Tail docking and beliefs about the practice in the Victorian dairy industry

Objective To determine the occurrence of tail docking and beliefs about the practice in the Victorian dairy industry. Design Survey responses were analysed using chi-square tests and by correlation and regression analyses to determine associations between husbandry practices and beliefs and to identify possible predictive variables in relation to docking. Procedure A survey of the occurrence of docking and beliefs about the practice was conducted in 1997 using face-to-face interviews of 313 respondents at 234 Victorian dairy farms. Results On average, 35% of dairy farms routinely docked cattle. The practice varied from 11 to 63% in different regions and 12% of stud farms docked their cows. Rubber rings were used on 75% of farms and the average age of the cow at docking was 18 months. Twenty-two percent of cows were docked at a level above the top of the udder and 54% were docked level with the top of the udder. Respondents that docked believed that milking was finished quicker, the risks of leptospirosis for the operator and mastitis for the cow were reduced, the cows were easier to handle, fly numbers were reduced and milk quality was improved. There was a general belief that intact tails could cause significant discomfort to the operator and that docking resulted in acute but not chronic pain. Conclusions Docking is an entrenched practice in the Victorian dairy industry. Those farmers who docked generally believed that it was a highly desirable farming practice with particular benefits for the operator.