lairage penc)using humane casualty slaughter equipment and procedures.
Delay in killing cattle unable to walk can only be justified in exceptional circumstances,i.e. when the welfare of other animals would otherwise be adversely affected.

S 3.2

Appropriate, well-maintained slaughter/killing equipment must be easily accessible for use inemergencies.

S 3.3

Casualty animals must be killed in accordance with methods outlined in standard S 8.1 or, alternatively,
injection of an overdose of a drug with anaesthetic properties which causes immediate loss of
consciousness and then death, to be administered by a veterinary surgeon, may be used.

S 3.4

A member of staff must be present to check animals on arrival and must:a)

have access to a copy of the Defra booklet ‘Welfare of Animals During Transport – Guidance Notes:
Part 2a, Fitness to Transport’b)be familiar with its content, andc)

implement its recommendations.

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Closed circuit television
The use of Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) in areas where live animals are present can
assist those responsible for monitoring and enforcing animal welfare within the abattoir inensuring that standards are maintained. It is recommended that CCTV footage is also
used for in-house training programmes and to provide an additional level of security at
the abattoir.

S(TV) 1.1

LEGAL A functional CCTV system must be installed and operational to monitor animals undergoing thefollowing processes at the abattoir:a) unloading from vehicles into the lairageb) lairaging, including the movement of animals out of the lairage towards the stun pointc)stunning, including animals approaching the stun aread) shacklinge) sticking.
S(TV) 1.2

CCTV cameras must be positioned to ensure a clear view of the processes being monitored
is achieved at all times.

S(TV) 1.3

LEGAL It must be possible to observe clearly the view from each camera at all times via one ormore monitors.

S(TV) 1.4

LEGAL CCTV footage must be recorded at all times where animals are undergoing any of the processes
listed under standard S(TV) 1.1.

S(TV) 1.5

LEGAL

LEGAL

REVISEDThe recorded CCTV footage must be:a)retained by the abattoir for a period of at least three months, andb)available for viewing on site upon request.
Where possible it may be useful for managers to retain CCTV footage for longer than
the three months specified in standard S(TV) 1.5, for their own monitoring andsecurity purposes.

Lairage
S 4.1

Slaughterhouse managers must ensure that the premises are constructed and maintained so as toprevent any injury being caused to animals confined there.

S 4.2

LEGAL

LEGAL

The slaughterhouse must provide a lairage facility which:a) is constructed so as to provide shelter from direct sunlight and adverse weather conditionsb) provides animals with a dry lying areac)is of adequate size and construction for the number of animals confined there (see standard S 4.5)d) provides adequate draught free ventilatione) is properly lit to permit animals to be inspectedf)

has drainage facilities for faeces and urineg) is able to be thoroughly cleaned between batches of animalsh)provides easy access to adequate water, which must be available at all times, and to food, if necessary.

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REVISED Food of a suitable quality for animals in lairage should be provided in sufficientquantity, twice daily.

S 4.3

LEGAL The lairage facility must have isolation pens available, in which sick or injured animals can beisolated, located close to the unloading area and within easy access of the stunning area.

S 4.4

When cattle are kept in a lairage, normal housing stocking densities must apply.

S 4.5

The floor space allowances must be as follows:
Weight (kg)Minimum bedded lying area (m²)

< 100
101 to 250

1.5
2.5

251 to 350
351 to 450
451 to 550

3.5
4.5
5.0

551 to 600
601 to 650
651 to 700

5.5
6.0
6.25

> 700

6.5

Where animals are to be housed overnight in a lairage, then fully bedded pens without any
hard standings are acceptable.

S 4.6

Isolation pens must be available for use at all times.

S 4.7

Cattle which, because of their sex, age or origin, are likely to be aggressive, must be separated fromeach other at lairage and must stay in on-farm groups (or be sub-divided).

S 4.8

Cattle in lairage pens must not be exposed to bright artificial light or direct sunlight except during
antemortem inspection, which must be carried out in a minimum of 220 lux illumination.

Pre-slaughter handling
S 5.1

Cattle must be handled calmly and quietly, with care to avoid unnecessary excitement or distress.

S 5.2

Race design and construction must encourage cattle to move forward, with:a) as few right angled bends as possibleb) no projections and obstructions in the races and passagewayc)appropriate lighting.

Solid, high sides to races and passageways, and avoidance of projections, obstructions
and sharply angled bends, will facilitate this requirement.

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S 5.2.1

Race design must include emergency release gates that allow livestock back to the lairage.

S 5.3

Cattle must not be moved or loaded unless:a) the way forward for the lead animal is clearb) there is adequate space available for them to move forward.
Flooring throughout the slaughterhouse must be non-slip.

S 5.4

REVISED

S 5.5

The presence and use of electric goads is prohibited in any abattoir.

S 5.6

All cattle must be slaughtered within 12 hours of their last feed.

S 5.7

If cattle require cleaning and/or clipping prior to slaughter this must be carried out by competent staff.

S 5.7.1

If washing cattle, the following must be observed:

LEGALa) a pressure washer may not be usedb) the water stream is not directed at sensitive areas (e.g. the head, groin and udder)c)the water is at a suitable temperatured) the process is stopped immediately if the animal shows signs of distress or an unreasonable level ofrestraint is required.

Slaughter equipment
S 6.1

The equipment used for the stunning and killing of animals, including the stunning pen and/or restraint
devices, must be designed, manufactured and maintained to ensure rapid and effective stunningor killing.

S 6.2

All slaughter equipment must be thoroughly and appropriately cleaned after use.

S 6.3

Slaughter equipment must be checked at least once daily by an AWO to ensure it is in working order andin a good state of repair.

S 6.3.1

Stun and slaughter equipment must be tested to ensure it is in correct working order prior to the first useof the day.

S 6.4

A record of the check on slaughter equipment must be made.

S 6.5

LEGAL

S 6.6

Reserve equipment for the stunning and killing of animals must be:a)kept at the place of stun/killing for use in an emergencyb)tested at least once daily by an AWO to ensure it is in good working order and a good state of repair.

A record of the check on reserve equipment must be made.

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Stunning
S 7.1

All cattle must be stunned prior to slaughter using a permitted method which renders them
instantaneously unconscious and insensitive to pain and maintains that state until the point of death.
See standard S 7.1.1.

S 7.1.1

Permitted methods of stunning include:a)free bullet (stun-kill)b)penetrative concussion, e.g. captive bolt

c)electrocution (stun-kill).
Signs of effective captive bolt stunning include:• animal collapses• no rhythmic breathing• fixed, fully dilated pupils• no corneal reflex (i.e. no blink reaction when the surface of the eyeball is lightly touched)• relaxed jaw• tongue hanging out.
Deviation from the above may be an indication that the stun has been ineffective or thatanimals are beginning to recover from the stun.

S 7.1.2

Contact triggered captive bolt devices are only permitted on animals when sufficient head restraint
is used.
Restraint within a stunning pen does not provide sufficient head restraint when using acontact triggered captive bolt device. Sufficient restraint may involve the following:• a head shelf resulting in passive restraint• a head yoke resulting in active restraint.
It should be noted that passive restraint is preferable for the welfare of cattle. A headyoke combined with a chin lift can result in strong aversive behaviour in cattle and should
be avoided.

S 7.1.3

If there is any indication that a stun has not been effective, or that animals are displaying signs ofrecovery from a stun, re-stunning must take place immediately.

S 7.2

LEGAL Cattle must not be allowed into the slaughter box unless the slaughterman is ready to immediately
stun the animal.

S 7.3

REVISED

S 7.4

LEGAL

All stunning pens for cattle must be constructed to:a)restrict backwards, forwards or sideways movementb)allow the slaughterman free access to the animal’s forehead while it is restrained, andc)allow release of the head as soon as the animal has been stunned.

LEGAL

Cattle must be effectively stunned before being released from the stunning pen.

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S 7.5

LEGAL Cattle must only be stunned when they can be stuck immediately afterwards with a stun-to-stick
interval of no more than 60 seconds.

S 7.6

The effectiveness of stunning must be recorded for at least 10 animals:a)at the very start of each day’s killing andb)at least every 2 hours.
When fewer than 10 animals are being stunned, all animals must be assessed.

S 7.6.1

LEGAL

The records of checks on the effectiveness of stunning must include:a)the name of the person undertaking the checksb)

the number of cattle assessedc)the date and time of the assessmentsd)the number of cattle not effectively stunnede)the action taken to correct ineffective stunning.

Slaughter/killing methods
S 8.1

S 8.2

S 8.3

REVISED Cattle must be slaughtered/killed by bleeding out (sticking) following an effective stun. See
standard S 7.1.1.

LEGAL

span:

Where electrocution is used to stun-kill adult cattle, the electrodes must be placed so that theya)the brain, enabling a current of 1.28 amps to pass through it for a period of at least 1 second, using
a 50 to 1500 Hz alternating, clipped or rectified sine wave or square wave, immediately followed byplacing of the electrodes so that they span the heart for a period of at least 3 seconds to cause acardiac arrest, using a current frequency of less than 100 Hz alternating, clipped or rectified sine
wave or square wave, orb)

the brain and the heart for a period of at least 3 seconds at >1.51 amps to cause a cardiac arrest,
using a current frequency of less than 100 Hz alternating, clipped or rectified sine wave or
square wave.

LEGAL

Where animals are killed individually, the apparatus must:a)

incorporate a device which measures the impedance of the load and prevents operation of theapparatus if the minimum required current cannot be passedb)

incorporate an audible or visual device indicating the length of time of its application to an animal ineach cycle of applicationc)be connected to a device indicating the applied current, positioned so as to be clearly visible tothe operator.

Sticking
S 9.1

Cattle must be stuck using a sharp knife at least 15cm/6 inches long.

S 9.2

LEGAL An incision must be made in the jugular furrow at the base of the neck, directing the knife towards
the entrance to the chest to sever the major blood vessels.

S 9.3

Blood loss from the cattle must be rapid and profuse.

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S 9.4

Two knives must be used; the first to open the skin and the second to sever the arteries.

S 9.5

LEGAL After incision of the blood vessels, there must be no further dressing procedure performed on the
animal for at least 30 seconds, and in any case until all brain-stem reflexes have ceased.

S 9.6

LEGAL Where one person is responsible for the stunning, shackling, hoisting and bleeding of cattle, theymust complete all these operations on each individual animal in turn.

Slaughter of pregnant cattle
S 10.1

Abattoirs must have a written protocol in place for dealing with animals in the last third of theirgestation (i.e. 27 weeks pregnant).

S 10.2REVISED There must be a named person such as the AWO who is responsible for ensuring that the
animals are treated according to the relevant standards within this document.

S 10.3

Cows in the last third of their gestation period (i.e. ≥27 weeks pregnant) must not be sent for slaughter,
except for disease control or emergency/casualty slaughter purposes.

S 10.4

Producers sending pregnant animals to slaughter (see standard S 10.3) must inform the slaughterhouseof the impending arrival of any animals that may be, or are suspected to be, in the last third of gestation.

S 10.5REVISED Any cow in the last third of gestation (i.e. the dam is ≥27 weeks pregnant), or suspected of being
in the last third of gestation, must not be sent for any further processing (including removal of the foetus)
until at least 10 minutes after maternal sticking, but preferably for 20-30 minutes (to ensure the foetus is
not alive).

