ABSTRACT
Society has a major role to play in how the welfare of animals is valued as a direct result of their market decisions about which product to purchase, and through their collective effort at influencing social, legislative, and moral standards. Healthy markets and society rely on consumers making their choices based on factual information rather than being influenced by fads, marketing, and special interest promotions. Across time cattle have represented, and represent today, different values to individuals based on time, place and culture including: status, wealth, food, currency, power, fuel, food, fertilizer, heat, fat, and textiles. These value differences likely have an influence on the principles that are the foundation of how cattle are considered and treated. Key components of a dairy farm’s economic health depend on more sales per cow and more income over operating costs. Operating costs include the investment in raising a calf from birth to first lactation at which time income from milk sales begins.
