First multi-domain scientific protocol with physiological markers for assessing cattle welfare in India

The growing emphasis on animal welfare in veterinary medicine underscores the need for a standardized scientific assessment protocol. Addressing this gap, our study developed a comprehensive protocol to evaluate cattle welfare across diverse husbandry setups in Haryana, India. Conducted over 1.5 years (March 2022 - August 2023) in various animal husbandry setups of cattle [gaushalas (cattle shelters) having zebu dairy cattle, organized and unorganized farms having exotic/crossbred dairy cattle] across two agro-climatic zones (North Eastern (NE) and South Western (SW) Haryana), the study involved two stages. First, a detailed analysis of existing studies utilizing different biomarkers as indicators of bovine health and welfare, both in our country and abroad, was performed. The second stage involved evaluating selected animal welfare biomarkers in different husbandry setups. Through comprehensive analysis, we identified the necessity of a systematic evaluation protocol comprising twenty welfare indicators, including four physical, two behavioral and fourteen physiological/immunological measures. This multi-domain scientific protocol with physiological markers provides a robust foundation for thoroughly and scientifically evaluating and monitoring the health and welfare of cattle across different husbandry setups.