# Assessment of Production Technologies on Dairy Farms in Terms of Animal Welfare
## 7 Housing Systems and Other Technological Aspects  
Dairy cattle housing technologies are the clearest example of changes and differences in the approach to the development of dairy production on farms. When assessing the housing of cows in a tie-stall system and a free-stall system, as well as the keeping of cows in a barn and on a pasture, animal welfare aspects dominate. The key to many considerations regarding the future of dairy cattle housing systems is the perspective of animal welfare [88]. Many considerations related to the assessment of various dairy cattle housing technologies focus on comparisons of their advantages and disadvantages affecting animal welfare [89]. In the study by [PERSON] et al. [90], taking into account the Welfare Quality guidelines, significant differences were pointed out between the tie-stall and free-stall housing systems for dairy cows: the free-stall housing system is better for cattle in terms of feeding, housing conditions, and the expression of natural behaviors. The opportunities created for cows to express natural behavior in barns with a free-stall housing system allow for easier recognition of cows in heat and, as a result, timely insemination [91]. Moreover, housing in a free-stall system encourages cows to express natural behavior in various areas of the barn. For example, in the lying area, a free-stall housing system allows cows to express preferences for different-quality lying surfaces [92]. In our own research [93; 94], it was shown that cows can express preferences for the location of the lying stalls in the pen. A characteristic feature of dairy cattle housing technologies is their improvement in terms of technical equipment and approach to the organization of animal handling. The factors motivating this improvement are primarily the comfort and welfare of animals. Improvement aimed at the welfare of dairy cattle applies not only to the free-stall housing system but also to the tie-stall system. Even the tie-stall system, although considered less beneficial for cattle compared to the free-stall system, is subject to the search for rational solutions that can improve the welfare of cows. [PERSON] et al. [95] indicated on the basis of research that minor modifications of stalls and outdoor access can improve the welfare of dairy cows in a tie-stall system. Other studies have addressed the issue of making the tie-stall system more comfortable for cows by providing additional lateral space in the stalls [96], extending the bedding part of the stall and reducing the height of the feed manager wall [97], or increasing the depth of the shavings and straw bedding [98]. Animal welfare and its improvement, also in free-stall housing systems, are the basis for assessing the links with the productivity and profitability of dairy farms [99]. Figure 3: Using a mobile milking parlor to milk cows in a pasture; an example from a dairy farm with 45 cows in Poland. The assessment of individual technological solutions for housing cows and other groups of dairy cattle is dominated by various aspects of animal welfare that translate into benefits from dairy production. The benefits of dairy production can also be considered in terms of a balance that puts animal comfort and welfare on one side and human labor input on the other. These workloads are part of the assessment of the dairy cattle housing system and the comparison of various technological solutions [100], taking into account aspects of mechanization of animal production [101]. In order to reduce human workload and at the same time ensure high accuracy of animal handling, the idea of precise dairy technologies has been developed in practice. These technologies are a kind of bridge between the goals of animals and the people who support them. The idea of precision dairy technologies comes from the approach represented by precision livestock farming (PLF), and its application is increasingly associated with animal welfare [102].