REVISEDREVISED The RSPCA welfare standards for dairy cattle do not allow the slaughter of any
animal in the last trimester of pregnancy, except in the case of an emergency, or for
disease control purposes. Research shows suffering can only occur when an animal isboth sentient (i.e. neurologically mature) and conscious. Research suggests that theneurological connections required for an animal to be considered sentient are establishedafter the foetus has completed about 75% of its gestation time (i.e. 30 weeks gestation)prior to which the neurological connections are not considered compatible with sentience.
Further, an animal that is not conscious cannot experience pain and cannot suffer. If amature foetus successfully takes in air, consciousness and thus the capacity to suffer canensue. Therefore, it is preferable to leave the foetus for around 20-30 minutes to ensure it isdead prior to removal from the cow. The foetus may show involuntary movements similar
to those seen in an effectively stunned animal, which can give the impression that the
animal is suffering whilst it dies. However, whilst a lack of consciousness is maintained,
research suggests that suffering will not occur at this time.

Further information on this issue can be found in the following:
Mellor, D. J. 2003. Guidelines for the humane slaughter of the foetuses of pregnant ruminants.
Surveillance (30(3), pp. 26-28.
Mellor, D. J. 2010. Galloping Colts, Fetal Feelings and Reassuring Regulations: Putting Animal-welfare
Science into Action. Journal of Veterinary Medicine Education, 37(1), pp. 94-100.
OIE Terrestrial Animal Health Code Article 7.5.5

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Slaughter/killing
S 10.6REVISED

Revival of the foetus must not be attempted under any circumstances.
NEW Foetal resuscitation can seriously compromise the welfare of the foetus as it carries ahigh risk of injury, as well as being extremely distressing. It is unlikely to be successful
due to the calf’s prematurity, lack of colostrum and unsuitable environment as well as any
injuries sustained during resuscitation.

S 10.7REVISED If, for any reason, a foetus is found to be showing signs of life, it must be humanely killed
immediately using a captive bolt device followed by bleeding or pithing.

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Specific standards and guidance for the rearingof calves
The following standards must be read in conjunction with, and are in addition to, those within themain body of this document.
REVISED

They are to be used by anyone rearing calves on an RSPCA Assured unit, regardless of their intended
final assurance status, and anyone (including contracted youngstock rearers) rearing calves forthe following:•

to produce RSPCA Assured veal•

as a replacement heifer for an RSPCA Assured dairy unit•

to produce calves for an RSPCA Assured beef unit

A “calf” is taken to be any animal under 6 months of age with the exception of calves being reared for the
production of veal, which are covered by these standards until slaughter.
If good practices and procedures are being implemented on-farm, the following should beachieved and be seen as contributing to positive calf welfare:• overall calf mortality <3%• calf pneumonia incidence <5 cases/100 calves/year• calf scour incidence <5 cases/100 calves/year• evidence of abnormal oral behaviours (e.g. sucked navels or ears) in less than
1% of calves.

Food and water
Food
FW(C) 1.1 Calves must be fed a wholesome diet which:a) is appropriate for their age, weight and digestive systemb) is fed to them in sufficient quantity to maintain them in good health and promote a positive stateof wellbeingc)fully satisfies their nutritional needs, including their mineral requirements.

FW(C) 1.2 Calves must have daily access to food, except when required not to, as part of any therapy prescribedby the attending veterinary surgeon.

FW(C) 1.3

REVISED

Every newborn calf must:a)

LEGAL receive adequate colostrum from its dam (at least 3 litres), or from another source, as soon as
possible after it is born and certainly within the first 6 hours of lifeb)

continue to suckle for the first 24 hours:i.

from its dam, or where this is not physically possible,ii.

via an artificial teat, or where there is a biological necessity,iii. via stomach tubing.
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Adequate colostrum is considered to be approximately 10% of the calf’s birth body weightin the first 6 hours and 20% of the calf’s birth body weight in the first 24 hours.
Colostrum quality is important and there should be at least 50g IgG per litre to ensuresufficient passive transfer.
Some producers may find it necessary to carefully stomach tube any calves which may beunable to achieve the required intake of colostrum within the first 24 hours.

FW(C) 1.3.1 REVISED In relation to standard FW(C) 1.3, after the first 24 hours, calves no longer with their dam must:a)be offered sufficient access to pasteurised whole milk, transition milk, or milk replacer to ensure they
are consuming at least 6 litres of milk per day (or if being fed artificial replacer, the volume required
must be according to nutritional requirements) until weaning, andb)

be fed the required volume of milk across at least two feeds per day for the first 42 days of life.
FW(C) 1.3.1 a) does not cover the pre-weaning process. Those producers carryingout gradual weaning may start to reduce the volume of milk no more than 14 days prior
to stopping milk feeds.
NEW

Gradual weaning has been shown to be of benefit to calves and should be considered(see the information box below standard FW(C) 1.6).

Due to the problems associated with Johne’s disease and newly born calves, it is strongly
recommended that when there is an identified risk of the disease on the unit, veterinary
advice is taken with regard to the management of new-borns, prior to calving. In orderto minimise the likelihood of infection, consideration may have to be given to removing
the calf from its dam earlier than that recommended in the RSPCA welfare standards fordairy cattle.

FW(C) 1.4 Specific management practices for new-born calves with respect to reducing the risk of conditions, suchas Johne’s disease, developing must be recorded in the VHWP (see standard H 1.1).

NEW Producers should ensure that bought in calves have received colostrum as set out instandard FW(C) 1.3 and standard FW(C) 1.3.1.

FW(C) 1.5

REVISED Milk substitute must be mixed according a veterinary surgeon’s or qualified nutritionist’sguidelines.

NEW

A qualified nutritionist is one who is listed on the Feed Adviser Register.

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FW(C) 1.6 Efforts must be made to avoid sudden dietary changes.
REVISED Evidence shows that gradual weaning (by gradually decreasing the volume of milk
fed over a 10-14 day period) results in better dry matter intake post-weaning and is lessstressful for calves, thus has positive welfare implications. Calves should therefore be
gradually weaned where possible.

FW(C) 1.7 All non-suckled calves must receive liquid food daily:a)at least for the first 8 weeks of life, andb)

until they are eating adequate quantities of suitable solid food, at least 1kg dry matter per day of acalf starter ration.

FW(C) 1.8 Unweaned calves must have unlimited access to palatable, dried feed and fibrous roughage from 8 daysof age.

FW(C) 1.9 Calves must not be weaned before 8 weeks of age, unless on veterinary advice it is viewed as

detrimental to the welfare of the calf to continue to maintain them on a milk-based diet for this periodof time.

FW(C) 1.10 REVISED If the calf is more than 8 days old, to enable appropriate rumen development, it must haveaccess each day to dried feed or forage material containing sufficient digestible fibre (which shall be notless than 100 to 250g daily depending on the age of the animal).

FW(C) 1.11 Roughage must be supplied separately to bedding material and must be available to the calves at

all times.

FW(C) 1.12 REVISED Starter roughage for calves must be good quality long fibre.
REVISED The objective should be to encourage rumen development using good quality
long fibre. High dry matter big bale silage/haylage, or good quality hay or straw are
all acceptable.

FW(C) 1.13 REVISED Calves must not be fed wet acidic silages below pH 4.0.
FW(C) 1.14 The calves’ diet must prevent anaemia and any mineral and vitamin deficiency.
FW(C) 1.15 The iron content in the diet must be sufficient to maintain a blood haemoglobin level of 9g/dl (decilitre).
FW(C) 1.16 If blood haemoglobin levels in a significant number of calves in a batch (>25%) at slaughter are below

9g/dl, a full investigation must be made to establish the potential cause and any necessary remedialaction taken for the next batch of calves.

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Calves: food and water

The relationship between dietary iron and blood haemoglobin is complex, and will dependon iron levels in milk, water, roughage, original iron status of a calf and the calcium
content of water supplies. Specification of a dietary iron level alone, therefore, many not
guarantee freedom from anaemia. The European Commission’s ‘Scientific Veterinary
Committee Report on the Welfare of Calves’ recommended that:a)where calves are fed a diet which is lower in iron than 50mg/kg, blood haemoglobin
levels should be monitoredb) all calves should be fed in such a way that their blood haemoglobin level does not fall
below 7.2g/dl.
Signs of anaemia include:• reduced appetite• reduced growth rate
• pale mucous membranes• rapid heart rate
• lethargy, inactivity and weakness.
FW(C) 1.17 The results of any blood tests must be made available on request.
Testing for blood haemoglobin levels should be limited to the slaughter plant once it has
been established that a system can consistently produce well grown healthy calves.

FW(C) 1.18 Calves must have no necessity to compete for food.
FW(C) 1.18.1 Where calves are fed by an ad-lib automated system, the producer must be able to demonstrate that

there is no competition between calves which may result in limiting their intake.

FW(C) 1.19 If a teat feeding system is being used, the position of the teats must be arranged so that the calves candrink in a natural position.

FW(C) 1.20 Bull calves must be treated equally to heifer calves.
FW(C) 1.21 Where calves are bucket fed, each calf must have access to an individual bucket.
FW(C) 1.22 Where milk is delivered into a trough, there must be sufficient space for all calves to drink without

hindrance at the same time.

Some recommendations give trough frontages of 350mm per calf for individually fed
calves. Other guides suggest 3 calves per linear metre or 1.1 times the shoulder width of
the animal.

FW(C) 1.23 Where calves are rationed through the use of a transponder, the feed station must be designed to allow

all calves to drink without hindrance.

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FW(C) 1.24 LEGAL All feeding equipment and utensils must be managed in an hygienic manner, in order to minimise

the risk of disease challenge.

FW(C) 1.25 Calves must not be muzzled.

Water
FW(C) 2.1 All calves must have continuous access to an ad-lib clean fresh water supply.
FW(C) 2.2 There must be at least one drinking space per ten calves unless they are on an ad-lib milk

feeding system.

FW(C) 2.3 All water troughs/bowls must be capable of delivering water in sufficient quantities at all times.
FW(C) 2.4

LEGAL

All drinking vessels/facilities must be managed and maintained in an hygienic manner.

FW(C) 2.5 Water trough/bowls must not result in undue wetting/fouling of the bedded areas of the calves.

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Environment
E(C) 1.1

Any adjacent dairy unit associated with the calf rearing facility, must fulfil the requirements of therecognised national dairy farm assurance scheme as a minimum.

E(C) 1.2

There must be nothing in the environment, such as sharp edges or draughty conditions which havethe potential to cause the calves injury or distress.

E(C) 1.3

LEGAL Internal surfaces of the housing and calf pens must be made of materials which can be readilycleansed and disinfected, or be easily replaced when necessary.

E(C) 1.4

Environmental enrichment must be provided for calves from 6 weeks of age onwards.

LEGAL

Examples of environmental enrichment include short lengths of chain attached to the
pen/gate or brushes.

E(C) 1.5

Where high levels of abnormal sucking behaviour is seen in bucket-fed calves, calves must betransferred to a teat feeding system.

E(C) 1.6

REVISED Ventilation systems, natural or forced, must be designed and managed to maintain good air
quality (see standard E 3.3).

E(C) 1.7

Calves must have access at all times to a lying area which is:
a)

LEGAL

well drained and/or well maintained with dry beddingb)of a sufficient size to allow all calves to lie down at the same time in a normal resting posture
without hindrancec)

LEGAL of a sufficient size to allow all calves to stand up, turn around, lie down, rest and groom
themselves without hindrance.

E(C) 1.8

Calf pens must be of a size that is appropriate for the age, size and breed of the animal.

