Animal wellness is a critical consideration for farmers. Livestock health and wellness can directly impact the productivity, yields, product quality, and overall safety of livestock and the community served by your farm. Healthy and happy animals are more productive, leading to better yields and higher quality products, that ultimately benefit the animal, the farm's profitability, as well as consumer satisfaction.
Implementing livestock welfare-focused practices, such as providing adequate space, proper nutrition, and access to veterinary care, helps prevent disease and promotes optimal growth. Fostering a stress-free environment through humane handling and socialization can improve animal behavior and reduce aggression and happiness, further enhancing productivity.
By prioritizing animal wellness, farmers not only ensure the ethical treatment of their livestock but also contribute to the long-term viability of their operations and the overall health of the food system.
In this article, we will go into more depth about these key farm livestock wellness practices to prevent, eliminate, or reduce the hazards and provide an environment for overall wellness for your herd or flock on your farm.
The Benefits of Animal Wellness Practices on the Farm
Animal wellness brings numerous benefits to your farm, enhancing the quality, productivity, health, and stability of animals. Multiple studies have shown that healthy animals are more productive, resulting in higher milk yields, better growth rates, improved reproductive performance, and many other benefits that ultimately boost profitability. Low-stress, well-cared-for animals are also healthier. Prioritizing animal welfare can also reduce veterinary costs by minimizing the incidence of disease and injury.
Well-cared-for animals tend to exhibit better behavior, leading to easier handling and lower stress levels during routine tasks. This not only improves the working environment for farm staff but also enhances animal quality of life and product, positively impacting consumer perception and marketability of your products.
Practicing high standards of animal wellness can contribute to compliance with regulations and certifications, positioning your farm as a leader in ethical farming practices. This plays a big role in how consumers make purchasing decisions. It's becoming more and more important to consumers to know how their food is raised and the transparency that companies show in the ethical treatment of animals. This shows that investing in animal wellness creates a healthier, more efficient, more profitable and more sustainable farm operation.
The work of Dr. Temple Grandin has inspired many farmers (and us as well) to take her trusted advice on humane animal handling, more humane slaughter practices, and enacting more wellness practices for the care of our livestock. Her findings and the observations made by hundreds of other farms, ranches, feedlots, and slaughter plants indicate that the single most important factor that affects animal welfare is the attitude of management.
How we care for our animals makes a large impact on their quality of life.
6 Key Livestock Wellness Management Practices
Measure & monitor the overall wellness of your herd/flock/etc.
Ensure a clean, healthy, and low-stress living environment
Understand the risk of hazards being introduced and spread to and within your animals.
Evaluate and maximize immunity –through biosecurity practices.
Minimize the risk of export of any hazard from the farm in products or wastes
Ensure a compassionate end-of-life
Identifying Hazards to Livestock Health
Potential hazards can be classified into several categories, including biological, chemical, environmental, and physical risks. Chemical hazards may arise from exposure to pesticides, feed additives, or contaminants in water sources, making regular testing and proper handling essential. Environmental hazards, such as air quality or inadequate shelter, can impact animal comfort and health, necessitating the implementation of protective or preventative measures.
Additionally, physical hazards like sharp objects or inadequate fencing can lead to injury. By conducting thorough risk assessments and maintaining awareness of these hazards, farmers can implement preventative strategies that safeguard livestock health and enhance overall farm productivity. Read on to learn more about what types of hazards there may be, how to prevent them, and how to keep your herd/flock/etc. safe and well.
Biological Hazards - Biological hazards include things such as infectious diseases, parasites, and fungal contaminants. These require vigilant monitoring and proactive vaccination programs.
Chemical Hazards - Chemical hazards may arise from exposure to pesticides, feed additives, drug residues, herbicides, environmental toxins, or contaminants in water sources. You can avoid this by adding regular testing and proper handling.
Physical Hazards - Physical hazards for livestock can be from housing and facilities, equipment, obstacles, animal handling, or treatment methods. These can include things such as stalls, housing setup, footing, high-traffic walkways, environmental factors, and inadequate ventilation. The housing and environment can be designed to minimize physical trauma and maximize animal comfort and welfare.
Livestock Management Best Practices
By adopting livestock management best practices, farmers can enhance animal welfare, optimize feed efficiency, and improve overall herd performance. These practices encompass a range of strategies, including proper nutrition, regular health monitoring, and humane handling techniques, all aimed at creating a supportive environment for livestock.
Implementing sound management practices not only benefits individual animals but also contributes to the long-term viability of the farm, fostering a resilient agricultural system that meets the demands of farm owners, farmhands, animals, consumers, and the environment.
9 ways to add effective livestock management to your farm.
Nutrition and Feeding:
Provide balanced diets tailored to the specific needs of each animal species and their life stage. Ensure access to clean water and necessary minerals at all times.
