Happy cows are healthy cows

A happy cow produces more and better milk. Happy Cows = Healthy Cows = better milk.

We care for our cows

For Arla’s dairy farmers, animal welfare and sustainable farming go hand in hand. Our quality control programme, Arlagården®, makes sure that we keep our dairy cows healthy, comfortable and well fed at all times. That’s good for the cows and good for our farmers - because healthy cows are happy cows - and happy cows produce both more milk, and milk of a higher quality.

Learn more about Arla Farmer Owned

Our fresh dairy milk is naturally nutritious

We are committed to world-class food safety

We control the journey from our cows to you

Farmer owned

Caring for our cows

Arla farmers look after their milk cows according to Arla’s quality and welfare routines to keep them healthy and happy. Each cow is treated as an individual. This means a cow’s feed can be adjusted to fulfil its own needs and that each cow has its own record of individual information.

Our cows are in good condition

By keeping our cows clean, dry and well groomed, we’re doing our best to give them a good life on the farm.

Good dairy milk requires good feed

Because we want to deliver the tastiest, healthiest dairy milk possible, our farmers give their cows the best food and water – fresh, pure and in just the amounts needed to give them the best possible nutrition every day. The majority of their feed is produced and harvested on the farm itself.

Our cows are looked after every day

We look after our cows and stables every day - that's part of our quality and welfare routines to keep our cows healthy and happy.

Milk cows on grass

Some of our cows are kept in barns and some graze on grass during the summer. The grazing season is usually between April and November. There are lots of factors which affect whether cows graze, including the location of the grazing fields and the type of soil around the farm. Fields also need to be close to the milking parlour and the soil should be firm enough for the cows to walk on.

House dairy cows

Many of Arla’s dairy cows live in free-stall barns. They are free to walk around between the feeding station, the water trough, the milking parlour and their beds. Just like grazing cows, housed cows lie down for between 10-14 hours a day chewing the cud. Arla’s farm quality programme, Arlagården^® has detailed requirements that farmers must fulfil to ensure their animals’ welfare.