MSU Extension Dairy

A difficult but necessary conversation with compassion at the center

In this special edition of the Heifer Academy webinar series, we dive into a topic that’s often avoided yet vitally important: making timely and humane decisions for youngstock care. Hosted by MSU Extension’s Cora Okkema, this session features Jennifer Walker, co-founder and Chief Animal Welfare Officer of Kinder Ground, a nonprofit dedicated to improving farm animal welfare.

Walker opened with a bold reframe: “Killing cows sucks. It'll never be easy, but we can do better.” The tension between economic decision-making and animal compassion is often treated as a binary. Instead, Walker challenges us to see compassion as the fulcrum, not the opposition, to business and practical concerns. She emphasized that while death itself is not a welfare issue, the process of dying can be, especially when prolonged or painful.

Walker showcased the framework that she uses when discussing animal welfare with those involved in the profession of dairy farming. There is a professional duty of veterinarians to public health and food safety, and as an advocate for the cow. It would be remiss to not recognize the professional conflicts, including income for the farm and veterinarians along with the relationships that need to be managed and are important on a personal and professional level. She places topics into three buckets: basics, animal health and the animal’s nature. From those buckets, she shares her three ground rules that define how she approaches the topic of animal welfare and shapes every recommendation she provides.

1. Death is not a welfare issue, dying is.
   The experience of suffering matters more than the finality of death.
2. Transport is inherently stressful.
   This must be factored into decisions about whether an animal is fit for travel.
3. Profit is not a justification for suffering.
   Ethical care should not be compromised for economic gain.

How are we doing?

National data shows room for improvement. In neonatal calves, 6.4% die on farms, yet only 0.4% are euthanized. Among adult cows, 5.6% die and only 2.4% are euthanized. That means the majority experience a prolonged dying process rather than being humanely euthanized. When investigating the timeline of being identified as sick to dying and the response to each of these stages, Walker asks us to reflect honestly: When animals are placed in the chronic or hospital pen, is recovery truly the goal? Or is this pen a place where you hope they recover on their own with minimal inputs? Having a treatment and recovery plan in place gives caretakers the best chance of providing the right care for the animal and gives animals the best chance of recovery with reduced suffering. 

Walker also stresses that the way we treat cull cows, both in care and presentation on farm and after they’ve left, (e.g., disrespectful graffiti in the shape of a dollar sign at auction), is reflective of the farm’s culture and values. It is not a debate that cattle of all ages deserve respect throughout every stage of life.

“If you're not willing to write your name and phone number on that cow, then she probably shouldn't go,” she says.

Rather than assuming negligence or ill intent, Walker challenges everyone who works with livestock to recognize internal barriers. Inspired by Atul Gawande’s book, “Being Mortal,” she discusses the concept of personal red lines, the thresholds individuals have for quality of life. Farmers, like anyone, bring different definitions of suffering and recovery to their decisions. The failure isn’t always in action, it’s often in planning. Many farms lack defined strategies for both voluntary and involuntary culls. Biases, emotions and avoidance of difficult conversations can lead to inaction or suffering.

Walker outlines a clear strategy for improvement:

1. Keep records to track mortality, reasons for euthanasia and recovery outcomes. Review of these records with the herd veterinarian will provide useful discussion to address reoccurring issues and create new protocols, if necessary.  
2. Separate strategies for voluntary (planned) and involuntary (urgent) culls.
3. Train and retrain all farm staff on identifying concerning symptoms, not just those responsible for euthanasia.
4. Empower veterinarians or designated animal welfare officers to regularly assess the hospital and chronic pens.
5. Use simple, practical SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) that ask guiding questions like:
• What are the chances of recovery?
• Can I manage pain and comfort during recovery?

The human condition with livestock euthanasia

Walker advocates for naming a Chief Animal Welfare Officer on every dairy, ideally the herd veterinarian. However, she recognizes that in rural or resource-limited areas, alternative models such as trained consultants, vet techs, Extension educators or community professionals may serve the role effectively. Euthanasia takes an emotional toll on everyone involved. Walker encourages rotating euthanasia responsibilities on larger farms and fostering open communication between caretakers, owners and veterinarians. Caretakers often feel they’ve failed when euthanizing an animal — when in fact, they may have done everything right. “Sometimes our best just doesn’t work,” she says.

In the U.S., three methods of euthanasia are approved:

• Overdose of pentobarbital
• Captive bolt
• Firearm

Walker emphasizes comfort and competence with the chosen method. “Now is not the time to be fumbling,” she says. She also emphasized checking animals’ post-euthanasia to ensure they have passed — using the acronym “Check HER Out”:

• Heartbeat
• Eye reflex
• Respiration

To see this acronym demonstrated, watch this example provided during the webinar.

Respect for animals, especially at end-of-life, needs to be more than a checkbox. It should be a visible, cultural norm on the farm.

Walker calls on all partners within the dairy industry to do better, not just for the animals, but for the people who care for them. Recognizing compassion fatigue and moral stress, along with the need to develop a decision tree to prioritize quality of life and reduce animal suffering, is essential to improving outcomes for both cattle and caregivers.

For more on Jennifer Walker’s work and Kinder Ground, visit their website. Both Walker and Okkema are available for follow-up questions and support.

In respect to the nature of the topic, if you are a Michigan farmer or farm employee and are in need of mental health support, please explore MSU Extension’s Farm Stress program that provides free teletherapy services https://www.canr.msu.edu/managing_farm_stress/teletherapy-program 

This article is part of the MSU Extension Heifer Academy Webinar Series

Click this link to access the video recording on YouTube

Click this link to access the audio recording on Spotify