Animal Handling - Articles

Low-stress cattle handling on the dairy farm

It is important to understand a cow’s flight zone and point of balance, along with other cattle-handling techniques to minimize stress to the animal and increase worker safety.

September 10, 2024

Cheryl DeCooman

Everyone that works with or around large animals must understand their behaviours, signs of aggressive or defensive behaviour, their herd mentality and the way their vision works, including their blind spots.

Working with cattle: Tips for minimizing stress

April 1, 2024

Chris Gwyn

One of our areas of focus is to help producers reduce dairy cow stress. In a recent anecdotal survey, we asked them: Which dairy cow stressor do you think has the biggest impact on you, your cows and your bottom line?

Rotavirus in calves: What is causing the problem and how do we address it?

Rotavirus is a common enteric pathogen resulting in dangerous dehydration due to its effect on the intestinal lining. Treatment should focus on correcting the loss of fluids and electrolytes, while effective prevention measures include biosecurity and vaccination protocols.

October 2, 2023

Randy Shirbroun

Many cow-calf producers can relate to the frustration and challenges associated with scours, or diarrhea in baby calves. The typical and very reasonable questions to ask would include, “What is causing the problem?” and “How do we address it?”

Meeting dairy welfare standards: Good for your animals and good for the dairy aisle

Thorough written protocols and implementing best animal care practices are important to improving farm management. Not only can this elevate animal care, it can also ensure farm staff know how to handle important situations.

January 25, 2023

Daniela Roland

Dairy farming can be unpredictable, and even with the best management, accidents can happen. For example, a cow may slip exiting the parlor and go down. This could happen even on the best employee’s watch and while following all correct protocols.

Does your dairy have a culture of care?

To create a culture of care, dairies should focus on leadership commitment, zero tolerance for animal abuse, formalize SOPs, have continuous training, and monitor and measure their operation.

January 6, 2023

Jonathan Townsend

When an operation has a culture of care, everyone from CEO to calf raiser understands how and why to provide exceptional animal care, 24 hours a day and 365 days a year.

Assurance Watch: Ensure animal safety and wellness through fitness to transport

December 26, 2022

Beverly Hampton Phifer

Our industry responsibility is to ensure the welfare and safety of our animals at all life stages. Evaluating fitness to transport – the animal’s ability to withstand transportation without compromising its welfare – is an important piece of that.

6 steps to perform the Madigan Squeeze Technique

To help weak calves suckle after birth, the Madigan Squeeze Technique acts to stimulate the pressure of coming through the birth canal.

August 15, 2022

Elizabeth Quesnell Kohtz

After a difficult delivery, it is always exciting to have a live calf, but that feeling is quickly dampened when the calf does not suckle or thrive. In the veterinary world, this is called neonatal maladjustment syndrome, commonly referred to as a “dummy calf” or “weak calf.”

Study: Consumers will pay premiums for more calf-dam contact

October 19, 2021

Albert Boaitey

Changes in consumer preferences, the availability of substitute products and the increased role of environmental and farm animal welfare concerns in milk choice pose significant challenges to the U.S. dairy industry.

Cow-calf separation: A look at the research and public opinion behind this practice

August 6, 2021

Jenna Hurty-Person

When it comes to cow-calf separation, there is no easy answer. Society has its concerns, but most of today’s dairy farms are designed with this practice in mind.

Emotional intelligence amplifies training on proper livestock handling

December 31, 2019

Jim Lewis

The production of high-quality proteins, either meat or milk, has never been under greater scrutiny. Social media has virtually unbounded people’s ability to share their voice with the world.

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Low-stress cattle handling on the dairy farm

Working with cattle: Tips for minimizing stress

Rotavirus in calves: What is causing the problem and how do we address it?

Meeting dairy welfare standards: Good for your animals and good for the dairy aisle

Does your dairy have a culture of care?

Assurance Watch: Ensure animal safety and wellness through fitness to transport

6 steps to perform the Madigan Squeeze Technique

Study: Consumers will pay premiums for more calf-dam contact

Cow-calf separation: A look at the research and public opinion behind this practice

Emotional intelligence amplifies training on proper livestock handling

Dairy risk management calendar: December

October summary on dairy cows culled for beef

Accelerating livestock methane mitigation and monitoring technologies

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Dairy risk management calendar: December

October summary on dairy cows culled for beef

3 Open Minutes with retiring Holstein Association USA CEO John Meyer

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[Podcast] FMMO modernization: USDA’s final decision and the impact it could have on milk prices

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