Canadian National Dairy Study: Describing Canadian dairy producer practices and perceptions surrounding cull cow management

Abstract

Farmer decisions surrounding culling have an important effect on the health and welfare of cull cows. The objectives of this study were to describe the self-reported shipment behaviors of Canadian dairy producers and understand farmer perspectives on the factors that were most influential in their decision to cull a cow. A nationwide survey was administered between March and April 2015 that included 192 questions covering producer background information, farm characteristics, biosecurity practices, disease prevalence, calf health, cow welfare, lameness, milking hygiene, reproduction, and Internet and social media use. The survey yielded a 12% response rate; a total of 1,076 respondents (78% of all survey respondents completed the culling section of the survey) were included in this study for analysis. Approximately 80, 51, and 38% of respondents reported shipping at least 1 cow to auction, direct to slaughter, and to another dairy farm in the past 12 mo, respectively. Ability of the cow to remain standing (93% of respondents) and drug withdrawal times (92% of respondents) were identified as the most important factors for consideration when culling cows. The time between culling decision and when the cow was actually transported was longer for lame cows than sick cows; almost 70% of respondents reported that cows culled for illness were typically shipped within 1 wk of culling decision, whereas only 51% of respondents indicated the same was true for lame cows. Last, Canadian dairy producers generally exhibited strong confidence that their culled cows would arrive at slaughter in the same condition as they left, but felt very unsure about knowing the location of their final destination. These results highlight several gaps between producer perceptions and the true situation, and can be used to develop tailored programs and inform policy and regulatory decisions aimed at improving cull cow decisions and cow welfare.

Keeping Dairy Cows for Longer: A Critical Literature Review on Dairy Cow Longevity in High Milk-Producing Countries

“…Dairy cow longevity is the outcome of decisions made by dairy farmers throughout the life of the animal, which dictates the moment and the reason a cow is culled. It is a dynamic process where multiple factors and their interactions are to be considered by the farmer [3]. Therefore, all aspects of a cow's life need to be considered to reduce the rate of involuntary culling and increase longevity [1].…”

“…The removal of cows from dairy herds due to old age is rare in the modern dairy industry and the economic interest associated with farm animals, which require them to achieve expected production levels, to reproduce regularly, and stay healthy [1,2], influences the farmer's decision regarding the optimum moment to cull a cow. It is a complex decision process and a myriad of factors are to be considered by the dairy farmer [3]. Therefore, longevity is a compound feature reflecting a successful combination of many different aspects during the lifespan of a cow [4].…”

A review of factors affecting the welfare of dairy calves in pasture-based production systems

“…Economics is the major factor affecting the decision of farmers to euthanise surplus calves soon after birth (Renaud et al 2017), that is, whether the cost of rearing calves to minimum age for transport outweighs the price being paid for calves. Both Australian (Snare 2020) and Canadian (Renaud et al 2017;Roche et al 2020) research has found that the management of surplus calves is associated with geographical variation. Thus, factors such as economic conditions and logistics (e.g.…”

“…Australian industry reports show that 25% of Australian dairy farms had euthanised calves by blunt force trauma (Dairy Australia 2016, 2020), whereas Canadian research reports show that blunt force trauma to the head had been used to euthanise male dairy calves on 34% of farms (Renaud et al 2017;Roche et al 2020). Of the Canadian dairy farms using blunt force trauma, 53% of farmers indicated it was their primary method of calf euthanasia (Roche et al 2020). Blunt force trauma is not an acceptable method of euthanasia in bovine (Stull and Reynolds 2008;Roche et al 2020).…”

“…Of the Canadian dairy farms using blunt force trauma, 53% of farmers indicated it was their primary method of calf euthanasia (Roche et al 2020). Blunt force trauma is not an acceptable method of euthanasia in bovine (Stull and Reynolds 2008;Roche et al 2020). In Canada, more frequently consulting welfare codes and guidelines and a larger farm size are associated with lower odds of euthanising calves with blunt force trauma (Renaud et al 2017).…”