ABSTRACT
A survey of dairy industry stakeholders, predominantly from North America with minimal representation from European countries, identified concerns about poor handling and stockmanship as one of the pressing animal welfare concerns for the dairy industry. A wide variety of definitions have been established in the scientific literature to describe the term “stockmanship.” At its core, stockmanship appears to involve the direct handling and management of animals by their caretakers and the knowledge of the caretakers regarding the animals they care for. The handling of dairy cattle is best facilitated by patience and calm, confident interaction. In general, dairy cows are highly routinized animals. The willingness of dairy cows to accept routine is valuable because positive human interaction over time will reduce the effect of fear on handling. When animals experience fear-based interactions with people, their bodies respond with activation of biological pathways that are intended to help the individual survive during periods of stress.