Regular Health Checks: Schedule routine health checkups or veterinary check-ups. Vaccinate to monitor and maintain the health of the herd.
Biosecurity Measures: Implement strict biosecurity protocols to prevent disease introduction and spread, including isolation of new animals and maintaining cleanliness in living areas. Avoid introducing potential hazards.
Proper Housing: Design and maintain adequate shelter that protects livestock from harsh weather conditions and provides enough space for movement and social interaction, as well as dry, sanitary pens, especially for mothers.
Breeding Management: Use responsible breeding practices to improve herd genetics, focusing on traits such as disease resistance, growth rates, and reproductive performance.
Record Keeping: Maintain detailed records of health, breeding, nutrition, and production to track performance make informed management decisions, and keep traceability records.
Animal Welfare Practices: Prioritize humane treatment by minimizing stress during handling, transport, and lifecycle. Provide enrichment and socialization for herd animals and ensure comfortable living conditions.
Pasture Management and Sustainability Practices: Implement rotational grazing and manage pasture quality to optimize forage availability and promote soil health. This is one way to help you adopt environmentally sustainable practices, you can also employ waste management and resource conservation, to enhance the resilience of the farming operation.
Education and Training: Invest in ongoing education for farm staff on best practices in animal husbandry, health management, and welfare standards. Your animals and your farm will benefit.
By integrating these best practices, farmers and ranchers can ensure the health and productivity of their livestock while promoting ethical and sustainable farming practices.
On Farm BioSecurity Best Practices
On-farm biosecurity practices are essential for safeguarding livestock health, enhancing farm productivity, and preventing the spread of diseases. With the increasing threat of zoonotic diseases and emerging pathogens, implementing effective biosecurity measures has never been more critical. These practices encompass a comprehensive approach that includes controlling access to the farm, managing animal interactions, and maintaining hygiene standards for equipment and facilities.
By focusing on strategies such as the isolation of new animals, proper sanitation protocols, and diligent monitoring of herd health, farmers can create a resilient farming environment that protects both animals and human health. Ultimately, robust on-farm biosecurity not only secures the welfare of livestock but also contributes to the sustainability and profitability of agricultural operations.
Bio Security Practices for Livestock
Prevention and control of the introduction and spread of disease into our herd/flock/etc. can be employed on your farm in several ways.
Reduce Outside Contact
Know the health/vaccination status of all animals on the farm
Purchase livestock from low-risk sources
If possible, test before purchase
Reduce or eliminate contact with non-resident animals with your herd/flock/etc. By eliminating or reducing contact with other animals you can reduce the risk for disease introduction into your livestock.
Train farm personnel on
Introducing or Reintroducing Livestock into the Herd
Introducing new livestock to an existing herd or reintroducing animals requires careful planning and execution to minimize stress and reduce the risk of disease transmission.
Know the health/vaccination status of purchased or leased animals
Purchase livestock from low-risk sources
If possible, test animals before purchase
Quarantine new animals (or animals being reintroduced) from the general farm population for 14-30 days. Utilize this time to manage, vaccinate, monitor for, and/or selectively test for diseases.
Maintain a vaccination program for incoming and resident animals
Minimize Non-Resident Animal Contacts Livestock disease transmission often happens from contact with outside sources. It is a good practice to minimize these risks on your farm. Here are a few ideas to implement that can help you reduce those risks:
Prevent fence line contact with other livestock (and humans). For the public, offer designated viewing areas that keep the public at a safe distance while allowing observation without contact.
Ensure that equipment and clothing used around livestock are sanitized and free from contaminants further reducing the risk of spreading pathogens.
Try to control non-resident stray dogs and or cats
Reduce contact with free-ranging wildlife including birds, waterfowl, and mammals. Try to limit direct livestock contact and access to feed storage, distribution equipment, bedding, feeders, and waterers. (Risks- Cryptosporidium parvum, Salmonella, Leptospirosis, Rabies).
Reduce pest species such as rodents, starlings, and pigeons. Institute a bird and rodent control program. Rodents serve as mechanical and biological vectors for several diseases such as Cryptosporidium parvum, Salmonellosis, and Leptospirosis. (A biological vector is a living organism that carries a disease-causing agent from one host to another.)
Insects and parasites can pose a threat to spreading disease through your herd/flock/etc. You can utilize integrated pest management practices for the control of insect pests and integrate a parasite control program into your land management plan.
Bio Security Practices for Manure
Biosecurity practices for manure management are essential in safeguarding animal health and preventing the spread of disease on farms. Manure can serve as a reservoir for pathogens, making its handling and disposal a critical aspect of employing biosecurity protocols. By implementing effective manure management strategies, farmers can reduce the risk of contaminating feed, water supplies, and the environment, ultimately protecting livestock from infectious diseases.
Protect against manure entry to your farm from outside vehicles and equipment.
Set up safeguards against manure runoff entering from neighboring animal premises.
