Discussion on public perception and critical issues facing domestic farm animal owners. Opportunities for communicating animal stewardhsip.

1. JW Schroeder, Ph.D. Department of Animal Sciences March 30, 2011
J.W. Schroeder, Ph.D., Associate Professor
Extension Dairy Specialist
HOW TO LOSE AN ARGUMENT
Department of ON ANIMAL WELFARE
Animal Sciences
Feelings Toward Dairy Products
“Public sentiment Midwest Dairy Association
43%
40%
is everything. On a scale of 1 to 10, where 1 is very unfavorable and
10 is very favorable, how would you characterize your
feelings towards milk (1/2 sample) cheese (1/2 sample)?
With public Milk
Cheese n=245
sentiment nothing N=261 20%
17%
14%
13% 13%
can fail; without it, 10%
8%
7%
5%
nothing can 1%
1
0% 0%
2%
3%
10
0%
1
2% 1%
3%
10
Mean Mean
Very Very Very Very
succeed.” Unfavorable
8.6
Favorable Unfavorable
8.2
Favorable
Days/Year
Days/Year
Milk
Consume 42 78 215 1 70 293
– Abe Lincoln Cheese
Consumed
as Beverage
Index vs. Nat
Trusted Sources – Animal Care U.S. Welfare Laws Since 2002
Top Box
Source: Dairy Management Inc.
Practices Banned in Recent Time
American Humane Society 10% 8% 37% 45% 105 – Veal crates
American Society for the Prevention
13% 11% 36% 41% • Arizona 2006, Colorado 2008
(ASPCA)
of Cruelty to Animals 95
Humane Society of
– Tail Docking of Dairy Cattle
the United States 18% 10% 33% 40% 116 • Outlawed in California 2009
American Veterinary – Foie gras (force feeding)
Medical Association
20% 5% 36% 39% 105
• California 2004
US Department of
Agriculture (USDA)
7% 9% 48% 36% 125 “Prevention of Farm Animal Cruelty Act”
Environmental Protection
13% 16% 43% 29% 116
(Proposition 2, California 2008)
Agency (EPA
People for the Ethical
– Passed by wide margin (63% yes vs. 36%
Treatment of Animals (PETA) 17% 35% 27% 22% 110 no)
National Milk • Provisions of the Act
Producers Federation
44% 10% 31% 14% 140 Animals must have sufficient space to lie
Dairy Research Institute down, turn around, groom, stretch limbs
47% 8% 31% 13% 130
freely
American Association of
Bovine Practitioners 65% 9% 21% 6% 100
Most recently, Maine
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% – As of January 1, 2011, gestation stalls
Don’t’ Know No Trust Trust Somewhat Trust very Much and veal crates will be prohibited
NDSU 2011 Extension Spring Conference, Fargo 1

2. JW Schroeder, Ph.D. Department of Animal Sciences March 30, 2011
Abuse Captured on Video Social Media Response
1. Westland Hallmark Packing Plant in California (2/08)
Dynamics of cell phone users:
2. Livestock Market in Portales, New Mexico (6/08)
 33% access daily news feeds
3. The Veal Calf Slaughter Plant in Vermont (11/09)
4. Conklin’s Dairy Farm Video of Abuse (5/10)  28% customize internet access
 37% contribute to creation of news
24 hour news delivery -- now in 30 minute of less!
Communication Tools & Resources Commodity Groups at Work
usdairy.com mydairytoolkit.com
Media efforts to:
• Establish a presence
• Enlist advocates
• Dominate search engines…
– Sayable
– Sharable
– Sendable
– Showable
New Consumer-Tested
Key Messages Coming this Spring www.midwestdairycheckoff.com
NDSU 2011 Extension Spring Conference, Fargo 2

