Animal Behavior and Well-Being

摘要

The objective of this study was to explore views of dairy calf welfareand dairy product consumption habits among American parent/childpairs. Parents and their children (n = 188 pairs) independently completeda mixed-methods survey administered in-person at the Minnesota StateFair. The survey included a series of multiple-choice questions related todemographics, an open-ended question on ‘what dairy calves need to havea good life’, and multiple-choice questions about participants’ consumptionof dairy products and plant-based beverages. Content analysis wasused for responses to the open-ended question, and themes were createdto describe calf welfare values. The relationship between parent and childresponses to the question on ‘what dairy calves need to have a good life’and the questions on consumption habits were investigated using Cohen’sKappa analysis. Median age range of the parent participants was 34–44yr, 70% were female, 79% urban residents, 82% did not have prior experiencewith agricultural animals, and 71% had visited a farm. For children,the median age of participants was 10 yr, 63% were female, 79%were urban residents, 60% did not have prior experience with agriculturalanimals, and 82% had visited a farm. In response to ‘what dairy calvesneed to have a good life’, parent participants mentioned themes related tobiological functioning (80% of respondents), followed by natural living(62%), humane care (26%), and affective state (3%). Children participantsmentioned elements related to biological functioning (91%), followed bynatural living (55%), humane care (34%), and affective state (5%). Theparent/child relationship was associated with natural living (Kappa =0.21; P = 0.004; overall agreement = 61%). In addition, the parent/childrelationship was a factor for predicting the consumption of plant-basedbeverages (Kappa = 0.14; P = 0.05; overall agreement = 57%). It appearsthat parents and children are influencing each other mostly on views relatedto natural living of calves. However, we suggest that elements relatedto biological functioning, such as feed, water, shelter, were consideredessential to the welfare of dairy calves by the majority of participants.