The University of Manitoba is running three studies on how beef and dairy production affect producers across Western Canada.
Two studies focus on how beef and dairy producer well-being is affected by farm management and animal health. A third study will assess the impact on producer well-being as they install and adjust to robots on dairy farms.
Meagan King, University of Manitoba Department of Animal Science principal investigator and faculty supervisor, said in a news release that a recent Canadian study found many farmers have high levels of stress, anxiety, depression and burnout.
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The beef and dairy well-being studies are expected to explore factors related to producer mental health, including demographics, farm management, work environment, responsibilities, and connections between producer well-being and animal health.
Beef producers will be asked questions in a 20-minute online survey to help assess if there are any differences between cow-calf, background, and feedlot producer well-being, perspectives on wild animals on the farm and animal control protocols.
Participants must be at least 18 years old and own and operate a beef operation in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba or Ontario.
The dairy study follows a similar vein, with King collaborating with Andria Jones-Bitton, Brianna Hagen and Charlotte Winder from Ontario’s University of Guelph. The study runs from April to October 2023.
The dairy start-up study monitors the impact on producers as they install and adjust to robot milking systems, with a 30-minute survey once before installation and twice after. Participation is confidential, but permission to access milking records will be part of the study. Participants must be in the western provinces and Ontario.
For more information about the studies, visit https://bit.ly/45Zjifg for the beef study and http://bit.ly/46acmMs for the dairy study or contact Megan.King@umanitoba.ca.
