Better outcomes for animals start with better support for the people who care for them
Stillwater, OK
Joined October 2014
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I'm excited to announce that our review, “Defining cattle handler skill: A systematic review and conceptual framework,” has been published in the Journal of Dairy Science! 🐄
Cattle handling skill is vital but complex to define. We explored how it’s represented in literature, the characteristics tied to skilled handling, and proposed a framework for studying these traits.
This publication is significant as it’s a key part of Morgan Marquardt’s M.S. thesis. I'm proud to see her work recognized before graduation! 🌟
Read the article here: doi.org/10.3168/jds.2025-278…
#ValuesAndAttitude #KnowledgeIntegration #TechnicalExecution #SituationalAwareness #ContinuousLearning
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Just returned from Mexico City and my first engagement as holder of OSU’s Temple Grandin Endowed Professorship. With animal welfare leaders from across Latin America, I spoke about welfare in beef production and watched Temple receive a Lifetime Achievement Award. Remarkable.
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During the "Human Factors and the Future of Beef Cattle Welfare" session, Dr. Courtney Daigle highlighted the importance of utilizing technology judiciously to improve animal welfare assessment. #ISOBCW💻
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Temple Grandin shared insights from 50 years of experience, recalling when HSUS and other animal activist groups funded agricultural animal welfare research. #ISOBCW
When considering the implications of mat usage in slaughter plants, Lacey Alexander asked, "Are cattle going to continue to be the size of elephants? Are they going to be able to walk tomorrow?" #ISOBCW
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During the Environmental Factors Session at ISOBCW 7, Dr. A.J. Tarpoff shared insights from a survey indicating that all sectors involved recognized the negative impact of heat stress on beef cattle welfare. He emphasized that the economic consequences of heat stress are often greatly underestimated in the US. 🌡️🐄
The presenters from the Management Session returned to address questions regarding how to apply their research findings #ISOBCW #Managment #beefcattlewelfare
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Dr. Grant Dewell discussed the importance of timely euthanasia and shared the stage with Dr. Emiline Sundman to discuss some of their current research focused on validated frameworks for assessing welfare to support euthanasia decision-making. #ISOBCW
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Dr. Diego Moya highlighted how small changes can significantly reduce behavioral reactions to painful procedures. He also emphasized the importance of the 5 freedoms, including freedom from pain as essential for optimal welfare. Additionally, he noted the considerable time we spend today assessing acceptable levels of pain. #ISOBCW #Welfare #PainManagement
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Dr. Derek Haley discussed weaning in natural living conditions and how our understanding of this affects management practices, especially since weaning can be abrupt, regardless of the method used. He emphasized research findings regarding the effects of weaning on cows, noting that younger cows with calves responded more significantly to weaning than older cows. Additionally, heifer calves resulted in a more pronounced response compared to male calves, while multiparous cows reacted more strongly to weaning than primiparous cows—contrary to his initial expectations. 🐄✨ #Weaning #CattleManagement #AnimalWelfare
Dr. Karen Schwartzkopf-Genswein presented an international overview of advancements and opportunities in beef cattle welfare, emphasizing progress and potential. 🐄🌍
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Dr. Tom Field has opened the 7th International Symposium on Beef Cattle Welfare at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He emphasized the importance of perspective and encouraged students to embrace their viewpoints without fear or hesitation. 🌟🐄 #BeefCattleWelfare
On this Earth Day, I pause to reflect on the breathtaking beauty that surrounds us, recognizing that these landscapes have been shaped by the hard work of those who came before us. It is crucial that we protect these invaluable resources for the sake of future generations. 🌍💚 #EarthDay
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I recently had the opportunity to contribute to Feedstuffs, examining how the expanding beef-on-dairy sector is reshaping the footprint and visibility of the beef industry.
feedstuffs.com/livestock-and…
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On another hot summer day, here's an article that describes tools and considerations for understanding and managing heat stress in cattle. beef.unl.edu/getting-reacqua…
At a recent Extension meeting, my grad students shared projects on preparing youth and undergrads to talk about animal welfare. In presenting, they practiced the same skill: translating animal welfare science for real-world application.
#AnimalWelfare #NExt #extraordinary
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At #USPLF2025, I spoke about sustainability in animal systems, and what it means to integrate people, animals, and tech.
Sustainability must account for lived experience.
Animals build trust with people, not machines.
Let’s design systems that reflect that.
