New simulator helps animal handlers understand livestock vision and behavior
Training livestock handlers to work calmly and safely with animals is a key goal across modern agriculture. A new virtual reality tool is now helping make that training more effective by allowing people to see the world through the eyes of livestock.
“The simulators allow the person that is wearing them to see the world like a cow would or a pig would or a horse would,” said Ashlynn Kirk, program manager of HHI and a UWRF alum. “We wanted to incorporate them into our training for animal handling to build empathy and help people who handle livestock get a better idea what cattle are seeing and experiencing as they move through a facility.”
The University of Wisconsin River Falls Humane Handling Institute became the first organization in North America to use augmented reality goggles designed to simulate how animals such as cattle pigs and horses see their surroundings. The technology helps handlers better understand animal behavior and reactions inside handling facilities.
The idea was introduced by Ashlynn Kirk, who learned about the Animal Eye Simulator during an animal care conference. The goggles allow users to experience limited color vision, wide peripheral sight and sensitivity to light and shadows just as livestock do.
Cattle for example see mostly shades of yellow brown and blue and take longer to adjust to changes in lighting. These visual differences explain why animals may hesitate to stop or become stressed in certain areas such as alleyways loading chutes or barns.
The simulators were developed by Computer Outlook Management and required special arrangements to be exported to the United States. After technical setup and preparation, the institute began using the system in workshops by fall 2025.
“Our mission is to improve animal welfare, worker safety and trust in food animal agriculture through robust and meaningful education, outreach and research,” said Kurt Vogel, a professor of animal welfare and behavior at UWRF and the director of HHI.
“The immediate response of nearly every person that has used the virtual reality system is simply ‘Wow!’ Ashlynn’s efforts to bring this technology to North America through her work in the Humane Handling Institute is nothing short of game changing for animal handlers in our part of the world. I’m so excited to see the effects this technology will have,” said Vogel.
By improving understanding of what animals see and experience, the training supports lower stress environments across slaughter plants, dairy farms and livestock markets. This new approach shows how technology can play a practical role in improving animal care across agriculture.