Welfare assessment measures for dairy goats

This document outlines animal-based welfare measures for dairy goats, focusing on key indicators such as mastitis, nutritional deficiencies, housing conditions, and general health. It details definitions and scoring methods for these welfare issues under both extensive and housed management systems, with validation from prior research including the AWIN project. Indicators are scored as yes/no or on a scale, and example images are provided. The TechCare welfare assessment protocol for goats is freely available for download at https://techcare-project.eu/outputs/welfare/. The project is funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Programme under grant agreement N°862050.