Animal Health and WelfareLeading the world on animal welfare Dairy cows and farm animals in the UK enjoy some of the highest welfare standards in the world. Our rules on animal welfare often exceed those imposed elsewhere in the EU, and the world. Food quality and animal welfare go hand in hand, and consumers rightly demand that their food is produced to high standards. That's why over 90% of milk produced in the UK is produced under the Assured Dairy Farms scheme, which guarantees high standards of animal welfare and product quality. Most farmers have herd health plans in place to minimise instances of mastitis or lameness in dairy cows. The animals are brought indoors in poor conditions, and given bedding to make themselves more comfortable. They are inspected during milking to ensure they're healthy, and some farmers even track dairy cow health by fitting them with special computer chips. It is not in the social or economic interests of farmers, processors or retailers to turn a blind eye to animal welfare.
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