Dairy Cattle Welfare Research in Brazil
Marina (Nina) von Keyserlingk, Professor in the Animal Welfare Program, along with one of the Program’s long-standing collaborators, Dr. Maria Jose Hoetzel from the Federal University of Santa Catarina, were recently awarded a CNPq Science Without Borders Grant. Over the next three years the grant will fund Nina’s biannual visits to Brazil and provide research […]
Attitudes to cow-calf separation research featured in latest issue of Progressive Dairyman
Beth Ventura, PhD student in the Animal Welfare Program, just published an article in Progressive Dairyman that describes views on the contentious practice of separating the dairy calf from the cow shortly after birth. The results show considerable opposition to early separation of cow and calf, but at least some of the concerns may be […]
Using Technology to Automatically Measure Social Behaviour
A new study, just published in the May issue of Journal of Dairy Science, explains how an electronic feed monitoring system, originally designed to record aspects of feeding behavior such as intake and time spent eating, can now be used to also estimate the number of competitive interactions that occur at the feed bunk. Competition […]
AWP Research Wins at North Carolina State Undergraduate Symposium
Erin Beasley, from North Carolina State University, recently completed a research internship with the Animal Welfare Program at the UBC Dairy Education and Research Center. Her project focused on studying the relationships between grooming behavior and illness in cows around the time of calving. She found that cows with a uterine infection used a mechanical […]
Julie Huzzey Joins Cal Polytechnic
Julie Huzzey, Postdoctoral Research Fellow in UBC’s Animal Welfare Program, recently accepted a faculty position as Assistant Professor in Animal Behavior within the Animal Science Department at California Polytechnic State University. Cal Poly Animal Science boasts one of the most comprehensive hands-on learning programs in the USA and is known as a leader in undergraduate […]
“Dilemmas in Animal Welfare”
A new book “Dilemmas in Animal Welfare“, co-edited by UBC’s Dan Weary, was recently published by CABI. The book addresses some of the current debates in animal welfare such as tail docking, pet obesity, and neutering of feral cats. Dan has also contributed a chapter entitled “What is suffering in animals?”
Cow Huggers win 1st Prize
The UBC Animal Welfare Program’s team (affectionately called the “Cow Huggers”) won first prize at this year’s prestigious LFS Grad Student Council Quiz Night held earlier this evening.
Research on Sickness Behaviour Featured in Latest Issue of Progressive Dairyman
Katy Proudfoot and Julie Huzzey, alumni of UBC’s Animal Welfare Program, just published an article in Progressive Dairyman summarizing the Program’s research on understanding the relationship between dairy cattle behavior and health. Katy Proudfoot has recently been appointed as an Assistant Professor with the Department of Veterinary Medicine at The Ohio State University College of […]
Pair housing makes for smarter calves
Dairy calves are typically separated from their mothers and housed by themselves for the first 6 to 8 weeks of life. A new study, published by in PLoS One by researchers in UBC’s Animal Welfare Program, shows that calves raised individually have a harder time learning compared to calves socially housed with another calf. Calves […]
A little privacy please?
A new study has found that dairy cows seek privacy when giving birth. Cows are typically moved to a ‘maternity area’ when they due to calve, but until now there has been little information available about what this area should look like from the cow’s perspective. Researchers created a pen that allowed cows to choose […]