E(C) 1.9

In systems designed for rearing dairy bull calves where the animals are fully housed with no hard
standing, the minimum total area allowance must be as follows:

E(C) 1.9.1

Liveweight (kgs)

Minimum total area (m2)

< 100

2.0

101-200

3.5

201-2504.0

251-300

4.5

301-350

5.5NEWFor liveweights over 350kg and for heifer calves being reared as dairy herd replacements:a)the space requirements contained in standard E 4.2 must be applied, andb)a bedded area and a hard standing must be provided.

E(C) 1.10

The floor must not be slatted.

E(C) 1.11

REVISED Calves must not be housed individually after 3 weeks of age except in the circumstances outlinedin E(C) 1.11.1 below.

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E(C) 1.11.1 NEW Where calves under 8 weeks of age are brought onto the farm they may be housed individually for

up to one week to allow for close monitoring during their adjustment period.

E(C) 1.11.2 NEW In relation to E(C) 1.11.1, the removal of calves from individual pens into social groups must:a)

not coincide with weaning, and

b)

LEGAL

occur by the time the calves reach 8 weeks of age.
It is favourable for calf socialisation that grouping calves occurs before weaning (seestandard FW(C) 1.7). We recommend that calves are therefore grouped at least one weekprior to weaning.
NEW

E(C) 1.12

Where there is a high risk of infectious disease, consideration must be given to the individual
quarantining of calves for the initial rearing period.

E(C) 1.12.1 Individual quarantine accommodation for calves must be of minimum dimensions 1.0m x 1.8m providing

a minimum floor space of 1.8m2.

E(C) 1.12.2 Construction and siting of individual calf pens used for quarantine must be such that each calf has anopportunity to see, smell and hear other calves.

Lighting
E(C) 2.1

Calves must not be subjected to 24 hour lighting periods.

E(C) 2.1.1

LEGAL

Calves must not be kept permanently in darkness.

E(C) 2.2

LEGAL

There must be adequate fixed or portable lighting to enable the calves to be inspected at all times.
There should be light levels of 100-200 lux at calf level to aid inspection of calves.

E(C) 2.3

To meet their behavioural and physiological needs, appropriate natural or artificial lighting must
be provided.

E(C) 2.4

Artificial lighting must function for a period at least equivalent to the period of natural light normallyavailable between 9am and 5pm.

E(C) 2.5

LEGAL

LEGAL

Low level lighting/dark periods must be provided to promote resting behaviour.

Calf hutches
E(C) 3.1

Hutches must be made of a material which minimises heat stress and wide temperature fluctuations.

E(C) 3.2

The ventilation of the hutch must be able to remove excess humidity and condensation whilst at the sametime eliminating draughts but retaining constant air circulation.

E(C) 3.3

Tethering of calves is prohibited.

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E(C) 3.4

Hutches must be placed on a free draining base and affixed to the ground to prevent movement inhigh winds.

E(C) 3.5

Hutches must be sited in a sheltered spot, away from prevailing weather.

E(C) 3.6

There must be enough bedding in the hutch to exclude any draughts.

E(C) 3.7

LEGAL

E(C) 3.8

Hutches must be of a size appropriate to the age and breed of the animal.

E(C) 3.9

Each calf hutch must provide a sheltered, dry bedded area which as a minimum complies with therequirements laid out in standard E 4.2.

E(C) 3.10

REVISED LEGAL Individual calf housing must be arranged so that calves can see, hear and touch othercalves in neighbouring hutches.

Calves must have access to a dry bed at all times

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Management
NEW Producers that routinely send their replacement heifers to youngstock rearers for rearing
should ensure those rearers also abide by these standards. We are currently reviewing this, andthis may become a requirement in the future.

Receiving new calves onto the unit
M(C) 1.1

Movement of calves on or off farm must not occur at less than 7 days of age unless required forveterinary purposes.
LEGAL

The aim of the RSPCA Assured scheme is to adopt a birth to slaughter policy. The RSPCA
recognises that at the present time this is not always possible for cattle, but will continue
to work towards this objective.

Mixing calves from different sources should be avoided. However, it is acknowledged that
this is not always possible for veal producers when sourcing black and white bull calvesfrom multiple farms.

M(C) 1.1.1

NEW

Calves must not be moved off the farm prior to weaning unless they are going for further rearing.

M(C) 1.2

NEW

Calves under 65 days of age must:a)be bought direct from the producer andb)

not come via a livestock market or collection centre.

M(C) 1.3

All calves coming onto the unit must be the appropriate weight for their age.
A ten day old black and white bull calf should weigh at least 50kgs.
Producers should ensure that bought in calves have received colostrum as set out instandards FW(C) 1.3 and FW(C) 1.3.1.

M(C) 1.4

On arrival, calves must be allowed to rest for 1-2 hours and assessed for general health and hydration
status before further handling/feeding.

M(C) 1.5

After being rested, calves showing signs of disease or dehydration must receive a minimum of 2.5 litresof a proprietary electrolyte solution, with a second feed to be repeated according to manufacturers or
veterinary recommendations at an appropriate time.
If the calves have come from the same source and have travelled for less than an hour,consideration can be given to feeding them the same milk based feed that they havebeen accustomed to at their previous location, provided there are no apparent signs of
ill health.

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Calves: management
M(C) 1.6

The Veterinary Health and Welfare Plan (VHWP) (standard H(C) 1.1) must clearly identify the potential
disease risks associated with mixing calves from different sources and the actions which have to betaken to reduce the risk of disease outbreaks from happening, including the provision of appropriatequarantine measure for new calves.

Handling facilities
M(C) 2.1

There must be a suitable handling system in place which allows the animals to be loaded andexamined/treated as necessary.

Transport/marketing of calves
M(C) 3.1

Calves from RSPCA Assured approved herds must not be exported live from the UK, either directly fromthe farm of origin, or indirectly via a third party.
Standard M(C) 3.1 can be achieved by:a)retaining the calves on the farm of birthb) selling to other producers who are rearing the animals within the UK (you must be able
to supply the RSPCA Assured Assessor or RSPCA Farm Livestock Officer withevidence of this)c)M(C) 3.2

any other method that can be verified to the satisfaction of the RSPCA and RSPCA
Assured as avoiding live export of the calves.

Producers must be able to provide verification of compliance with standard M(C) 3.1 to RSPCA Assured
Assessors and RSPCA Farm Livestock Officers at the time of their visit.
Evidence that could verify compliance with standard M(C) 3.1 includes:• ear tag information (e.g. purchase receipts and records)• movement book and passport information• data on number of calves born, number killed on-farm and number sold/moved off farm.

RSPCA Assured is investigating the possibility of RSPCA Assured-specific ear tags being
made available, which would identify calves born into RSPCA Assured approved herds.

M(C) 3.3

Producers must register with any auction markets they use, the requirement that calves they sell are notfor export.
Producers are encouraged to move towards reducing the distance travelled by calves
they sell, by identifying and using more local outlets whenever possible. Moves towards
increasing the proportion of calves moved directly from farm-to-farm should also be
pursued in order to reduce the risk of associated welfare issues.

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Health and welfare
H(C) 1.1

All units must have a bespoke Veterinary Health and Welfare Plan (VHWP) drawn up in consultation withthe attending veterinary surgeon, covering the issues as set out in the main health section of the RSPCA
welfare standards for dairy cattle (see standard H 1.1).

H(C) 1.2

The VHWP must:a)include the vaccine, biosecurity and hygiene protocols of the unitb)

identify and document the potential disease risks associated with mixing calves from different
sources, and the actions taken to reduce the risk of disease outbreaks happeningc)contain target levels for diseases present on farms and plans to achieve thesed)be reviewed at least annually and updated as necessarye)be made available to the RSPCA Assured Assessor or RPSCA Farm Livestock Officer (FLO).

H(C) 1.2.1 In relation to standard H(C) 1.2 (b) prophylactic dosing of calves with an antibiotic is not permitted.

(Metaphylactic treatment is permissible).

Prophylactic treatment is intended to prevent sickness or disease developing in a groupof healthy animals where a veterinary surgeon has identified there could be a high risk ofbacterial infection. Metaphylactic treatment is intended to control disease spreading ingroups of animals where some are already sick.

H(C) 1.3

The following health records for each batch of calves must be kept as part of the VHWP and madeavailable upon request:a)calf mortality (including dead on arrivals)b)scouring/digestive upsetsc)respiratory ailmentsd)abnormal oral behaviours.
Abnormal oral behaviours include ear/sheath/umbilical sucking, i.e. “cross sucking”,
tongue rolling and excessive licking. Animals showing such behaviours should be
provided with environmental enrichment to help direct the behaviour. If abnormal oral
behaviours are a problem in several animals, a teat feeding system should be provided, if
not currently being used. If being used, then consideration should be given to the speedwith which milk flows through the teats and to the use of slower flowing teats.

H(C) 1.4

NEW

The VHWP must include a stomach tubing protocol, which must include:a)the circumstances that would lead to the stomach tubing of calves,b)

the equipment to be used,c)the procedure to be followed, andd)how and where stomach tubing events will be recorded to allow for monitoring of stomach tube use.

H(C) 1.5

The unit must have the facility to segregate sick animals as required by the attending veterinary surgeon.

H(C) 1.6

Sick individuals must be provided with a source of artificial heat where necessary.

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Calves: health and welfare
H(C) 1.7

REVISED The only potentially injurious husbandry procedures permitted under the RSPCA welfare
standards for dairy cattle are as follows (except those carried out for therapeutic reasons by aveterinary surgeon):a) removal of supernumerary teats using local anaesthetic up to 5 weeks of ageb) disbudding during the first 5 weeks of life, or as soon as a prominent bud has formed, using a hotiron under local anaesthesiac)castration:i.

by the application of a rubber ring after 24 hours of age and before 7 days of age,ii.

by Burdizzo clamp after 24 hours of age and up to 2 months of age,iii. by surgical removal, carried out by a veterinary surgeon after 24 hours of age and up to 2
months of age under local anaesthesia.
H(C) 1.7.1 Procedures relating to standard H(C) 1.7 must:a)

not be performed on sick animalsb)

only be performed in a way which minimises sufferingc)

only be performed by a veterinary surgeon, or by trained and competent stock-keepersd)only be performed using appropriate, properly maintained equipment.
Potentially injurious husbandry procedures should not be carried out at the time of
weaning or grouping of calves as increased stress at these times can lead to increased
disease susceptibility. Ideally, at least two weeks should be left between weaning anddisbudding or castration. This two week period could take place either before or after
weaning.

H(C) 1.7.2 A long-acting pain-relieving drug, such as a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory, must be administered at thetime of the procedures detailed in standard H(C) 1.7.

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Transport
T(C) 1.1

Calves must have access to food and water up to the point of transport.

T(C) 1.2

Transporters must provide minimum headroom, when standing in a natural position, of:Calves – 10cm above highest point of animal.

T(C) 1.3

The following space allowances must be provided during transport:
Small calves

Weight (kg)50

Area per head (m2)
0.3 to 0.4

Medium calves

110

0.4 to 0.7

Heavy calves

200

0.7 to 0.95

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Slaughter/killing
The slaughter of calves is to be conducted in a manner that ensures a high level of welfare isachieved and takes into account practices and procedures specific to calves’ unique needs. The
setting up of a supply chain with veal or beef producers prevents the slaughter of calves that mayotherwise be considered commercially unviable.

