Research Reports

Research Reports are designed to report applied aspects of research from the UBC’s Dairy Education and Research Centre recently published in refereed international scientific journals. Reports are two pages in length and are published three to five times per year.

If you would like to receive Research Reports as they are released, sign up for the mailing list here.

The individual matters: Personality traits in dairy cattle

July 6, 2020

In a series of studies, we investigated the expression of different personality traits in dairy calves and their consistency until adulthood, and how these personality traits affect how dairy calves feed, grow, interact with others, and respond to stressful management practices.

Posted in 2020, Research Reports | Tagged with

The welfare of cull dairy cows from farm to slaughter

May 1, 2020

In this study we followed cull cows from dairy farms in British Columbia to their final destination in order to understand the kind of journeys they undergo, the delays that can occur, and their condition on arrival at the final destination.

Posted in 2020, Research Reports | Tagged with

Pedometers on dairy cattle can point to better fertility

March 4, 2020

Monitoring increases in physical activity, using pedometers and accelerometers, reveals a correlation between the intensity of estrous expression and pregnancies per insemination.

Posted in 2020, Research Reports | Tagged with

Lameness in dry cows: a link to transition disease?

January 6, 2020

Cows often become sick in the ‘transition’ period around calving, and many dairy cows are lame, but research to date has not considered how lameness may put cows at risk for transition cow diseases. In recent research at UBC we studied the development of lameness during the dry period, and the association between lameness and […]

Posted in 2020, Research Reports | Tagged with

Cows are highly motivated to access a brush

October 11, 2018

Grooming behavior is expressed by many animals, including cows, and helps them maintain a healthy coat and skin. Cows can groom themselves and herd mates by licking. When housed in naturalistic environments, they also use trees or other structures to scratch parts of their body that are otherwise difficult to reach.

Posted in 2018, Research Reports | Tagged with

Use and perceptions of on-farm emergency slaughter for dairy cows in British Columbia

July 19, 2018

When farm animals become injured, farmers must decide whether to treat, transport, euthanize, or use on-farm emergency slaughter (OFES). OFES is one end-of-life option for animals that cannot be transported humanely but are fit for human consumption.

Posted in 2018, Research Reports | Tagged with

Public Expectations of a Dairy Farm

January 17, 2017

To provide some insight into understanding the public’s views of animal agriculture, we conducted two studies, one asked participants how they would describe the ideal dairy farm and the second where participants were surveyed before and after touring a dairy farm.

Posted in 2016, Research Reports | Tagged with

Public expectations of a dairy farm (Vol 16-2)

January 17, 2017

The European community has placed some effort into understanding the public’s views of animal agriculture, including the dairy industry. However, little is known about the expectations of the dairy industry by North American citizens. To provide some insight on this issue we conducted two studies, one where we asked participants how they would describe the […]

Posted in 2016, Research Reports | Tagged with

Portable flotation therapy unit in use. Photo credit: Karen Hatt

Flotation therapy for downer cows (Vol 16-1)

March 22, 2016

Providing quality care for recumbent (‘downer’) cows is a crucial role for the modern dairy farmer. Cases of poor quality care can harm both the cow and the reputation of the dairy industry. Providing good care can be both time- and labour-intensive. Producers must choose between available treatments, how to relocate the cow in the […]

Posted in 2016, Research Reports | Tagged with animal welfare

Click the image to watch a video of one
of our toilet trained calves.

Can calves be potty trained? (Vol. 15-2)

July 24, 2015

As anyone who has worked with cattle knows, cows produce a huge volume of urine and feces each day. All that manure quickly adds up, increasing the risk of slips and falls, mastitis and lameness. Accumulation of manure is also costly in terms of both bedding and labour costs. Consequently, dairy barns are typically designed […]

Posted in 2015, Research Reports | Tagged with animal behaviour, research, vol 15-2

Travel Directions

From Vancouver:

Travel east on Highway #1 (Trans Canada Highway)
Take Exit #135 (Highway #9) to Agassiz and Harrison Hot Springs.
Follow Highway #9 across the Fraser River through Agassiz towards Harrison Hot Springs.
After crossing the CPR tracks on the north side of Agassiz, turn left onto Highway #7.
The Centre is on the immediate right. The Dairy Centre’s buildings and parking are located in the north-west corner of the building site.

All visitors must report to the manager’s office (located in the prominent white building with blue trim and cathedral windows) before entering UBC buildings.

Research Reports

The individual matters: Personality traits in dairy cattle

The welfare of cull dairy cows from farm to slaughter

Pedometers on dairy cattle can point to better fertility

Lameness in dry cows: a link to transition disease?

Cows are highly motivated to access a brush

Use and perceptions of on-farm emergency slaughter for dairy cows in British Columbia

Public Expectations of a Dairy Farm

Public expectations of a dairy farm (Vol 16-2)

Flotation therapy for downer cows (Vol 16-1)

Can calves be potty trained? (Vol. 15-2)

Media Contacts

Stock Images for Media Use

Animal Welfare Research at UBC Dairy Centre

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