Codes Of Practice
Current
- Beef Cattle
- Bison
- Chickens, Turkeys and Breeders
- Equine
- Farmed Deer
- Farmed Fox
- Farmed Mink
- Farmed Salmonids
- Goats
- Pigs
- Pullets and Laying Hens
- Rabbits
- Sheep
- Veal Cattle
Under Revision
Code Development Process
Dairy Cattle
CODE UNDER REVISION
CURRENT DAIRY CODE (2009)
CODE DEVELOPMENT TIMELINE
Start: January 2019
Public comment period: November 29, 2021 - January 27, 2022
Projected completion: March 2023
Code development timeline
Resources:
- Dairy Code Public Comment Period Quantitative Analysis Summary
- Scientific Committee report – Review of scientific research on priority issues – December 2020
- Priority welfare issues for the Scientific Committee report
- Perinatal mortality: A summary of current literature prepared for the dairy cattle Code Development Committee – February 2021
- Dairy Cattle Survey Results
- Progress Update
- News Release - Update to the Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Dairy Cattle opens with a survey - MAR 2019
Committees
Code Development Committee members
Participants are defined as per NFACC’s Guiding Principles for Codes of Practice.
Role | Committee Member | Organization |
Code Manager | Caroline Ramsay |
|
Producer | David Wiens (Chair) | Dairy Farmers of Canada |
Producer | Dave Taylor | Dairy Farmers of Canada |
Producer | Pascal Leduc Yvan Bastien (2019 – 2022) | Dairy Farmers of Canada |
Producer | Steve Runnalls | Dairy Farmers of Canada |
Producer | Gerrit Damsteegt | Dairy Farmers of Canada |
Transporter | Several representatives with knowledge and expertise will serve in this capacity. DFC requested a transportation representative, but the position was not filled. | |
Veterinarian | Dr. Kelly Barratt | Canadian Veterinary Medical Association |
National animal welfare association | Dr. Jeff Rushen | Humane Canada |
Provincial animal protection enforcement authority | Mike Draper | Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs |
Provincial government representative with responsibilities in animal welfare | Dr. Jane Pritchard | British Columbia Ministry of Agriculture (retired) |
Retail and food service organization | No representative at this time | |
Processor | Marie Ly | Dairy Processors Association of Canada |
Federal government | Jean Lambert Lucille McFadden (2019 – 2021) | Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada |
Researcher/academic | Dr. Trevor DeVries | Co-Chairs of the Scientific Committee |
| Dr. Elsa Vasseur | Co-Chairs of the Scientific Committee |
Technical Expert | Steve Adam | Valacta |
Program implementation expert | Chantal Fleury | Les Producteurs de lait du Québec |
| Program implementation expert | Guy Séguin | Dairy Farmers of Ontario |
| Allied industry representative | Brian Keunen | Canadian Veal Association |
| Allied industry representative | Kirk Jackson | Canadian Cattlemen’s Association |
Scientific Committee members
Name | Named by |
Dan Weary, D.Phil | Canadian Society of Animal Science (CSAS) |
Elsa Vasseur, PhD (Co-Chair) | International Society for Applied Ethology (ISAE) (Canadian chapter) |
Trevor DeVries, PhD (Co-Chair) | International Society for Applied Ethology (ISAE) (Canadian chapter) |
Charlotte Winder, DVM, DVSc | Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) |
Todd Duffield, DVM, DVSc | Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) |
Steven Roche, PhD | Research Writer |
Priority welfare issues for the Scientific Committee report
The Code Development Committee and Scientific Committee collectively identified the following list of priority welfare issues. The Scientific Committee is developing a report synthesizing the results of research relating to these animal welfare issues.
Cow-calf separation
- effects of immediate or delayed separation
- optimal approaches to separation
Optimal management and design of indoor systems as it relates to
- stall design
- bedding
- exercise
- spatial allowance/stocking density, including impact on social interactions
- air quality and temperature (for calves and cows)
- outdoor access (pasture and alternatives)
Pain control for painful conditions and procedures
- main principles
- mastitis, metritis, diarrhea, and dystocia
- pain associated with caustic paste disbudding
- surgical and post surgical
Lameness and injuries
- risk factors
- prevention strategies
- early identification and treatment, including pain control
- understanding farm-level barriers to reducing occurrence
End-of-life management (culling, euthanasia, and fitness for transport)
- prognosis and decision-making for vulnerable cows
- nursing care for down cows
- link to dry off and culling
CURRENT CODE (2009)
The current Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Dairy Cattle was released in 2009.
There are various ways to view the Code: the full HTML version, the PDF version (1.3 MB) or select from the Table of Content below.
There are a limited number of hard copies of this Code. NFACC encourages use of the electronic version and does not store hard copies.
Other Resources
- Scientific Committee Report (2009)
- Animal Welfare Research Needs
- Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA)
- Welfare of Cull Dairy Cows - Position Statement
- Tail Docking of Dairy Cattle - Position Statement
- Horn Management of Cattle – Position Statement
- Care of Neonatal Calves on Dairy Farms - Position Statement
Table of Contents (2009)
| Appendices | ||
| Appendix A | - Assembly Yards and Sales Yards | |
| Appendix B | - Temperature - Humidity Index Table | |
| Appendix C | - Flowchart for Evaluating Free Stalls | |
| Appendix D | - Flowchart for Evaluating Tie Stalls | |
| Appendix E | - Body Condition Scoring Chart | |
| Appendix F | - Gait Scoring System for Dairy Cows | |
| Appendix G | - Guidelines for Dealing with Compromised Cattle | |
| Appendix H | - Should this Animal be Loaded? | |
| Appendix I | - Livestock Transport Consignment Form | |
| Appendix J | - Euthanasia of Cattle | |
| Appendix K | - Resources for Further Information | |
| Appendix L | - Participants | |
