The Rural Voice, 2001-05, Page 25drink water at ground level," he
notes.
Cows also like to e,at at a low
level. When feed is presented at a
higher distance off the ground cows
tend to throw it over their backs.
mproving herd health can be
beneficial to the whole dairy
industry, Anderson contends.
Noting the pressure from consumers
to reduce the use of drugs on the
farm he says healthier barns can lead
to healthier animals and less drug
use. "Environment (for the cows) is
so important. The way to get away
from drug use is by paying attention
to husbandry in the barn." If cattle
have fewer foot and leg problems, if
they have less mastitis, there will be
less need for drugs and consumers
will be happier.
Innovative producers deserve a
pat on the back, Anderson says. They
try new things, show the results to
their neighbours and fellow
dairymen, and it becomes "like an
epidemic", spreading throughout the
industry.
Innovative producers
try new things, tell
their neighbours and
knowledge spreads
like an epidemic
In some cases being a leader can
be stressful. Anderson tells of one
farmer who said he didn't sleep the
night before new equipment was
installed in his barn. He joked he
didn't mind being on the cutting edge
but he didn't want to bleed to death.
Anderson likes to open his talks
these days by relating a story he
heard on the radio. A woman with
Lou Gehrig's disease, when she could
no longer do many things for herself,
advertised for a personal assistant.
She asked each applicant what she
thought her job would be. The
winning candidate wasn't one of
those who said they were to help
clean the house or dress the woman
but the young woman who said "My
job is to give you a life."
Praising the innovators, Anderson
says "By their actions, they're
showing us their job is to give cows a
life."0
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