The FARM Animal Care Program helps to demonstrate dairy farmers’ commitment to providing excellent care of their dairy cattle and producing safe, wholesome milk. Supported by Dairy Management, Inc. and managed by the National Milk Producers Federation, FARM details animal care guidelines using the latest research and best management practices. On-farm evaluations conducted by trained evaluators help identify strengths and outline improvements for dairy farms while third party verification ensures integrity of the program.

FARM Animal Care standards outline the need for annual continuing education for family and non-family employees with responsibilities in the following areas:
Euthanasia

Reviewing these tagged articles meet the continuing education standards. Farms can document their continuing education by using templates found on FARM’s website or through other documentation methods, if preferred.

Sept. 11 2023
Our emergency calls rarely come midmorning. Even more rare, my scheduled work was cancelled so I could attend this difficult calving. I arrived at Dan’s calving pen to see Cow 569 in trouble
Sept. 11 2023
While most euthanasia protocols prefer the use of captive bolt pistols to kill cows, bulls, and calves, these specialized instruments can be expensive and require particular ammunition and training in...
Sept. 11 2023
We have a separate barn for our show animals. Our show cattle are our pets, and when needed, we euthanize them with our veterinarian using an injection rather than another method.However, the company
Sept. 8 2023
With so much attention placed on animal welfare, the perspective of farmers is often overlooked, even though they are the ones who provide care to animals daily and have the greatest impact on animal welfare
Sept. 8 2023
Feeding high-quality colostrum is recognized as a critical factor to raising healthy calves. In addition to supplying important immunological components, colostrum is rich in nutrients, hormones, and and...
Sept. 5 2023
At the 2006 American Dairy Science Association (ADSA) conference in Minneapolis, a speaker presented some unique findings from their human milk studies
July 17 2023
People who purchase calves from other farms to raise put a lot of trust in the source farm. The care those calves receive before and immediately after birth can make a big difference in how successful...
July 13 2023
It unfortunately doesn’t take much for a bright and bouncy dairy calf to become sick. Early intervention can often turn the calf back around, but even a simple illness may leave a lasting impact
July 6 2023
Electrolytes are often just the ticket calves need to get through a bout of diarrhea. Veterinarian Amelia Woolums recommends administering electrolytes as soon as diarrhea is identified to prevent dehydration,...
July 3 2023
It doesn’t take long for a dairy calf to go from healthy to unwell when faced with a bout of diarrhea
June 26 2023
As humans, we find companionship with animals. This comes in the form of pets in our homes, wildlife we observe, and the livestock we work with on farms
June 22 2023
The calendar says it is officially summer, and temperatures in many parts of the country are heating up
June 19 2023
During the June Hoard’s Dairyman webinar, speaker Lily Edwards-Callaway started her presentation by sharing a well-known message written by our company’s founder, W.D. Hoard
June 5 2023
Many farms have protocols written to help keep cows healthy
May 19 2023
Possibly the biggest thief of resting time for dairy cows is waiting to be milked
May 4 2023
Dairy cattle need four sound feet to complete many of their daily tasks
April 27 2023
In the first weeks of in life, dairy animals are vulnerable to disease, building strength to grow, and learning how to use and interact with their environment
April 20 2023
Just like for humans, transitions cause stress for animals. For dairy animals, these types of adjustments aren’t just limited to what we call “transition cows” — calves also go...
March 27 2023
Despite how commonly calves are transported, surprisingly little research has been conducted to evaluate this practice. In addition, the research that has been done has mostly focused on physiological...
March 23 2023
Cow sense — it’s a concept one often gleans either growing up on a farm or working on a farm. This cow sense, and ultimately understanding how a cow perceives her environment, is the very core...