Animal welfare and farming systems synergistically influence beef cattle health: Evidence from Northern Thailand

Beef cattle production in Thailand is vital for food security and rural livelihoods, yet differences in farming systems raise concerns about animal welfare and health. This study aimed to evaluate the interactive effects of animal welfare and farming systems on cattle health outcomes, providing insights for sustainable smallholder production.

A cross-sectional study was conducted on 60 farms in Phayao Province, categorized as extensive, semi-intensive, or intensive. Animal welfare was assessed using an adapted Welfare Quality protocol with 41 indicators across five domains. Health outcomes were obtained from farm records and direct observations. Statistical analyses included Kruskal-Wallis tests, Dunn's post hoc tests, Spearman's rank correlation, and permutational multivariate analysis of variance with principal coordinate analysis.

Welfare scores differed significantly across systems, with intensive farms achieving the highest scores and extensive farms the lowest (p < 0.001). High-welfare farms showed reduced mortality, diarrhea, respiratory distress, bloating, parasitic infestation, and injuries compared with low-welfare farms (p < 0.05). Body condition score was strongly associated with welfare level (ρ = 0.68, p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis revealed significant effects of welfare level (R² = 0.1787, p < 0.001), farming system (R² = 0.1382, p = 0.0003), and their interaction (R² = 0.2151, p = 0.0004) on cattle health. Semi-intensive farms with moderate welfare levels showed the most consistent and stable health outcomes.

Animal welfare and farming systems interact to shape cattle health outcomes in Northern Thailand. Moderate welfare levels in semi-intensive systems offered balanced and consistent improvements, highlighting a scalable model for smallholders. The findings emphasize the need for context-specific welfare interventions, policy integration, and capacity-building initiatives to enhance both cattle health and farm sustainability.