Communication preferences and social media engagement among Canadian dairy producers.

The objective of this study was to determine communication preferences of dairy producers in Canada. A secondary objective was to evaluate social media engagement of dairy producers. A survey was administered to Canadian dairy producers between March and April, 2015 to collect information on current management practices on their farms. A total of 1,373 Canadian dairy producers responded to the survey, representing a response rate of 12%. The survey consisted of 192 questions; however, only questions regarding producer demographics, importance of information sources, and internet and social media use were evaluated in this study. The primary outcome variables of interest included use of the internet to access dairy information, importance of different sources of information about dairy herd health and management, and use of online search engines and social media platforms. For each outcome, logistic regression analyses were used to investigate associations between the outcome and demographic variables. Veterinarians were viewed as a "very important" source of information by the majority of respondents (79%), whereas milk recording and dairy producer organizations were viewed as a "very important" source of information by 36% of respondents. Other producers (46%) and magazines or newspapers (51%) were commonly viewed as an "important" source of information. Online search engines were commonly used by respondents (94%). Social media was viewed as less important, and had mixed levels of use. YouTube (70%), Facebook (63%), and Twitter (18%) were the most commonly used social media platforms. Eighty percent of Twitter users reported using the platform to interact with and obtain or share information about herd health management online, which was the highest reported interactivy regarding herd health among all social media platforms. This exploratory study offers insight into the communication preferences of Canadian dairy producers and can be used to facilitate future communication strategies aimed at engaging rural farming audiences across Canada.

Passive immunity and colostrum management practices on Ontario dairy farms and auction facilities: A cross-sectional study.

Failed transfer of passive immunity (FTPI) in dairy calves has substantial health consequences, but there have been no recently published estimates of the prevalence of FTPI on Ontario dairy farms. The major objectives of this cross-sectional study were to determine the level of FTPI in dairy calves across the province of Ontario and to determine colostrum management practices used. A convenience sample of 109 dairy farms in Ontario were visited from June to August 2019, along with 4 auction facilities from January to February 2019. At the single visit to each dairy farm, an in-person questionnaire was administered, and all calves between 24 h and 9 d of age had a blood sample collected to determine the levels of serum total protein (STP). At the auction facility, a blood sample was collected on all calves that arrived on the day of the visit. The dairy farms were distributed throughout Ontario, and the farms milked on average 151 dairy cows. Of the 444 calves sampled on Ontario dairy farms, 46% were male, 54% were female, and the mean weight and age at sampling were 46.3 kg and 4.4 d, respectively. The mean STP of calves sampled on the dairy farm was 5.69 g/dL (standard deviation = 0.78), and 107 calves (24%) had FTPI. The likelihood of FTPI was not associated with sex (female vs. male, risk ratio = 0.89, 95% confidence interval = 0.64-1.24), age (per day, risk ratio = 1.02, 95% confidence interval = 0.94-1.11), or weight (per kg, risk ratio = 0.98, 95% confidence interval = 0.96-1.01). In contrast, at the auction facilities, 386 male dairy calves were sampled and had a mean STP of 5.79 g/dL (standard deviation = 0.83). Using a cut point of ≥5.2 g/dL, 91 calves (24%) had FTPI. From the in-person questionnaire administered on the dairy farms, it was reported that the median time to first feeding of colostrum was 2.5 h (range = 0-12 h). The farms reported providing a mean of 3.3, 2.9, and 3.4 L of colostrum from 0 to 6 h after birth, 6 to 12 h after birth, and 12 to 24 h after birth, respectively. Ninety-one farms (83%) fed colostrum from the dam of the calf as their predominant source of colostrum. The most common method used to deliver the first feeding of colostrum was a nipple bottle (89 farms, 82%). Twenty-seven farms (25%) reported managing colostrum differently for male calves, which included a different colostrum source, use of poorer quality colostrum, a smaller quantity of colostrum, a longer time from birth to feeding, and generally having a lower focus on colostrum management for male calves. The prevalence of FTPI on Ontario dairy farms appears to have decreased since previous estimates, and substantial room for improvement remains. Although no overall differences were found in FTPI between male and female calves, differential reported colostrum management by sex indicates this may be a risk for male calves on a proportion of Ontario dairy farms.

Short communication: Describing mortality and euthanasia practices on Canadian dairy farms.

The objective of this study was to describe mortality rates and euthanasia practices used for cows, heifer calves, and male dairy calves on Canadian dairy farms. An internet survey was administered to Canadian dairy producers between March and April 2015 to collect information on current management practices. Approximately 81% (867/1,076) and 63% (673/1,065) of respondents reported that at least one animal died unassisted and at least one animal was euthanized on the farm in the preceding 12-mo period, respectively. Overall, mean mortality was 8% for cows, and 6 and 2% for preweaning and weaned heifers, respectively. On average, 48, 76, and 89% of all reported mortality events in cows, weaned heifers, and preweaning heifers were recorded as unassisted deaths. Cows that died without assistance were necropsied more often than preweaning heifers dying without assistance; these cows were also necropsied more than cows that were euthanized. Conversely, preweaning heifers that were euthanized were necropsied more frequently than those that died without assistance. Choosing not to perform necropsies on animals that die of unknown causes could represent a missed opportunity to identify cause of death and inform changes to prevent future deaths. The use of a firearm was the most common method for euthanizing cows and heifers (54%) and male dairy calves (51%). Approximately 7% of respondents reported using blunt force to euthanize animals. The use of this method was much higher for euthanasia of male dairy calves (34%) than for heifer calves (7%). Québec respondents euthanized their animals using blunt force more often than farmers from other regions. Further, 53% of respondents using blunt force indicated it was their primary method of calf euthanasia; these results are extremely concerning. Approximately 31% of respondents who reported that they do not use blunt force to euthanize heifers and cows did report using blunt force to euthanize male dairy calves. These results can be used to inform veterinarian-client communication, broader extension tools and programs, and industry policies to improve dairy cattle health and welfare, a goal that is becoming of increasing importance from a consumer assurance perspective.

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

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.