ABSTRACT
Given the public disquiet and the consequent move away from tethering and individual housing of pregnant pigs and veal calves, it is not surprising that the use of tie-stalls for cows is controversial, and a recent European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) opinion on the welfare aspects of cattle housing contained a minority opinion expressing concern about continued use of tie-stall housing (EFSA, 2009a). In theory, all types of housing have both advantages and disadvantages. Tie-stalls guarantee an animal a place to lie down, as well as easy access to food and water. However, tie-stall housing limits how much the animal can move and there is limited physical contact between animals. Loose housing overcomes the problem of mobility and allows physical contact between animals, but the animals are still housed in a restricted space and may need to compete for a lying area and for access to feed.