If the standards are implemented as written, the aspiration is that:• no mis-stuns occur• < 3% of calves slip, no calves fall
• <3% of calves vocalise• no healthy calves are killed on-farm.
S(C) 1.1

NEW

Calves being sourced by the abattoir for RSPCA Assured veal products must:a)

have come direct from an RSPCA Assured farm andb)

not have come via a livestock market or collection centre.

S(C) 1.2

Slaughter operators must be able to demonstrate that particular attention is given to the considerate
handling of calves.

S(C) 1.3

Calves may be stunned using one of the methods in standard S 7.1.1 or alternatively, by head-only
electrical stunning.

S(C) 1.3.1

In the case of head-only electrical stunning:

S(C) 1.3.2

a)it must be ensured that electrical stunning equipment delivers the appropriate current (see standard
S(C) 1.3.2)b)the current must be checked at the start of the killing process for each batch of animals using a‘tester’ that can simulate the resistance offered by the calves and can check the current andamperage outputs at the tongsc)the outcome of each check referred to in b) must be recorded.

In the case of head-only electrical stunning, the minimum current level during stunning must:a)be no less than 1.25 amps for animals younger than 6 months, and no less than 1.28 amps foranimals over 6 monthsb)

be attained within 1 secondc)be maintained for at least 3 seconds.

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Calves: slaughter/killing

Signs of effective head-only electrical stunning include:a)

Tonic phase• animal collapses and becomes rigid• no rhythmic breathing• head is raised• forelegs extended and hind legs flexed into the bodyb) Clonic phase• gradual relaxation of muscles• paddling or involuntary kicking (can be severe)• downward movement of eyeballs• urination and/or defecation
Deviation from the signs outlined above may be an indication that the stun has beenineffective or that animals are beginning to recover from the stun.

S(C) 1.4

Techniques to lower the resistance of the calves to the electrical current must be used.
Resistance to current flow may vary depending on the condition of the electrodes, the siteof contact with the calf’s head, and the quality of the connection with the calf’s head. The
efficiency of current flow can be improved by regular decarbonising and cleaning ofelectrodes (when dry) with a wire brush.

Male dairy calves
The RSPCA aspires to eliminate the practice of on-farm killing of dairy bull calves (otherthan for health reasons). This could mean the on-farm killing of healthy calves may beprohibited under these standards in the future.

S(C) 2.1

Killing/slaughter of calves on-farm must be carried out by a trained, competent member of staff, named inthe VHWP (see standards H 1.1 and H(C) 1.1).

S(C) 2.2

Personnel that are responsible for calf slaughter/killing must have read, understood and apply therecommendations of the publication Humane Dispatch and Disposal of Infant Calves by the Humane
Slaughter Association.

S(C) 2.3

REVISED

Calves must only be slaughtered/killed on-farm using one of the following methods:a)free bulletb)captive bolt followed by bleeding or pithingc)chemical euthanasia by overdose of an anaesthetic drug (carried out by a veterinary surgeon)-or in an emergency when none of the above are available:d)shotgun.

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Calves: slaughter/killing
S(C) 2.4

Calves that are non-viable or unfit must be slaughtered/killed without delay.

S(C) 2.5

REVISED

Prior to slaughter/killing, all calves on-farm must be cared for in line with all relevant standards.
In some cases, unwanted or unviable animals may be kept in sub-standard conditions
until such a time as they are slaughtered/killed. All animals are to be treated the same
until the point of death, regardless of their financial value.

S(C) 2.6

NEW

Killing unmarketable, healthy calves on-farm must not be a routine procedure.

S(C) 2.7

NEW

The VHWP must include a plan that details how the routine killing of calves will be prevented.

S(C) 2.8

NEW

The plan in S(C) 2.7 must include:a)the use of sexed semenb)

the use of beef semenc)the numbers of calves being supplied into a dairy-beef rearing unit, or the barriers preventing supply
into a dairy-beef rearing unitd)

how to overcome the barriers preventing supply into a dairy-beef rearing unit.

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Appendix 1
Herd biosecurity
All approved units must have a written plan describing precautions to limit the introduction of and/or
spread of disease onto and within the unit (this could be considered as part of the Veterinary Health andWelfare Plan). Herd health is important from financial, welfare and food safety perspectives.
The written policy must include procedures for cleaning and disinfection of buildings and equipment,
specifying the approved dilutions at which chemicals are to be used.
All such chemicals must be on the approved Defra list for the purposes of the Diseases of Animals(Approved Disinfectants) (Amendment) (England) Order 2007. Exceptions are acceptable only underveterinary direction.
The written policy must include procedures for wild animal control (see standards M 9.1 – M 9.20).
Units must have written waste management procedures (manure, slurry, all farm waste and generalrubbish). Waste materials of any nature must not be a risk to animal health or compromise the controlof pests.
Domestic animals must not have access to the unit, other than farm dogs and cats, which must be in aclean, healthy condition and regularly wormed (recorded in Medicine book).
Domestic pets, birds, and wild animals must not have access to carcasses.
Feed stores, offices, toilets, etc., must be maintained in a clean, hygienic condition.

RSPCA welfare standards for dairy cattle

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June 2021

Appendix 2
Transport – standard operating and emergency procedure
Items to be included:1.

Out of hours telephone numbers and emergency procedure.

2.

Accident procedure.

3.

Certificate of motor insurance.

4.

Tyres – punctures – codes of practice.

5.

Mobile phones or other communication equipment (and procedures for use).

6.

Guidelines on correct environmental conditions during the journey, depending on length of journey
and ambient temperature.

7.

RSPCA welfare standards relating to transport of dairy cattle and calves.

8.

Procedure for loading/unloading of cattle delivery vehicles.

9.

Procedure for delivery of cattle to customer sites.

10. FTA – the current version (2017 at the time of printing) of ‘The Driver’s Handbook’ including
Tachograph Regulations.
11. Fire extinguishers.
12. Operating procedures for roadside checks.
13. List of good hygiene measures, including procedure for cleaning of lorries prior to collection of cattle.
14. British Cattle Movement Service booklet: ‘Guidance on keeping cattle, bison and buffalo in GreatBritain’ (Version 1.0, July 2015)15. Daily journey sheets.
16. Torch.
.

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June 2021

Appendix 3

Mobility score
Category of score

Score
Good mobility0

Description of cow behaviour

Suggested actions● Routine (preventative) foot trimming● No action needed● Walks with even weightbearing and rhythm on all four
feet, with a flat back

● Record mobility at next scoring session

only possible solution● In the most severe cases, culling may be theon a straw yard or at grass● Cow should not be made to walk far and kept

● Cow will benefit from treatment● Examine as soon as possible

attention, nursing and further professional advice● This cow is very lame and requires urgent

practically possible● Should be attended to as soon aslameness before treatment● Foot should be lifted to establish the cause of● Lame and likely to benefit from treatment● Further observation recommended

trimming when/if required● Could benefit from routine (preventative) footwhen/if required● Long, fluid strides possible● Steps uneven (rhythm or
weight-bearing) or strides
shortened; affected limb
or limbs not immediately
identifiable

Imperfect mobility

1Impaired mobility

2● Uneven weight-bearing ona limb that is immediately
identifiable and/or obviously
shortened strides (usuallywith an arch to the centre of
the back)● Lame leg easy to identify –limping; may barely stand onlame leg/s; back arched when
standing and walking● Unable to walk as fast as abrisk human pace (cannot
keep up with the healthy herd)

Severely impaired mobility

3● Very lame

June 2021

84

RSPCA welfare standards for dairy cattle

Appendix 3

How to score your herd

Research shows early and effective
treatment of lame cows consistently
works to reduce lameness in a herd.

In general:1

Check your herd, ideally at least once a month.

2

Choose a time and a place that will allow you to observecows, ideally, on a hard, non-slip surface (e.g. concrete).
Monitor each cow individually, allowing them to make
6–10 uninterrupted strides. Watch the cow from the sideand the rear and, if possible, ensure the cow turns a corneras part of her test.

3

Record the identities of cows scoring 2 or 3 and scheduletreatment with regular checks to ensure treatment is working.

4

Keep a tally of cows that score 0 and 1.

5

If you are uncertain about a cow’s exact score, make repeat
observations. If you are still unsure, examine her feet.

For further information on using the
Mobility score, contact your local
Knowledge Exchange Manager or
email healthyfeet@ahdb.org.uk

Key benefits of scoring
1

Every cow is regularly assessed for the early signs of poor
mobility, prompting foot-trimming and action lists.

2

Mobility trends can be monitored to identify new problems
at an early stage.

3

Provision of figures for benchmarking performance.

4

General foot health awareness is increased.

5

Motivates farm staff to improve herd mobility
and therefore overall herd health.

The Register of Mobility Scorers (RoMS)
is an independent, self-regulatory bodythat encourages the widespread use ofstandardised, independent mobility
scoring conducted by trained andaccredited scorers. Find out more
about RoMS at roms.org.uk

Mobility score
Category of score

Score

Description of cow behaviour

Suggested actions

Good mobility0● Walks with even weight-

bearing and rhythm on all four
feet, with a flat back

● Long, fluid strides possible● No action needed● Routine (preventative) foot trimmingwhen/if required● Record mobility at next scoring session

Imperfect mobility

1● Steps uneven (rhythm or

weight-bearing) or strides
shortened; affected limb
or limbs not immediately
identifiable● Could benefit from routine (preventative) foottrimming when/if required● Further observation recommended

Impaired mobility● Uneven weight-bearing on

2

a limb that is immediately
identifiable and/or obviously
shortened strides (usuallywith an arch to the centre of
the back)● Lame and likely to benefit from treatment● Foot should be lifted to establish the cause oflameness before treatment● Should be attended to as soon aspractically possible

Severely impaired mobility● Unable to walk as fast as a3

brisk human pace (cannot
keep up with the healthy herd)● Lame leg easy to identify –limping; may barely stand onlame leg/s; back arched when
standing and walking● Very lame

RSPCA welfare standards for dairy cattle

85● This cow is very lame and requires urgent

attention, nursing and further professional advice● Examine as soon as possible● Cow will benefit from treatment● Cow should not be made to walk far and kept
on a straw yard or at grass● In the most severe cases, culling may be theonly possible solution

June 2021

Appendix 3

Mobility score
Farm:
Date:
Scorer:Total number of cows scored:

Score 0 and 1

Score 2

Score 3

Acceptable mobility

Likely to benefit from treatment

Very lame – treatment urgently required

Tally the number of cows

Record the IDs of any cows showing
signs of Score 2

Record the IDs of any cows showing
signs of Score 3Group 1

Number of cows:

Number of cows:

Number of cows:

Number of cows:

Number of cows:

Number of cows:

Number of cows:

Number of cows:

Number of cows:

Group 2

Number of cows:

Group 3

Number of cows:

Group 4

Number of cows:
Total cows:%

Total cows:%

Total cows:%

Mobility index% of cows in the herd scoring 0 and 1%

ahdb.org.uk/healthyfeetprogramme

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Appendix 4
AssureWel Dairy Cattle Assessment Protocol and Scoresheet	
  Dairy	  Cattle	  Assessment	
  protocol	
  	
  Guidance	
  on	
  sampling:	  	
  Individual	
  measures	
  1a.	
  Mobility	
  –	
  individual	
  scoring	
  
2.	
  	
  	
  Body	  condition	
  
3.	
  	
  	
  Cleanliness	
  	
  
4.	
  	
  	
  Hair	  loss,	  Lesions	
  
5.	
  	
  	
  Swellings	
  
	
  
Herd	
  measures	
  
6.	
  	
  	
  Broken	
  tails	
  
7.	
  	
