Dairy Care Program

DVM Rotation at the Ontario Veterinary College: DAIRY CATTLE WELFARE

As part of the Saputo Dairy Care Program, Associated Faculty from the Campbell Centre offer a rotation for DVM students in their final year of study. Read program highlights from 2015-2020.

Dairy Cattle Welfare is a week-long rotation at the Ontario Veterinary College, offered twice during the academic year. Watch video on the Dairy Care Welfare Elective Rotation. 

For the 2020/2021 academic year the rotation will take place during the weeks of February 8-12, 2021 & March 22-26, 2021

This elective experience is aimed at final year veterinary students intending to go into dairy practice. Space is set-aside for DVM students from other veterinary colleges in Canada to participate in this rotation. Spots are limited depending on the collective interest across our veterinary colleges. It is up to individual colleges to rank their students for attendance at the rotation if there is more interest than available space. With financial support from Saputo Inc., funding is available to help defer the cost of travel for external students and facilitate their participation in the rotation.

Final year veterinary students from outside of Canada who are interested in the rotation may contact dairywel@uoguelph.ca to enquire about available space.

The rotation will provide experiences, practice & structured learning opportunities in the context of dairy cattle welfare. It aims, in particular, to provide hands-on experience in practical welfare assessment and communication.
Students will:

1. Recall existing dairy welfare standards based on the Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Dairy Cattle, and recognize contraventions.
2. Carry out practical dairy cattle welfare assessments.
3. Practice communicating with clients and colleagues about animal welfare.

For more information please contact Saputo Dairy Care Program Manager, Lena Levison (dairywel@uoguelph.ca) and/or Rotation co-Coordinators Dr. Derek Haley (dhaley@uoguelph.ca); Dr. Todd Duffield (tduffiel@uoguelph.ca).

View the Annual Report.