Planning Dairy Animal Well-Being: Managing The Down Cow

Jul 20, 2016

Management of the down cow is a crucial role on the farm. As employers and managers, we need to set our employees up for success when responding to a down cow. Employees need to have clear expectations of their job as well as written protocols and standard operating procedures.

A farm’s animal well-being plan must include how to care for these animals and, in the rare situations when the animal is compromised, individuals on the farm must know how to respond appropriately, with the animal’s best interest in mind. Plans should include how to handle the down animal and implement the treatment plan. Plans should be written down and accessible to all individuals. Primary caretakers should be trained in proper animal handling.

In the factsheet, Planning Dairy Animal Well-Being: Managing the Down Cow, UW-Extension Taylor County Agriculture Agent Sandy Stuttgen addresses how to:

Assess the down cow
Encourage standing
Care for the down cow

Source: uwex.edu

Video: CEOs of the Industry: John McIntire, Partner at Pike Pig Systems

CEOs of the Industry, Jim sits down with John McIntire, Partner at Pike Pig Systems, one of the most quietly impressive 26,000-sow operations in the U.S. John shares how he grew from operator to partner, how Pike built a people-first culture with long-tenured managers, and why they’re committed to weaning bigger, stronger pigs at 25+ days.

John breaks down how Pike stays efficient in a tough economic environment, the power of their shareholder-owned farm model, and how their work with PIC and a 240-head boar facility drives genetics and health outcomes. He also opens up about the innovations Pike adopts — and how they decide what’s truly valuable versus industry hype.

From Prop 12 and labor challenges to trade, consumer expectations, and sustainability, John chooses a hot-button issue and shares how Pike is preparing for the future. The episode closes with a rapid-fire “Fast Five” — mindset, leadership, daily habits, and three words that define Pike Pig Systems in 2025.

If you want a look inside a people-driven, purpose-driven, quietly elite pork system, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.