  	
  Response	
  to	
  stockperson	
  
	
  
All	
  animals	
  on	
  farm	
  
8.	
  	
  	
  Cows	  needing	
  further	
  care	  	
  •   Assessed	
  on	
  20	
  cows	
  from	  the	
  dairy	
  herd,	  sampled	
  randomly	
  from	  all	
  groups	
  of	
  milking	
  cows	  by	
  assessor.	
  Lying	
  cows	  need	  not	  be	
  included	
  if	
  it	
  might	
  risk	  their	
  welfare.	
  	
  •   3	  or	
  more	  cows	  out	  of	
  the	
  20	
  to	
  be	
  assessed	
  jointly	
  with	  the	
  stockperson	
  (record	
  assessor’s	
  score	
  only).	
  •   Assessed	
  across	
  all	
  milking	
  cows.	
  •   Assessed	
  across	
  all	
  animals	
  on	
  farm.	
  •   For	
  example	
  identify	
  any	  mobility	
  score	  three	
  cows	  not	  receiving	
  adequate	
  care	  /	
  treatment.	
  	
  Records	
  measures	
  1b.	
  Mobility	
  –	
  assessment	
  1c.	
  Mobility	
  –	
  lameness	  incidence	
  	
  	
  	
  

•   From	
  records.	
  	
  (cases	  of	
  lameness	
  per	
  100	
  cows	  per	
  year)	
  1d.	
  Mobility	
  -­‐	
  lameness	
  prevalence	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  

(%	
  of	
  score	  2	
  and	  3	  cows	
  at	
  any	
  moment	
  in	
  time)	
  

9.	
  	
  	
  Mastitis	
  10.	
  Calf	  /	
  Heifer	
  survivability	
  11.	
  Cull	  and	
  Casualty	
  Cows	
  
	
  

	
  

RSPCA welfare standards for dairy cattle

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June 2021

Appendix 4
1.	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  Mobility	  a)	
  Individual	
  scoring	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
   	
  
Sample:	
  	
  

	
  

	
  

	
  

	
  	
  	
  

	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  

	
  

	
  

	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  Individual	
  measure	
  20	
  cows	  selected	
  at	
  random	
  (3	
  or	
  more	  assessed	
  jointly	
  with	  stockperson)	
  

	
  

Assess	  using	  the	
  DairyCo	
  scoring	
  method.	
  Observe	
  cows,	
  ideally	
  on	
  a	
  hard	  (i.e.	
  concrete)	
  non-­‐slip	
  surface.	
  Monitor	
  each	  cow	  individually	
  allowing	
  them	  to	
  make	  between	
  6-­‐10	
  uninterrupted	
  strides.	
  Watch	  the	
  cow	
  from	  the	
  side	  and	  the	
  rear.	
  
	
  

b)	
  Assessment	
  

	
  

	
  

	
  

	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
   	
  

	
  	
  	
  

	
  

	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  

	
  

	
  

Images	  kindly	
  supplied	
  by	
  DairyCo	
  Scoring:	
  	
  
	
  
0/1	
  =	
  	
   Good/Imperfect	
  mobility	
  	
  	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
Walks	
  with	  even	  weight	
  bearing	
  and	
  rhythm	
  on	
  all	
  four	  feet,	  with	  a	
  flat	  back;	
  	
  
	
  
long	
  fluid	
  strides	
  possible;	
  or	
  steps	
  uneven	
  (rhythm	
  or	
  weight	
  bearing)	
  or	
  	
  
	
  
strides	
  shortened;	
  affected	
  limb/s	
  not	
  immediately	
  identifiable	
  
	
  
2	
  	
  	
  	
  =	
   Impaired	
  mobility	
  	
  
	
  
Uneven	  weight	
  bearing	
  on	
  a	
  limb	  that	  is	
  immediately	
  identifiable	
  	
  
	
  
and/or	  obviously	
  shortened	
  stride	
  	
  
	
  
	
  (usually	
  with	  an	
  arch	  to	
  the	
  centre	
  of	
  the	
  back)	
  
	
  
3	
  	
  	
  	
  =	
  	
   Severely	
  impaired	
  mobility	  	
  Unable	  to	
  walk	  as	
  fast	  as	
  a	
  brisk	
  human	
  pace	  (cannot	
  keep	
  up	
  with	  the	
  healthy	
  herd)	
  and	
  signs	
  of	
  impaired	
  mobility	
  (score	
  2)	
  
	
  
	
  
Please	  indicate	
  if	
  mobility	
  scoring	
  is	
  carried	
  out	  at	  pasture.	
  	
  

	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  Records	
  Verify	  if	
  mobility	
  scoring	
  is	
  being	
  carried	
  out	  on	
  farm.	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  
Check	
  and	
  comment	
  on	
  who	  is	
  carrying	
  this	  out,	
  any	
  formal	
  training	
  they	  have	  received	
  and	  the	
  frequency	
  and	
  scope	
  (e.g.	
  whole	  herd)	  of	
  mobility	
  scoring	
  conducted.	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
c)	
  Lameness	
  (incidence)	
  per	
  100	
  cows	
  

	
  

	
  

	
  

	
  

	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  Records	
  Record	  the	
  number	
  of	
  new	
  cases	  of	
  lameness	
  per	
  100	
  cows	  in	
  the	
  most	  recently	
  completed	
  12	
  month	  period.	
  	
  
This	
  is	
  calculated	
  as:	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  No.	  of	
  new	
  cases	  of	
  lameness	
  in	
  the	
  herd	  in	
  the	
  most	  recently	
  completed	
  12	
  month	  period	  	  x	  100	
  

	
  

	
  
	
  
	
  
Average	
  no.	  of	
  cows	  in	
  the	
  herd	  in	
  the	
  most	  recently	
  completed	
  12	
  month	  period	
  
	
  
	
  
1.	
  Cases	  include	
  clinical	
  cases,	
  non-­‐routine	
  trimmings	
  and	
  treatments	
  and	
  medications.	
  If	
  a	
  cow	  receives	
  both	  a	
  medical	
  treatment	
  and	  a	
  non-­‐routine	
  trim	  on	
  the	
  same	  limb	
  within	
  4	
  months	
  of	
  each	  other,	
  it	
  should	
  only	  be	
  noted	  as	
  one	
  case.	
  	
  
	
  
2.	
  Record	
  cases	
  at	
  the	
  limb	
  level,	  rather	
  than	
  the	
  claw	
  level.	
  However,	
  if	
  a	
  cow	
  has	
  two	  different	
  conditions	
  on	
  the	
  same	  limb	
  at	
  
the	
  same	  time	  it	
  should	
  be	
  counted	
  as	
  two	
  cases.	
  
	
  
3.	
  Record	
  a	
  new	
  case	  if	
  the	
  same	  cow	  is	
  noted	
  down	
  but	
  treatment	
  is	
  received	
  on	
  a	
  different	
  limb.	
  A	
  new	
  case	  on	
  the	
  same	  limb	  occurs	  when	
  the	
  limb	
  becomes	
  sound	  or	
  the	
  lesion	
  is	
  healed	
  for	  4	  months	
  or	
  more	  and	  then	
  requires	
  treatment,	
  or	
  a	
  
new	
  condition	
  is	
  found	
  on	
  the	
  same	  limb.	
  
	
  
d)	
  Lameness	
  prevalence	
   	
  

	
  

	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
   	
  

	
  	
  	
  

	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  

	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  Records	
  Record	  the	
  number	  of	
  score	  2	
  cattle,	
  the	
  number	  of	
  score	  3	
  cattle	  (these	
  should	
  be	
  separate	
  figures);	
  the	
  number	  of	
  cattle	
  scored	  and	  the	
  date	  mobility	
  scoring	
  was	
  carried	
  out	
  for	  up	  to	
  four	  whole	  herd	  mobility	
  scores.	
  
	
  

This	
  is	
  only	  to	  be	
  collected	
  if	
  whole	  herd	  mobility	
  scoring	
  (including	
  sick	  pen	
  animals	
  but	  may	
  exclude	
  dry	
  cows)	
  is	
  being	
  carried	
  out	
  according	  to	
  the	  AHDB	
  Dairy	
  protocol.	
  Note	  down	  raw	
  data	  where	
  possible,	
  there	
  is	
  no	
  need	  to	
  calculate	
  percentages.	
  If	
  only	  percentages	
  are	  available	
  then	
  use	  these.	
  If	
  whole	  herd	  mobility	
  scoring	
  according	
  to	
  the	  AHDB	
  Dairy	
  protocol	
  is	
  not	  being	
  carried	
  out	  then	  do	
  not	  collect	
  any	
  data.	
  
	
  

If	
  whole	  herd	  mobility	
  scores	
  are	
  carried	
  out:	  ●   more	
  frequently	
  than	
  4	
  times	
  a	
  year:	
  select	  4	
  sets	  of	
  data	  evenly	
  spread	
  (not	  from	  adjacent	
  months),	
  including	
  the	
  latest	
  figures	  ●   	
  less	  frequently	
  than	
  4	
  times	
  a	
  year:	
  enter	
  all	  the	
  data	  available	  ●   only	
  once	  a	
  year:	
  enter	  the	
  figure	
  into	  both	  the	
  first	
  column	
  and	  the	
  annual	
  average	
  box.	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  

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Appendix 4
	
  
2.	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  Body	  condition	
   	
  

	
  

	
  

	
  

	
  

	
  

	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  

	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  Individual	
  measure	
  Sample:	  	  	
   20	
  cows	  selected	
  at	
  random	
  (3	
  or	
  more	  assessed	
  jointly	
  with	  stockperson)	
  	
  
	
  
Visually	
  assess	
  cattle	
  based	  on	
  the	
  Defra	
  condition	
  scoring	
  method,	
  viewing	
  the	
  animal	
  from	  behind	
  and	
  from	  the	
  side,	  the	
  tail	  head	
  and	
  loin	  area:	  	
  Scoring:	
  
	
  
Thin	
  	
  	
  	
   	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  =	
   Defra	
  score	  1	
  to	
  less	  than	
  2	
  
	
  
Score	  1:	  Tail	  head	  –	
  deep	  cavity	
  with	  no	
  fatty	
  tissue	
  	
  
	
  
under	
  skin.	
  	
   	
  
	
  
Skin	
  fairly	
  supple	  but	
  coat	  condition	
  often	
  rough.	
  	
  
	
  
Loin	
  –	
  spine	  prominent	
  and	
  horizontal	
  processes	
  	
  
	
  
sharp.	
  	
  
	
  
	
  
The	
  following	
  list	  should	
  assist	
  in	
  making	
  a	
  confident	
  decision	
  with	  cows	  in	
  BCS	
  <2.	  	  
	  Individual	
  vertebra	
  will	  be	
  distinct	
  along	  the	
  backbone.	
  	
  Individual	
  horizontal	
  processes	
  are	
  visible	
  as	
  individual	
  bones	
  and	
  give	  a	
  prominent	
  shelf-­‐like	
  appearance	
  to	
  the	
  loin.	  	
  Outline	
  of	
  4	
  or	
  more	  ribs	  are	
  visible.	
  	
  Outline	  of	
  the	
  hook	  bone	  is	
  visible	
  and	
  angular	
  with	  no	
  fat	  padding.	
  	
  Outline	  of	
  the	
  pin	
  bone	  is	
  visible	
  and	
  angular	
  with	  no	
  fat	  padding.	
  	
