Cattle priorities: feed and water selection, ability to move freely and to access pasture

Animals’ ability to live natural lives and to perform behaviors that are important to them are two major components in animal welfare discussions. The intensive nature of many dairy and beef systems has raised a public concern that the welfare is reduced compared with extensive systems, largely because confinement might restrict the animals’ ability to move freely and to perform their full repertoire of natural behaviors, such as grazing. The aim of this chapter is to investigate how systems that differ in the degree of dietary and spatial restriction influence the behavior and welfare of cattle. By reviewing relevant literature, we will provide scientific evidence that it is important to cattle to be able to access appropriate food and water, to move around freely, and to access pasture, focusing largely on factors driving these motivations.