Updated Aug. 23, 2023
The University of Manitoba is running three studies on the impact of beef and dairy production on producers, including in Ontario.
The dairy start-up study will assess the impact on producer well-being as they install and adjust to robots on the farm. The remaining two studies focus on how farm management and animal health impact dairy and beef producer well-being.
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Dr. Meagan King, University of Manitoba Department of Animal Science principal investigator and faculty supervisor, said in a release that a recent Canadian study found many farmers have high levels of stress, anxiety, depression, and burnout, often ranking higher than seen in other professions.
The beef and dairy wellbeing studies will explore factors related to producer mental health, including demographics, farm management, work environment, responsibilities, and connections between producer wellbeing 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 wellbeing, perspectives on wild animals on the farm, and animal control protocols. Participants must be 18 or older and owner-operator of a beef operation in Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, or Manitoba.
The dairy study, funded partly by Dairy Farmers of Ontario, follows a similar vein, with King collaborating with Dr. Andria Jones-Bitton, Dr. Brianna Hagen and Dr. Charlotte Winder from the University of Guelph. The study runs from April to October 2023.
The third dairy start-up study monitors the impact on producers as they install and adjust to robot milking systems on the farm 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 Ontario and the western provinces.
For more information on the dairy start-up study, please reach out to [email protected], and for the mental wellbeing studies, follow https://bit.ly/45Zjifg for the beef and http://bit.ly/46acmMs for the dairy.
Updated Aug. 10, 2023 to correct an email address.
