Minimize Transition Cow Stress To Optimize Health & Reproduction

On October 28, 2020 Dr. Trevor DeVries, dairy cattle behavior and welfare expert, shared information on minimizing stressors in transition cows. Key points covered were: 1) Stress on dairy cows at transition may have negative, long-lasting effects on health, reproduction, and milk yield. 2) Many stressors directly affect cow behavior, including time spent eating and ruminating, resulting in lesser feed intake. 3) Housing and nutrition must be managed to minimize stressors and optimize behavior. Dr. Trevor DeVries is a Professor and Canada Research Chair in the Department of Animal Biosciences at the University of Guelph. Trevor received his B.Sc. in Agriculture from The University of British Columbia (UBC) in 2001. Immediately following he began graduate studies at UBC, where he received his Ph.D. in 2006. Following that, he spent one year as a post-doctoral fellow with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. In 2007 he was appointed as faculty with the University of Guelph in the Department of Animal Biosciences. In that position Trevor leads a highly productive research program focused on dairy cattle nutrition, management, behavior, and welfare. Trevor also contributes to teaching at the university, including instructing undergraduate and graduate courses in the areas of dairy cattle management, behavior, and welfare, coaching the university Dairy Challenge team, as well as mentoring of graduate and undergraduate students.