Use of welfare outcome information in three types of dairy farm inspection reports

Yi-Chun Lin
Siobhan Mullan
David C. J. Main

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Publication date

September 2018

DOI

10.5713/ajas.17.0851

Publisher

Asian Australasian Association of Animal Production Societies

Journal

Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences

Abstract

Objective The aim of this study was to examine the use of outcome-based observations within Assured Dairy Farm scheme (ADF), Soil Association Organic Standards (SA), and cross compliance (CC) farm assessment reports. Methods A total of 449 ADF reports, 37 SA reports and 26 CC reports were analyzed and their objective comments categorized as either resource-based or outcome-based. Results A mean of 61.0% of ADF questions were responded to with comments, in comparison to 25.0% of SA and, 21.0% of CC report questions. The SA and CC reports had significantly more outcome-based comments than the ADF (p<0.001). The assessors’ tendency of choosing resource-based approach was revealed in the questionnaire results. Conclusion Generally, the comments...