  Tailhead	
  is	
  prominently	
  visible.	
  Either	
  side	  of	
  tailhead	
  is	
  sunken	
  and	
  hollow.	
  There	  are	
  folds	
  of	
  skin	  in	
  the	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  
depression	
  between	
  the	
  tail	  head	  and	
  pin	
  bone.	
  	
  
	
  
Thurl	  is	
  sunken	
  and	
  curved	
  in.	  	  	  Moderate	  =	
  	
  Defra	
  score	
  2	
  or	
  3	
  to	
  less	  than	
  4	
  
	
  −	
  Good	  Score	  2:	  	
  Tail	  head	  –	
  shallow	
  cavity	
  but	
  pin	
  bones	
  	
  
	
  
prominent;	
  some	  fat	
  under	  skin,	  skin	  supple.	
  	
  
	
  
Loin	
  –	
  horizontal	
  processes	
  can	  be	
  identified	
  	
  
	
  
individually	
  with	  ends	  rounded.	
  	
  
	
  
	
  
Score	  3:	  Tail	  head	  –	
  fat	  cover	  over	  whole	  area	  and	
  	
  
	
  
skin	
  smooth	
  but	  pelvis	
  may	  be	
  seen.	
  	
  
	
  
Loin	
  –	
  end	  of	
  individual	
  horizontal	
  process	
  	
  
	
  
cannot	  be	
  seen;	
  only	  slight	
  depression	
  in	
  loin.	
  	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  	
  Fat	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  =	
   Defra	
  score	
  4	
  to	
  5	
  
	
  
Score	
  4/5:	
  Tail	  head	  –	
  completely	
  filled	
  or	
  buried	
  	
  
	
  
and	
  folds	
  and	
  patches	
  of	
  fat	
  evident.	
  	
  
	
  
Loin	
  –	
  cannot	  see	
  horizontal	
  processes	
  and	  	  
	  completely	
  rounded	
  appearance	
  (a	  slight	
  loin	  	  	  depression	
  may	
  still	  be	
  seen).	
  	
  

	
  
	
  
The	
  following	
  list	  should	
  assist	
  in	
  making	
  a	
  confident	
  decision	
  with	  cows	  in	
  BCS	
  ≥4.	
  	
  
	
  
Back	
  is	
  solid	
  and	
  straight.	
  	
  Individual	
  horizontal	
  processes	
  are	  no	
  longer	
  visible	
  as	
  individual	
  bones	  but	  a	
  rounded	
  shelf-­‐like	
  appearance	
  is	
  still	
  observable.	
  
	
  
Hook	
  bones	  are	
  rounded	
  with	  obvious	
  fat	  padding	  or	  may	  not	  be	
  obviously	
  visible	
  because	
  they	  are	
  buried	
  in	
  fat.	
  	
  
	
  
Pin	
  bones	  are	
  rounded	
  with	  obvious	
  fat	  padding	  or	  may	  not	  be	
  obviously	
  visible	
  because	
  they	  are	
  buried	
  in	
  fat.	
  
	
  
Tail	
  head	  and	
  thurl	
  is	
  filled	
  in.	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  

RSPCA welfare standards for dairy cattle

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Appendix 4
	
  
2.	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  Body	  condition	
   	
  

	
  

	
  

	
  

	
  

	
  

	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  

	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  Individual	
  measure	
  Sample:	  	  	
   20	
  cows	  selected	
  at	
  random	
  (3	
  or	
  more	  assessed	
  jointly	
  with	  stockperson)	
  	
  
	
  
Visually	
  assess	
  cattle	
  based	  on	
  the	
  Defra	
  condition	
  scoring	
  method,	
  viewing	
  the	
  animal	
  from	  behind	
  and	
  from	  the	
  side,	  the	
  tail	  head	
  and	
  loin	  area:	  	
  Scoring:	
  
	
  
Thin	
  	
  	
  	
   	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  =	
   Defra	
  score	  1	
  to	
  less	  than	
  2	
  
	
  
Score	  1:	  Tail	  head	  –	
  deep	  cavity	
  with	  no	
  fatty	
  tissue	
  	
  
	
  
under	
  skin.	
  	
   	
  
	
  
Skin	
  fairly	
  supple	  but	
  coat	  condition	
  often	
  rough.	
  	
  
	
  
Loin	
  –	
  spine	  prominent	
  and	
  horizontal	
  processes	
  	
  
	
  
sharp.	
  	
  
	
  
	
  
The	
  following	
  list	  should	
  assist	
  in	
  making	
  a	
  confident	
  decision	
  with	  cows	  in	
  BCS	
  <2.	  	  
	  Individual	
  vertebra	
  will	  be	
  distinct	
  along	  the	
  backbone.	
  	
  Individual	
  horizontal	
  processes	
  are	
  visible	
  as	
  individual	
  bones	
  and	
  give	  a	
  prominent	
  shelf-­‐like	
  appearance	
  to	
  the	
  loin.	  	
  Outline	
  of	
  4	
  or	
  more	  ribs	  are	
  visible.	
  	
  Outline	  of	
  the	
  hook	  bone	  is	
  visible	
  and	
  angular	
  with	  no	
  fat	  padding.	
  	
  Outline	  of	
  the	
  pin	
  bone	  is	
  visible	
  and	
  angular	
  with	  no	
  fat	  padding.	
  	
  Tailhead	
  is	
  prominently	
  visible.	
  Either	
  side	  of	
  tailhead	
  is	
  sunken	
  and	
  hollow.	
  There	  are	
  folds	
  of	
  skin	  in	
  the	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  
depression	
  between	
  the	
  tail	  head	  and	
  pin	
  bone.	
  	
  
	
  
Thurl	  is	
  sunken	
  and	
  curved	
  in.	  	  	  Moderate	  =	
  	
  Defra	
  score	
  2	
  or	
  3	
  to	
  less	  than	
  4	
  
	
  −	
  Good	  Score	  2:	  	
  Tail	  head	  –	
  shallow	
  cavity	
  but	
  pin	
  bones	
  	
  
	
  
prominent;	
  some	  fat	
  under	  skin,	  skin	  supple.	
  	
  
	
  
Loin	
  –	
  horizontal	
  processes	
  can	  be	
  identified	
  	
  
	
  
individually	
  with	  ends	  rounded.	
  	
  
	
  
	
  
Score	  3:	  Tail	  head	  –	
  fat	  cover	  over	  whole	  area	  and	
  	
  
	
  
skin	
  smooth	
  but	  pelvis	
  may	  be	
  seen.	
  	
  
	
  
Loin	
  –	
  end	  of	
  individual	
  horizontal	
  process	
  	
  
	
  
cannot	  be	
  seen;	
  only	  slight	
  depression	
  in	
  loin.	
  	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  	
  Fat	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  =	
   Defra	
  score	
  4	
  to	
  5	
  
	
  
Score	
  4/5:	
  Tail	  head	  –	
  completely	
  filled	
  or	
  buried	
  	
  
	
  
and	
  folds	
  and	
  patches	
  of	
  fat	
  evident.	
  	
  
	
  
Loin	
  –	
  cannot	  see	
  horizontal	
  processes	
  and	  	  
	  completely	
  rounded	
  appearance	
  (a	  slight	
  loin	  	  	  depression	
  may	
  still	  be	
  seen).	
  	
  

	
  
	
  
The	
  following	
  list	  should	
  assist	
  in	
  making	
  a	
  confident	
  decision	
  with	  cows	  in	
  BCS	
  ≥4.	
  	
  
	
  
Back	
  is	
  solid	
  and	
  straight.	
  	
  Individual	
  horizontal	
  processes	
  are	  no	
  longer	
  visible	
  as	
  individual	
  bones	  but	  a	
  rounded	
  shelf-­‐like	
  appearance	
  is	
  still	
  observable.	
  
	
  
Hook	
  bones	  are	
  rounded	
  with	  obvious	
  fat	  padding	  or	  may	  not	  be	
  obviously	
  visible	
  because	
  they	  are	
  buried	
  in	
  fat.	
  	
  
	
  
Pin	
  bones	  are	
  rounded	
  with	  obvious	
  fat	  padding	  or	  may	  not	  be	
  obviously	
  visible	
  because	
  they	  are	
  buried	
  in	
  fat.	
  
	
  
Tail	
  head	  and	
  thurl	
  is	
  filled	
  in.	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  

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June 2021

Appendix 4

3.	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  Cleanliness	
  	
  
	
  
Sample:	
  	
  

	
  

	
  

	
  

	
  

	
  

	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
   	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  

	
  

	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  Individual	
  measure	
  20	
  cows	  selected	
  at	
  random	
  (3	
  or	
  more	  assessed	
  jointly	
  with	  stockperson)	
  	
  

	
  

Visually	
  assess	
  the	
  one	
  randomly	
  selected	
  side	  of	
  the	
  animal	
  and	  behind,	
  only	  including	
  the	
  hind	  	
  quarters	
  to	
  coronary	
  band	  and	
  udder:	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  

Scoring:	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  

	
  0	
  	
   =	
  	
  
	
  	
   	
  
2	
   =	
  	
  
	
   	
  
	
   	
  

Clean	  No	
  dirt	  or	
  only	  minor	
  splashing	  present	
  Very	
  Dirty	  An	
  area	  of	
  dirtiness	
  (i.e.	
  layer	  or	
  plaques	
  of	
  dirt)	
  amounting	
  to	
  at	
  least	  	
  forearm	  length	
  (40cm)	
  in	
  any	
  dimension.	
  

	
  

	
  
	
  
4.	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  Hair	  loss	  and	  Lesions	
  

	
  

	
  

	
  

	
  

	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
   	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  

	
  

	
  
Sample:	  	
  20	
  cows	  selected	
  at	
  random	
  (3	
  or	
  more	  assessed	
  jointly	
  with	  stockperson)	
  	
  Visually	
  assess	
  the	
  following	
  regions	
  of	
  one	  (randomly	
  selected)	
  side	  of	
  the	
  animal,	
  	
  
from	
  a	
  distance	
  not	
  exceeding	
  2m	
  (see	  picture):	
  
	
  
	
  a.	
  Head	  &	  Neck	
  
	
  
	
  b.	
  Body	  (including	
  flank,	
  back	  &	
  hindquarter)	
  
	
  c.	
  Front	
  leg	
  	
  
	
  d.	
  Rear	  legs	  (including	
  outside	
  of	
  the	
  near	  leg	
  and	
  inside	
  of	
  the	
  far	
  leg	  as	
  well	  as	
  the	
  
	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  udder	
  with	  teats)	
  	
  	
  Scoring:	
  
	
  0	
  	
  	
  	
  =	
  	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  
	
  
	
  H	
  	
  	
  	
  =	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  L	
  	
  	
  	
  =	
  	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  	
  

	
  	
  Individual	
  measure	
  

	
  

	
  

	
  	
  
No	
  hair	  loss	  or	
  lesion	
  	
  
No	
  lesions	
  or	
  hairless	
  patches	
  ≥2cm	  diameter.	
  	
  
No	
  hair	  is	
  missing	  or	
  any	
  hairless/bald	
  patch	  is	
  smaller	
  
than	
  a	
  £1	
  coin	  (2cm	  diameter).	
  	
  	
  
	
  
	
  	
   	
  
	
   	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  

	
  

	
  

	
  

	
  

Hairless	
  patches	  	  	
  One	  or	
  more	  hairless	
  patches	
  (may	  include	
  scars)	
  	
  
≥2cm	
  diameter	
  Lesion	
  	
  
One	
  or	
  more	  lesions	
  (areas	  of	
  skin	
  damage	
  i.e.	
  	
  wound	  or	
  scab)	
  ≥	
  2cm	  diameter.	
  	
