Abstract

Background
Dairy farming is a major component of livestock in Bangladesh. However, a baseline study on the welfare of dairy cattle in Bangladesh is still new. Therefore, a cross-sectional study was performed to assess the present welfare status of dairy cows at the farm level.
Method
A total of thirty-six dairy farms of Chattogram having a total of 1110 cross-bred multiparous lactating cows were studied to assess the health and welfare through farm investigation and animal-based measurements using a well-structured questionnaire. Data regarding farm management were collected by observation of the farm and interviewing the farmers. On the other hand, the cows were observed to identify the disorders with a special focus on the hock, claw, and hoof abnormalities. The data were then analyzed using Stata-14 and p

Key words: Dairy Cows, Animal Welfare, Injuries, Farm Conditions, Hock Health, Bangladesh