Novus’s COWS Programme Makes Steps Forward
US - Not even six months after Novus International, Inc. fully launched its C.O.W.S. programme, industry interest and acceptance of the service targeting cow comfort have exceeded expectations. Novus looks at the industry’s response as a signal that dairy producers are concerned about cow comfort on their farms and are looking for means of improvement.
27 September 2011
3 minute read
“C.O.W.S. is an exclusive programme that has been tested and proven to work,” says Stephanie Gable, Global Marketing Manager with Novus.
“When cows are comfortable and healthy, they will perform better. We are confident C.O.W.S. helps our dairy customers – and the industry as a whole – achieve even greater levels of efficiency and productivity that will enhance overall sustainability.”
Novus is a global developer of nutrition products to help improve animal health. The ruminant research team is committed to making dairy production more efficient and profitable.
C.O.W.S. stands for Comfort, Oxidative Balance, Well-Being and Sustainability. The main feature of the C.O.W.S. programme is a confidential, on-farm assessment.
During the assessment, Novus specialists quantify the following factors to help US producers measure their herds’ performance and to pinpoint opportunities for improvement:
- Cow lying time
- Lameness scores and hock health
- Facility design and management measures (including bedding quality, stall dimensions, neck rail placement, feed bunk space and more).
Following the assessment, each farm receives a customised report. The report compares the individual farm with benchmarks based on other farms in the region, so producers can gauge whether they have areas that they want to improve.
The benchmarking phase of C.O.W.S. is complete with data from approximately 120 dairy operations in California, New Mexico, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas and Vermont. The programme is being expanded to include the Midwest as well.
With the benchmarking phase complete, the C.O.W.S. programme moves into its next phase as a complimentary, value-added service for key Novus customers.
“The interest is far bigger than we imagined,” says Kiyomi Ito, Novus C.O.W.S. Project Manager.
“Dairy producers recognise the importance of cow comfort as part of a balanced approach to herd performance and profitability.”
The measurement factors of C.O.W.S. are based on the research of Marina von Keyserlingk and Daniel Weary, professors of animal behavior and welfare with The University of British Columbia.
“The uptake by the producers comes at a time when a lot of people are questioning the treatment of animals on the farm, and the C.O.W.S. programme gives them personalised feedback on how their own cows are doing,” says Ms von Keyserlingk.
“Producers read everywhere what cows should be doing to achieve high levels of cow comfort, but their challenge is what to do with this information if they don’t know how their cows are doing? The C.O.W.S. programme is an example that provides that measurement.”
The programme’s acceptance by producers is raising the interest of international animal welfare scientists and dairy industry professionals. Recently at the fifth International Conference on the Assessment of Animal Welfare at Farm and Group Level, Novus was the only animal nutrition company invited to present a poster.
The August 2011 conference was held at the University of Guelph.
“The response was fantastic,” says Ms von Keyserlingk. “For the Europeans in attendance, the approach is novel, having a company involved with producers to improve animal welfare. C.O.W.S. is not an audit programme by a government authority or grocery distributor but an assessment by an independent business partner that involves working together with farmers.”
While Novus continues with the next step after the benchmarking phase and starts on-farm assessment as a service, the research behind the program will not end. One of the research areas of which Ms von Keyserlingk stresses the importance is returning to the farms included in the benchmarking phase.
“If we are going to sustain change, we need to go back and find out what information resonates with the producers,” she adds.
“Change needs to come from the bottom up. The producer needs to be the main stakeholder working with the nutritionist, herdsmen, hoof trimmer, veterinarian, feed salesman and other people who play active roles in the herd’s well-being, to facilitate sustaining improvements for the cows’ welfare and productivity.”