  (Score	  as	
  a	
  lesion	
  even	
  if	
  accompanied	
  by	
  a	
  hairless	
  patch.	
  Do	
  not	  include	
  scars)	
  

	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  

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June 2021

Appendix 4
	
  

5.	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  Swellings	
  	
   	
  

	
  

	
  

	
  

	
  

	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  

	
  

	
  

	
  

	
  	
  Individual	
  measure	
  Sample:	  	
  20	
  cows	  selected	
  at	
  random	
  (3	
  or	
  more	  assessed	
  jointly	
  with	  stockperson)	
  	
  Visually	
  assess	
  the	
  following	
  regions	
  of	
  one	  (randomly	
  selected)	
  side	  of	
  the	
  animal,	
  	
  
from	
  a	
  distance	
  not	
  exceeding	
  2m	
  (see	  picture):	
  
	
  
	
  a.	
  Head	  &	  Neck	  	
  b.	
  Body	  (including	
  flank,	
  back	  &	
  hindquarter)	
  
	
  c.	
  Front	
  leg	
  	
  
	
  d.	
  Rear	  legs	  (including	
  outside	
  of	
  the	
  near	  leg	
  and	
  inside	
  of	
  the	
  far	
  leg	  as	
  well	  as	
  the	
  	
  
	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  udder	
  with	  teats)	
  
	
  
	
   	
  
	
   	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  

	
  Scoring:	
  
	
  0	
  	
  	
  	
  =	
  	
  
	
  

	
  	
  
No	
  swelling	
  	
  	
  
No	
  swelling	
  or	
  no	
  swelling	  ≥2cm	  diameter	
  (smaller	
  than	
  grape-­‐sized)	
  

	
  
	
  
	
  

	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
1S	
  	
  	
  	
  =	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  

	
  

Mild	
  swelling	
  	
  
Mild	
  swelling	
  is	
  such	  that	  the	
  normal	
  anatomy	
  of	
  the	  area	
  is	
  	
  
enlarged,	
  poorly	
  defined	
  or	
  obscured.	
  Around	  the	
  hock	  and	  the	
  knee	  this	
  will	  be	
  apparent	
  as	
  a	
  lack	
  of	
  	
  
definition	
  of	
  the	
  tendons	
  and	
  other	  structures	
  around	  the	
  joint,	
  and	  the	
  hock	  will	  appear	  to	
  have	  lost	  the	
  ‘waist’	
  to	
  the	
  joint.	
  On	
  other	  parts	
  of	
  the	
  body	  the	
  swelling	
  will	  be	
  2-­‐	
  5cm	  in	
  diameter	
  
e.g.	
  a	
  golf	  ball.	
  	
  
	
  	
  

	
  
	
  2S	
  	
  	
  	
  =	
  	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  

Substantial	
  swelling	  	
  Substantial	
  swelling	
  is	
  an	
  abnormal	
  enlargement	
  which	
  is	
  a	
  	
  
prominent	
  /	
  pronounced	
  extension	
  away	  from	  the	
  body.	
  	  	
  Around	  the	
  hock	  and	  the	
  knee	  (carpus)	
  this	
  will	  be	
  apparent	
  as	
  an	
  
obviously	
  rounded	
  swelling	  >5cm	  in	
  diameter,	
  e.g.	
  the	
  size	
  of	
  a	
  
clementine.	
  On	
  other	  parts	
  of	
  the	
  body	  the	
  swelling	
  may	  be	
  long,	
  rather	
  than	  round.	
  	
  

	
  

	
  
NB:	
  swollen	
  hocks	
  =	
  a	
  thickening	
  of	
  the	
  joint	
  such	  that	  the	
  usual	
  joint	
  anatomy	
  becomes	
  poorly	
  defined	
  or	
  obscured.	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  

6.	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  Broken	
  tails	
  

	
  

	
  

	
  

	
  

	
  

	
  

	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
   	
  

	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  Herd	  measure	
  Whilst	  assessing	
  the	
  herd,	
  record	  the	
  number	
  of	
  animals	
  that	  show	
  evidence	
  of	
  a	
  broken	
  tail,	  including	  tails	
  that	  are	
  bent,	
  short	  or	
  injured.	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  
Investigate	
  and	  record	
  possible	
  causes	
  of	
  any	
  broken	
  tails	
  observed.	
  
	
  
	
  

RSPCA welfare standards for dairy cattle

	
  

91

June 2021

Appendix 4
	
  
	
  
	
  

7.	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  Response	
  of	
  cattle	
  to	
  stockperson	
  

	
  

	
  

	
  

	
  

	
  

	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
   	
  

	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  Herd	  measure	
  Check	
  whether	
  the	  person	  present	
  for	  the	
  assessment	
  is	
  the	
  regular	
  stockperson.	
  Throughout	
  the	
  visit,	
  observe	
  the	  response	
  of	
  the	
  cattle	
  to	
  the	
  stockperson	
  as	
  they	  approach	
  and	
  interact	
  with	  the	
  cattle.	
  As	
  
far	
  as	
  possible	
  assess	
  response	
  to	
  the	
  stockperson	
  alone,	  rather	
  than	
  the	
  assessor.	
  	
  
	
  

Scoring:	
  
	
  
	
  

0	
  	
   =	
  	
  
1	
   =	
  
2	
   =	
  	
  

Sociable	
  (to	  the	
  stockperson)	
  Relaxed	  Nervous	
  

	
  
	
  

8.	
  	
   Cows	
  needing	
  further	
  care	
  

	
  

	
  

	
  

	
  

	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
   	
  

	
  	
  	
  

	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  All	
  animals	
  on	
  farm	  Assess	  the	
  whole	  herd	  -­‐	  including	
  the	
  milking	
  herd,	  dry	
  cows,	  in-­‐calf	
  heifers,	
  calves,	
  hospital	
  pens	  and	
  animals	
  that	  are	
  due	  to	
  leave	  the	
  farm.	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  
Record	  and	
  comment	
  on	
  the	
  number	  of	
  any	
  sick	  or	
  injured	
  cows	  that	  would	
  benefit	
  from	  further	
  intervention	
  (including	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  
mobility	
  score	  3	
  cows).	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  
Further	
  interventions	
  could	  include	
  further	
  treatment,	
  hospitalisation	
  (i.e.	
  removal	
  from	  the	
  main	  herd)	
  or	
  culling.	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  
Do	
  not	  include	
  sick	  or	
  injured	
  cows	  already	  receiving	
  suitable	
  care.	
  
	
  
	
  

9.	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  Mastitis	
  

	
  

	
  

	
  

	
  

	
  

	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
   	
  

	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  

	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  

	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  Records	
  Record	  the	
  number	
  of	
  recorded	
  cases	
  of	
  mastitis	  per	
  100	
  cows	  for	  the	  previous	
  12	
  months.	
  	
  	
  
This	
  is	
  calculated	
  as:	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  No.	  of	
  recorded	
  cases	
  of	
  clinical	
  mastitis	
  in	
  the	
  herd	  over	  the	  previous	
  12	
  months	
  x100	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
Average	
  no.	  of	
  cows	  in	
  the	
  herd	  over	  the	  previous	
  12	
  months	
  
	
  
1.	
  Only	  include	
  cases	
  of	
  clinical	
  mastitis	
  which	  can	  be	
  identified	
  on	
  the	
  basis	
  of	
  the	
  relevant	
  clinical	
  signs,	
  which	  include:	
  observable	
  changes	
  in	
  the	
  cow’s	
  milk	  (e.g.	
  altered	
  milk	  colour	  or	
  consistency	
  and/or	
  the	  presence	
  of	
  clots,	
  flecks/flakes,	
  or	
  pus	  in	
  the	
  milk);	
  and/or	
  observable	
  changes	
  to	
  the	
  cow’s	
  udder	
  (e.g.	
  swelling,	
  reddening,	
  hardening,	
  and	  the	
  udder	  being	
  hot	  or	
  painful	  to	
  touch)	
  -­‐	
  which	
  may	  or	
  may	  not	  be	
  accompanied	
  by	
  general	
  signs	
  of	
  illness,	
  such	  as	
  increased	
  body	  temperature,	
  lack	  of	
  appetite,	
  depression	
  etc.	
  You	
  should	  not	  include	
  instances	
  of	
  subclinical	
  mastitis	
  (i.e.	
  cases	
  of	
  high	  milk	  somatic	
  cell	  count	
  without	
  any	  of	
  the	
  above	
  clinical	
  signs)	
  or	
  dry	
  cow	  therapy	
  treatments	
  
	
  
2.	
  Count	
  cases	
  at	
  the	
  cow	
  rather	
  than	
  the	
  udder	
  quarter	
  level,	  i.e.	
  if	
  a	
  cow	
  has	
  two	
  affected	
  quarters	
  this	
  should	
  be	
  counted	
  as	
  
a	
  single	
  case	  	
  3.	
  Use	  the	  7	  day	
  rule	  to	
  identify	  a	  ‘new	
  case’	  in	  a	  previously	
  affected	
  cow:	
  if	
  mastitis	
  clears	
  up	
  and	  then	  recurs	
  in	
  the	
  same	  cow	
  after	  a	
  period	
  of	
  7	
  or	
  more	  days	  count	
  this	  as	
  a	
  new	
  case.	
  If	
  it	
  recurs	
  sooner	
  than	
  this,	  however,	
  it	
  should	
  be	
  thought	
  of	
  as	
  a	
  
recurrence	
  of	
  the	  previous	
  case	  (regardless	
  of	
  which	  quarter	
  is	
  affected)	
  and	  therefore	
  not	
  counted	
  a	
  second	
  time	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  

10.	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  Calf	  /	
  Heifer	
  Survivability	
   	
  

	
  

	
  

	
  

	
  

	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  

	
  

	
  

	
  	
  	
  	
  

	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  Records	
  Record	  the	
  number	  of	
  losses	  per	
  100	
  cows	  calved	
  (for	  the	  previous	
  12	
  months)	
  for	  the	
  following	
  categories:	
  
	
  

a)	
  0	
  -­‐	
  24hrs	
  -­‐	  all	
  calves	
  (including	
  stillborn)	
  
b)	
  24	
  hrs	  -­‐	  42	  days	  -­‐	  all	
  calves*	
  
c)	
  42	
  days	  -­‐	
  1st	
  calving	
  -­‐	
  dairy	  heifers	
  
st
d)	
  1 	
  calving	
  -­‐	
  2nd	
  calving	
  -­‐	
  dairy	  heifers.	
  