3. JW Schroeder, Ph.D. Department of Animal Sciences March 30, 2011
Images of our Industry
Poultry Pigs
• Leg deformity – • Lean line
fast growth
Images of our Industry Images of our Industry
Beef cattle Dairy Horses Pets
• Corkscrew claw • Inherited autosomal • Blue-eyed • Dogs – for show not
function
recessives:
– DUMPS, BLAD
Handling Practices to Consider
Livestock for Exhibition This is a form of animal abuse that is commonplace because of a lack of understanding of these handling devices
Nose-lead is a distraction Halter is a restraint device
Viewed as abuses (often a device, not a halter
consequence of ignorance
about animal needs)
Grand Champion Bull – Shearer Angus
– Feeding diets with excessive
concentrates and limited or no hay
– Confined in a small pen that
restricts exercise and prevents
socialization
– Isolation a dark climate-controlled
room for 24 hours a day for the
purposes of simply growing hair
– Not understanding what they are
seeing and assuming the worse… Farm size, in & of itself, will never be a reliable indicator of animal welfare on the farm.
NDSU 2011 Extension Spring Conference, Fargo 3

4. JW Schroeder, Ph.D. Department of Animal Sciences March 30, 2011
Rodeo Events Hunting, Fishing, etc.
Steer wrestling
Team roping
Mishaps
Calf roping Bronc riding
Bull riding
Miscellaneous
Specialty events
Science & Economics
1. Assuming science will give us all the
answers
 Science doesn’t solve ethical questions
 The public doesn’t always trust scientists
2. Using economics as the justification for all
of our practices
“...of course we treat them well or we won’t make
money”
Although it makes sense to those who raise animals for a
Sources: DA Daley, CSU-Chico and JK Shearer, ISU living, these statements hurt our efforts with the public
Egos and Assumptions Talking vs. Listening
3. Assuming that you must defend all farming 5. Attacking everyone who disagrees with you
practices, regardless of what they are in a negative and critical manner
 Defending all practices makes no sense and • Getting angry easily generally means we aren’t
causes you to lose credibility with the public comfortable with what we are doing and have to
4. Assuming we can’t do better at animal loudly defend ourselves for assurance
welfare 6. Not being willing to listen because we are so
• Agriculture is about evolving practices busy responding
• Why can’t we continue to improve a system that • Learn to listen to understand - not to responding
is already good, but will continue to change?
NDSU 2011 Extension Spring Conference, Fargo 4

5. JW Schroeder, Ph.D. Department of Animal Sciences March 30, 2011
Radical or Accepted? Thoughtful Planning?
7. Assuming that the radical fringe is the 9. Assuming that because someone disagrees
general public with you they are stupid, evil or both
• We spend far too much time focused on the • Good people can look at the same issue
animal extremists, and not enough time differently
working with the general public 10.Not working hard enough to build coalitions
8. Being reactive rather than proactive that include the public (consumers)
• Happens all the time, especially among those • Most of our coalition efforts are focused on
who are passionate about what they do bringing agricultural groups together
• There aren’t enough of us, and we don’t
represent enough votes.
Diverse Leadership Animal Welfare Gone Hollywood
11.Criticizing or mocking any animal production Temple Grandin
system that is not “conventional” • Movie received seven Emmy awards
• There is room for different methods of production • Named on of Time magazine’s
• Let the market determine their success rather “100 most influential people in the world”
than you hoping for them to fail
12.Trying to lead a parade without seeing if anyone
is following… Have you asked producers about
the issue?
• 90%+ of surveyed producers say “animals have the RIGHT to be
treated humanely and ethically”!
Bull fighting, Dog fighting,
Warning … Cock fighting
The following contains scenes that
some might find disturbing.
Intended for mature audiences that
are well-informed and willing to
work toward solutions that benefit
our society.
These are extreme cases and NOT
typical, but they do happen…
NDSU 2011 Extension Spring Conference, Fargo 5

6. JW Schroeder, Ph.D. Department of Animal Sciences March 30, 2011
Neglect
Uncontrollable
Make Every Conversation Count
Key Message
Proof Points
Abuse
Tell ’em what
you told ‘em
Give them a “glass” of information,
not the entire tank load
NDSU 2011 Extension Spring Conference, Fargo 6