A webinar series to provide the latest research-based dairy information to improve animal welfare, breeding and genetic selection, automation and modernization, and nutritional decisions for producers, dairy workers and managers, ag professionals, and educators. 

Join the University of Wisconsin-Madison – Division of Extension’s Dairy Program on the third Tuesday of each month from 11am-12 pm CST for the Badger Dairy Insight webinar series. New this year we are switching our webinars to a monthly platform.  We are featuring your local Extension Dairy Program Educators and UW Specialists as they present on current dairy topics. Take the opportunity to learn from and discuss with experts on the dates below.

There is no charge to participate in the sessions, however pre-registration is required to allow access.

all webinars will be the third Tuesday of the month at 11 am

Register for Badger Dairy Insight Webinars

November 21, 2023

Moving cows without the cows: new options for interactive employee training

Handling cows is necessary to harvest milk and provide animal care, but these interactions also present a risk of injury to personnel. Inappropriate cow handling threatens animal welfare, milk production, and public trust in dairy farming. But how can the industry best teach these skills? Interactive learning experiences can help build confidence by allowing dairy workers to actively participate in their own training. 

Interactive training methods, such as group activities, simulations, games or other hands-on methods, keep employees engaged in the learning process and create a safe space for questions. In collaboration with Wisconsin dairy stakeholders, Extension Dairy Welfare Specialist & UW Madison Department of Animal & Dairy Science Assistant Professor, Jennifer Van Os, created an innovative learning tool for people to practice the appropriate handling of dairy cows.

Join Jennifer Van Os and Extension Farm Management Specialist Jim Versweyveld as they discuss interactive learning and the Mooving Cows(TM) digital educational game in which learners practice moving cows in simulated dairy farm environments. The game, like a flight simulator, is a way for participants to “learn by doing.” The learning objectives in the game are to understand how human actions affect cow behavior, stress, productivity, and worker safety.