Position on animal welfare and polled cattle May 10, 2018

Danone North America cares very much about animal welfare and the cows we rely on for milk. We believe the use of genetic breeding programs to promote naturally hornless cattle – or ‘polled’ cattle – can benefit the welfare of cows and the farmers who care for them by eliminating the need for disbudding or dehorning. We would like to see advances in dairy farming on this topic while maintaining the quality and quantity of milk from polled cattle. We encourage all of the farmers who directly or indirectly supply us with milk and other dairy ingredients to support efforts that promote the enhanced welfare of cows. Danone North America supports the adoption of best management practices, including using polled sires and understanding the genetic profile of herds to optimize milk production and polled traits. And until dehorning or disbudding is no longer necessary for the protection and welfare of the cows and the farmers who work with them we support the adoption of best management practices, including procedure timing and the use of analgesics and/or anesthetics for maximum cow comfort.