	
  
*do	
  not	  include	
  animals	
  which	  are	
  sold	  or	
  calves	
  that	  are	  slaughtered	
  off-­‐farm	
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

RSPCA welfare standards for dairy cattle

92

June 2021

Appendix 4
  
  
  
  

11.	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  Cull	  and	
  Casualty	
  Cows	
  

	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  

	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  

	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  Records	
  Check	
  farm	  records	
  and	  record	  the	
  number	
  of	
  animals	
  in	
  the	
  last	
  12	
  months	
  per	
  100	
  cows	  for	  the	
  following	
  categories	
  (please	  refer	
  to	
  the	
  table	  below	
  for	
  examples):	
  
	
  

a)	
  No.	
  planned	
  culls	
  (do	  not	  include	
  animals	
  sold	  for	
  herd	  reduction)	
  b)	
  No.	
  unplanned	
  culls	
  	  c)	
  No.	
  casualty	
  cows	  (died	  or	
  killed	
  on	
  farm)	
  	
  	
  
d)	
  No.	  of	
  Defra	
  enforced	
  culls	
  due	  to	
  disease	
  e.g.	
  bTB	  	
  Please,	  where	
  possible,	
  also	  record	
  reasons	
  for	
  cull	  *do	
  not	  include	
  heifers	
  which	  haven’t	
  calved	
  in	
  calculation	
  of	
  cull	  and	
  casualty	
  cows,	  they	  will	  be	
  included	
  as	
  losses	
  in	
  heifer	
  survivability	
  section	
  **only	  assign	
  each	  animal	
  to	
  one	  of	
  the	
  above	
  cull	
  categories	
  to	
  avoid	
  double	
  counting	  	  Planned	
  culls	
  Unplanned	
  culls	
  Casualty	
  cows	  Defra	
  enforced	
  culls	  Low	
  yield	
  Infectious	
  disease	
  Critical	
  illness	
  /	
  downer	  cows	
  

bTB	
  

Conformation	  Lameness	
  Injuries	  Foot	
  and	
  mouth	  Temperament	
  Non-­‐bulling/repeat	
  breeder	  Unexplained	
  deaths	  Bluetongue	
  

Age	
  

Not	
  in	
  calf	
  

	
  

BSE	
  

Out	
  of	
  calving	
  pattern	  Metabolic	
  disorder	
  

	
  

	
  

Slow	
  milker	
  Udder	  disorder	
  

	
  

	
  

Poor	
  milk	  quality	
  Calving	
  problems	
  

	
  

	
  

*Adapted	
  from	  Dairy	
  Co:	  Managing	
  Herd	  Replacements,	
  Rates	
  and	
  costs	
  
  
  
  
  

RSPCA welfare standards for dairy cattle

AssureWel_Dairy_Protocol_Version  6_March  2020	  93June 2021

Appendix 4​

Dairy Cattle WOA Score Sheet�​ ​N​ ew Unit ​(no certificate in last 12 months)

Predominant breed or crossbreedReg. no.

Date

Other breeds/crossbreeds

Assessor/
FLO

Total number of animals

Lactation no.

Milking cows

AverageDry cows

Min

Milking routine

Max

Heifers (6 mths to 1stlactation

1/day

2/day

3/day

Robotic

Calves (<6 mths, m & f)

Milking cows
Current housing

Housing type

Base

HousedCubiclesMats

Mattresses

Deep bedded

Other:

Straw

Sawdust

Sand

Part pasture

Kennels

Mats

Mattresses

Deep bedded

Other:

Straw

SawdustSand

Other:

PastureDeep litter yard

Straw

SawdustSand

Other:

Bedding
Other:

Dry cows
Current housing

Housing type

Base

HousedCubiclesMats

Mattresses

Deep bedded

Other:

Straw

SawdustSand

Other:Part pasture

Kennels

Mats

Mattresses

Deep bedded

Other:

Straw

SawdustSand

Other:

PastureDeep litter yard

Straw

SawdustSand

Other:

Bedding​WOA mobility scoring completed at pasture? ​� ​Yes ​� ​No

Individual measures
Body condition

Cleanliness

Hair loss & Lesions / Swellings

MobilityThin (1 to <2)

0 - Clean (no dirtor only minor
splashing)

0 - No hair loss, lesion(s) or swelling(s)0/1 - Good/imperfect

H - Hair loss (1 or more patch ≥2cm) or L - Lesion (1 or more lesion ≥2cm)

2 - Impaired

1S - Mild swelling (lack of joint definition / ≥2 to <5cm) or 2S - Substantial swelling (≥5cm)

3 - Severely impaired

Moderate (2 to <4)
Fat (4 to 5)

ID

Totals

2 - Very dirty(area of dirt ≥40
cm)

Head & neck

Front leg

Rear legs

Body

Front leg

Rear legs

Body condition

Cleanliness

T

0

0

0/1

M

2

H

2

L

3

F

Head & neck

Body

Mobility

1S
2S

RSPCA welfare standards for dairy cattle

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June 2021

Appendix 4
Herd measures
No. broken
tails

Comments/causes:

Response to
stock person

Sociable

Regular stock
person?
No. cattle
needingfurther care*

Comments ​(including cow ID)​:

RelaxedYes

NervousNo

No. cows in the hospital pen(s)LameCalving injury

Mastitis

Downer cow

Other:*Incl. mobility score 3 cows, but excl. those already receiving appropriate care/treatment.

Records measures
Mobility scoring ​- refers to formal scoring of the herd using the AHDB Dairy Mobility Score only, not noticing/recording lame cows as part of day-to-day good stockmanship
Who scores? ​(vet practice, farm staff..)

RoMS? Y/N

How often?

Which cows?​ (milking, dry, hosp pen)

Extra comments

Lameness prevalence ​- no. and % of mobility score 2 and 3 cows over the last 12 months
Scoring #1
No.

Scoring #2%

No.

Scoring #3%

No.

Scoring #4
%

No.

%

Average %across the 4
scorings

Score 2 cows
Score 3 cows
Total no. cows scored
Date of scoring

Mastitis incidence ​- for the most recently completed 12 month period

Lameness incidence​ - for the most recently completed 12 month period​
No. of cases* of lameness per 100 cows

No. of cases* of mastitis per 100 cows*​Refer to the protocol for the full definitions of a ‘case’ of lameness and mastitis, and how to calculate the no. of cases per 100 cows.

Calf and heifer survivability ​- no. of losses per 100 cows calved for the most recently completed 12 month period
Calves:0 to 24 hrs (m & f,incl. stillborn)

Calves:
24 hrs to 42 days
(m & f)Heifers:
42 days to 1st
calving

Heifers:
1st calving to 2nd
calving

Cull and casualty cows ​- no. of culls/casualties per 100 cows for the most recently completed 12 month period
Planned culls​ (not cows sold for herd reduction)e.g. low yield, conformation, temperament

Reasons:

Unplanned culls
e.g. infectious disease, lameness, not in calf

Reasons:

Casualty cows ​(died or killed on farm)e.g. downer cows, injuries, unexplained deaths

Reasons:

Defra enforced culls
e.g. bTB

Reasons:

General comments

What changes toimprove welfare
have you made in
the last 12 months?

What changes toimprove welfare do you
intend to make in thenext 12 months?

Further advice and support ​ ​Your RSPCA Assured assessor can provide help and advice. The RSPCA can provide additional advice and support if you wish to discuss any aspect ofyour welfare outcome assessment.
Tick if the producer would like to be contacted to discuss their welfare outcome results: �​ ​​Co​ ntact details: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _In accordance with the RSPCA Welfare Standards for Dairy Cattle (see standard WA 1.2) this form must be kept (a) on the farm where this assessment was carried out (b) for a minimum of five years. Pleasekeep this form with your records, it will be required at future RSPCA Assured assessments and RSPCA monitoring visits.

Carried out and signed by: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Title & affiliation: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ v​ ersion Sept 2020

RSPCA welfare standards for dairy cattle

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IndexAbattoir staff training- S 2.4

56

Dehorning - H 6.1

45

Abnormal behaviours - H 1.11

40

Dietary Fibre - FW 1.8

6

Access to pasture - E 8.1

20

Disbudding - H(C) 1.7

77

Air quality parameters - E 3.6

15

Electric goads - M 4.7

29

Air quality testing - E 3.5

14Electric goads transport - T 4.2

53

Air space - E 3.8

15Electrical installations - E 2.5

12Animal handler training - M 4.2

29

Emergencies - M 2.4

27

Animal welfare officer - S 2.3.1

56

Emergency slaughter methods - H 10.4

49

Animal welfare policy content - S 2.1.1

56

Enrichment calves - E(C) 1.4

71

Antibiotic use - H 8.6

47

Equipment inspection - M 6.2

30

Antibiotic use review - H 8.7

47

Feed availability - FW 1.10

6

Blood haemoglobin levels - FW(C) 1.15

68

Feed restriction - T 5.5

54

Body condition scoring frequency - H 4.2 44

Feed space - FW 1.12

7

bTB management plan contents - H 2.2

41

Fibre requirement calves - FW(C) 1.10

68Bull exercise area - E 12.5

23

Foot care plan contents - H 3.1

42

Bull pen space - E 12.3

23

Group housing age - E(C) 1.11

71

Caesarean sections - H 7.1.1

45

Headroom - T 5.11

55

Calf antibiotic use - H(C) 1.2.1

76High-risk procedures - M 3.2

27

Calf feed restriction - T(C) 1.1

78

Housed cattle inspection - M 7.1

30

Calf hutch size - E(C) 3.9

73

Individual calving pens - E 7.5

19

Calf lighting period - E(C) 2.4

72

Individual water bowls - FW 2.6

9Calving aid use - H 7.5

46

Lifting downer cattle - H 9.1.2

48

Calving space - E 7.4

19Lighting level - E 6.2

19

Castration - H(C) 1.7

77

Lighting period - E 6.3

19

Cattle tracks - E 8.4

21Live export - T 1.1

52

Colostrum timing - FW(C) 1.3

66

Loading ramp design - E 13.6

24

Colostrum volume - FW(C) 1.3

66

Loading ramp incline - E 13.5

24

Cow brush provision - E 2.12

13

Lunge space - E 5.9.1

17

Cubicle design - E 5.14

18

Manager's responsibilities - M 2.3

26

Cubicle numbers - E 5.14

18

Milk feed frequency - FW(C) 1.3.1

67

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Milk feed volume - FW(C) 1.3.1

67

Stomach tubing - H(C) 1.4

76

Milking machine testing - E 9.10

22

Stun/slaughter equipment check - S 5.3

61

Mineral deficiency - FW 1.15

7

Stunning - S 7.1

62

Mobility score 2 or 3 - H 3.3

42

Stunning inspection - S 7.6

63

Mobility score 3 treatment - H 3.5.1

43

Stunning methods - S 7.1.1

62

Mobility scoring frequency - H 3.5

42Transport death/injury - T 5.6

54

Outwintering - E 1.4

11Transport space allowance - T 5.13

55

Pain relief calves - H(C) 1.7.2

77

Transport space calves - T(C) 1.3

78

Pain relief provision - H 1.2

38

Transport time - T 5.3

54

Poisonous plants - FW 1.17

7

Transporter training - T 3.2

53

Recycled manure solids - E 5.4.1

17Trap inspection - M 9.13

34

Relative humidity - E 3.4

14

VHWP conditions - H 1.5

39

Shackle/hobble review - H 1.10

40

VHWP contents - H 1.1

38

Shelter provision - E 8.4

21

VHWP structure - H 1.4

39

Slatted flooring - E(C) 1.10

71

VHWP thresholds - H 1.4.1

39

Slaughter feed restriction - S 5.6

61

VHWP updates - H 1.3

38

Slaughter methods - S 8.1

63

Washing cattle - S 5.7.1

61

Social/loafing area - E 5.1

17

Water quality - FW 2.2.1

8

Sourcing calves - M(C) 1.2

74

Water space calves - FW(C) 2.2

70

Space allowance - E 4.2

16

Water testing frequency - FW 2.2

8Space allowance calves - E(C) 1.9

71

Water trough space - FW 2.4

8

Stock-keeper knowledge - M 3.4

28

Weaning age - FW(C) 1.7

68

Stock-keeper responsibilities - M 3.3

28

Year-round housing - E 2.3

12Stock-keeper training - M 3.1

27

RSPCA welfare standards for dairy cattle

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Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
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