ANIMAL WELFARE IN CATTLE PRODUCTION SYSTEMS

Abstract

The cattle production system is crucial for agriculture and the global economy, involving management, feeding, reproduction and health practices to maximize the efficiency and quality of animal products. With this in mind, this bibliographic research had as its general objective to understand the influence of animal welfare on cattle production, highlighting its importance for productivity and quality of the final product. A literature review was carried out to identify and analyze animal welfare methods and their implications, observing that adequate management practices, such as balanced feeding, clean water and adequate shelter, are essential for the health and productivity of cattle. In addition, the integration of systems such as Crop-Livestock-Forest Integration (CLFI) provides significant benefits, improving thermal comfort and nutrition of animals. The "Five Domains" model is highlighted as a comprehensive tool to assess and improve cattle welfare, observing that animal welfare is fundamental not only for ethical reasons, but also for economic reasons, resulting in better quality meat and greater productive efficiency. The implementation of animal welfare practices, including appropriate handling during transport and confinement, nutritional and reproductive management, and ongoing training of rural workers, is crucial to the sustainable success of cattle production. Therefore, the promotion of animal welfare must be a continuous priority for all those involved in the cattle production chain.