Animal welfare is dependent on a farm owner’s values and attitude and isn’t related to the size of the farm, said Sandy Stokes Goff of Stagecoach Consulting Services. Goff moderated a producer panel on animal welfare programs during the Dairy Calf and Heifer Association Annual Conference, Apr. 11-13 in Madison, Wisconsin.
There are some common threads to an animal welfare culture. This includes thoughtful development of sound protocols, caretaker training and standard operating procedures. A thoughtful protocol not only takes into account animal welfare in the milking parlor, but the welfare of cows as they enter and leave the parlor as well. Caretakers should receive training to understand and perform tasks, but also what to do in emergency situations. Standard operating procedures should include person(s) responsible for a particular task; task description; emergency response and contacts; and periodic reviews, Goff said.
Producers benefit by instituting an animal welfare culture on their farms. This includes quicker detection of sick animals; quicker turnaround to healthy pens; and content animals that are easier to handle.
Some farms choose to conduct internal reviews of their animal welfare programs while others enlist the help of their nutritionist or veterinarian. Still others use third-party verification audits. Companies that provide such audits include Validus Verification Services, Praedium Ventures LLC, American Humane Association, Animal Welfare Institute, and Humane Farm Animal Care, Goff said.
Pagel’s Ponderosa Dairy of Kewaunee, Wisconsin, has an animal welfare culture in place. Called “CARS,” the culture emphasizes communication, accountability, respect and sustainability, said J.J. Pagel who, with his family and 155 employees, cares for about 6,300 animals – cows, heifers and calves.
The farm stresses the importance of the maternity as well as overall cattle handling and equipment handling. Chase Pagel, J.J.’s wife, is an Occupational Safety and Health Administration safety coordinator and heads up safety and training for Pagel’s Ponderosa Dairy.
The farm works with Food Armor to review protocols and to ensure that it uses proper animal care and avoids drug residues. The Wisconsin Veterinary Medical Association Food Armor Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points for Proper Drug Use is on-farm program, verifiable drug quality assurance program.
Pagel’s Ponderosa also uses Dairy Care365 videos for training. New employees at Pagel’s Ponderosa receive training on the farm’s animal welfare protocols within the first two weeks of employment and receive regular training and retraining thereafter. The training is documented and employees must sign off that they’ve received the employee handbook as well as the training. The farm has instituted a zero tolerance policy as it relates to willful or intentional animal abuse.
“Being proactive has helped us,” J.J. Pagel said.
Ken McCarty of McCarty Family Farms LLC also was on the producer panel. He discussed the animal welfare culture at McCarty’s four dairy farms located in Kansas and Nebraska. McCarty Family Farms is a fourth-generation family business. Milking about 8,500 cows, it supplies condensed skim milk to Dannon, the yogurt subsidiary of Danone.
McCarty Family Farms has used the third-party auditing services of Validus since 2011. Validus provides an annual review of the farm’s standard operating procedures. It also conducts animal welfare checks and interviews with farm employees who receive comprehensive animal welfare training. Training at McCarty Family Farms includes Dairy Care365 videos.
The farm has implemented tire swings in its cow and heifer facilities to promote animal play. Trailers are equipped with rubber floor matting to make transportation easier on the animals. The farm also has instituted a no tail-docking policy and doesn’t use electric prods when moving cattle.
Because of extreme weather swings, high winds and dust storms in Kansas and Nebraska, the McCarty operation emphasizes respiratory heath. Farm management uses intranasal treatments as much as possible to reduce the number of needle “sticks” in animals. The McCarty farms also use wind breaks and shades to help prevent weather-related health issues.
The animal welfare cultures at these farms take into primary consideration the various aspects of calf, heifer and cow wellbeing. But, the producers also pointed to better working environments for their staffs as well as improved consumer confidence – all critical on today’s farms.
There are some common threads to an animal welfare culture. This includes thoughtful development of sound protocols, caretaker training and standard operating procedures. A thoughtful protocol not only takes into account animal welfare in the milking parlor, but the welfare of cows as they enter and leave the parlor as well. Caretakers should receive training to understand and perform tasks, but also what to do in emergency situations. Standard operating procedures should include person(s) responsible for a particular task; task description; emergency response and contacts; and periodic reviews, Goff said.
Producers benefit by instituting an animal welfare culture on their farms. This includes quicker detection of sick animals; quicker turnaround to healthy pens; and content animals that are easier to handle.
Some farms choose to conduct internal reviews of their animal welfare programs while others enlist the help of their nutritionist or veterinarian. Still others use third-party verification audits. Companies that provide such audits include Validus Verification Services, Praedium Ventures LLC, American Humane Association, Animal Welfare Institute, and Humane Farm Animal Care, Goff said.
Pagel’s Ponderosa Dairy of Kewaunee, Wisconsin, has an animal welfare culture in place. Called “CARS,” the culture emphasizes communication, accountability, respect and sustainability, said J.J. Pagel who, with his family and 155 employees, cares for about 6,300 animals – cows, heifers and calves.
The farm stresses the importance of the maternity as well as overall cattle handling and equipment handling. Chase Pagel, J.J.’s wife, is an Occupational Safety and Health Administration safety coordinator and heads up safety and training for Pagel’s Ponderosa Dairy.
The farm works with Food Armor to review protocols and to ensure that it uses proper animal care and avoids drug residues. The Wisconsin Veterinary Medical Association Food Armor Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points for Proper Drug Use is on-farm program, verifiable drug quality assurance program.
Pagel’s Ponderosa also uses Dairy Care365 videos for training. New employees at Pagel’s Ponderosa receive training on the farm’s animal welfare protocols within the first two weeks of employment and receive regular training and retraining thereafter. The training is documented and employees must sign off that they’ve received the employee handbook as well as the training. The farm has instituted a zero tolerance policy as it relates to willful or intentional animal abuse.
“Being proactive has helped us,” J.J. Pagel said.
Ken McCarty of McCarty Family Farms LLC also was on the producer panel. He discussed the animal welfare culture at McCarty’s four dairy farms located in Kansas and Nebraska. McCarty Family Farms is a fourth-generation family business. Milking about 8,500 cows, it supplies condensed skim milk to Dannon, the yogurt subsidiary of Danone.
McCarty Family Farms has used the third-party auditing services of Validus since 2011. Validus provides an annual review of the farm’s standard operating procedures. It also conducts animal welfare checks and interviews with farm employees who receive comprehensive animal welfare training. Training at McCarty Family Farms includes Dairy Care365 videos.
The farm has implemented tire swings in its cow and heifer facilities to promote animal play. Trailers are equipped with rubber floor matting to make transportation easier on the animals. The farm also has instituted a no tail-docking policy and doesn’t use electric prods when moving cattle.
Because of extreme weather swings, high winds and dust storms in Kansas and Nebraska, the McCarty operation emphasizes respiratory heath. Farm management uses intranasal treatments as much as possible to reduce the number of needle “sticks” in animals. The McCarty farms also use wind breaks and shades to help prevent weather-related health issues.
The animal welfare cultures at these farms take into primary consideration the various aspects of calf, heifer and cow wellbeing. But, the producers also pointed to better working environments for their staffs as well as improved consumer confidence – all critical on today’s farms.
Source: Agriview