Replication data for: How should the public contribute to discussions on cattle welfare? Perspectives of veterinarians and animal scientists

Veterinarians and animal scientists can provide leadership on issues relevant to farm animal welfare, but perceptions of these stakeholders regarding societal expectations for welfare are underexplored. This study involved five focus groups of veterinarians and animal scientists (n=50 in total), recruited at a European meeting focused on cattle welfare. Participants were invited to discuss topics related to cattle welfare and were prompted with questions designed to elicit their perspectives of public concerns and how public input should be included when developing solutions. Discussions were moderated by trained facilitators, audio-recorded and transcribed, and transcripts coded through reflexive thematic analysis. Ultimately four primary themes were developed: 1) The public as concerned; 2) The public as ignorant; 3) The public as needing education; and 4) The public as helper or hindrance. Groups identified specific practices viewed as concerning to the public, including lack of pasture access, behavioural restriction, and painful procedures. Discussions about these concerns and the role of the public were often framed around the assumption that the public was ignorant about farming, and that this ignorance should be rectified through education. Participants were generally ambivalent about how and if the public should contribute to discussions on farm animal welfare, but suggested that consumers should pay more for products to help shoulder any costs of welfare improvements.