By offering a safe place for students to develop and share thoughts about animal welfare within the dairy industry, the University of Guelph has taken a proactive approach to herd health. This one-week elective course is believed to be the first animal welfare-training module of its kind offered to students about to complete their doctor of veterinary medicine.

Not only does the course offer in-classroom sessions, it gets students onto commercial dairy and veal farms, along with livestock sale barns. Through the process, it weaves in discussions about Canada’s proAction animal care and assessment program, which is the equivalent of FARM or Farmers Assuring Responsible Management. This perspective brings topics such as lameness, culling decisions, down cows, and euthanasia to the forefront.

The short video offers more insight to the program.