Should I stay or should I go? Tie stalls or loose housing to improve dairy cow welfare

Consumers consider the housing system to be a key factor that influences farm animal welfare (FAW). The European Food Safety Authority’s unfavourable assessment of tie-stall systems may encourage a shift towards adopting loose-housing practices. Several factors impact the likelihood of implementing practices aimed at improving FAW. This study evaluates some variables that affect the adoption of loose housing in Italian dairy farming, where the tie-stall system remains diffuse. We assessed socio-demographic, farm-related, and opinion variables that influence the intention to move from tie-stall to loose-housing system by means of a direct survey of 98 farmers who currently use the tie-stall system. The results indicate that gender, age, and financial considerations significantly influence the intention to adopt a loose-housing system. Additionally, the findings underscore the importance of farmers’ perceptions of improvements in animal welfare. The conclusions highlight the importance of the farmers’ sensitivity to FAW and their demand for subsidies to support structural changes.