Avoid the use of manure (products) and waste from off-premise (poultry, cattle, or other livestock) unless products are certified pathogen-free.
Educating farm personnel on the importance of biosecurity in manure management fosters a culture of awareness and responsibility, ensuring that all stakeholders contribute to a safer farming environment.
If possible, designate specific equipment for use in particular sections of the farm, such as those for sick animals versus healthy ones, to minimize cross-contamination risks.
Proper storage and treatment of manure, regular equipment cleaning, and careful application techniques that minimize runoff and exposure are also ways to minimize these hazards on your farm. By prioritizing these practices, farmers can enhance herd health and wellness.
Bio Security Practices for Farm Equipment and Vehicles
Implementing biosecurity practices for farm equipment and vehicles is crucial in preventing the introduction and spread of diseases on the farm. Regular cleaning and disinfection of equipment, especially after it has been used in different animal areas or farms, helps remove pathogens that could contaminate livestock.
Equipment and farm vehicles should be maintained and cleaned to avoid biological (bacterial, viral, parasitic, or fungal), chemical, or physical hazards. This includes cleaning tires, wheel wells, and undercarriages, as they can carry pathogens from contaminated areas.
Equipment should be disinfected and cleaned between cows, groups, and farms.
Hoof Trimmers Use only clean and disinfected equipment. Clean after each use. (Risk; Hoof and foot diseases or infection, etc.)
On-farm vehicles and equipment. Ensure that equipment is cleaned and disinfected before entering your farm. There should not be any leftover organic material from a previous farm on equipment.
Off-farm vehicles
Minimize access only to necessary portions of the farm.
Insist on clean delivery vehicles
Livestock Transport Vehicles - Use only clean, well-bedded trucks to move cattle to avoid introducing diseases from manure on the truck and to avoid injuries during transport. Avoid commingling with other herds and livestock.
Rendering Trucks: Do not allow on the farm proper, utilize peripheral holding pens for pickups.
Biosecurity Practices for Livestock Feed and Water
The purchased feed may be a potential source of disease organisms and chemical contaminants
Buy from sources using quality control to minimize the risk of fecal or chemical contamination
Biosecurity Practices for Visitors: Use Proper Sanitation and Hygiene.
Ensure footwear and clothing are clean and free of particles that may infect livestock, before entering the farm, or provide disposable boots and covers for apparel.
Minimize access to only necessary portions of the farm.
Use good hygiene to prevent movement of manure around the farm. Provide boot brushes, disinfectant, and boot wash areas or change disposable boots.
Start with young stock and move toward adults to prevent contamination of young stock areas with adult manure. Handle sick animals last if possible.
Communication of farm biosecurity and bio-containment procedures to visitors is basic to their success
Keeping Track of the Wellness of Your Animals:
When you assess your livestock, you'll usually think of physical measurements like height and weight. But beyond that, you may want to consider other factors to determine the overall health and wellness of your animal. Assessing specific areas like their eyes, nose, mouth, and ears can help you pinpoint areas that need attention and flag problems before they get out of hand. Tracking factors like environmental cleanliness, temperature, and air quality can help you address potential problems before they start by ensuring optimal living conditions for your livestock. When you record measurements in Farmbrite, you can track these additional details to get a more holistic view of your overall animal wellness.
The Farmbrite wellness score is meant to be a simple way for you to see a rating and immediately know the animal's overall condition. It combines and calculates the results of the Health and Environment sections from the Farmbrite measurements to arrive at a single overall wellness score. The score ranges from 20-100. You can find out more about using our farm management software, Farmbrite to track your wellness scores and understand the overall health and wellness of your animals.
If utilizing farm management software to track your animal wellness is not something you want/can do at this time but still want to track animal wellness, here are some key metrics to watch and keep track of:
Livestock environmental factors like cleanliness, insect activity, and air quality
Animal activity levels, including stress, mobility, sociability, energy levels, ease of handling, vocalizing, sores/limping/lameness
Nutrition and intake rates and amounts of eating, drinking, and overall weight
Animal body condition, including interior and exterior body assessments, such as eyes, ears, mouth teeth, etc.
To learn more about how we measure animal wellness take a look here.
Good livestock management practices take into account all of these factors and more. Prioritizing animal wellness in your herd/flock/etc. ensures that our livestock receives proper nutrition, veterinary care, and humane treatment, which in turn leads to improved health and productivity, quality of life, and ease of handling. Evaluating animal well-being and reducing biohazards on the farm fosters a healthy livestock management program that provides humane care for the animals that provide nutritious food for our communities.
In the words of Dr. Grandin, “We owe them a decent life and a decent death, and their lives should be as low-stress as possible,” As stewards to our animals, our management styles are just as important as the customers who purchase from us. We hope this article offers some insight into how what areas you can look to identify on your farm to help foster an environment for healthy and happy animals.