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.
Dr. Meagan King, University of Manitoba Department of Animal Science is the principal investigator and faculty supervisor.
She said 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 study about robot milkers iinvolves a 30-minute survey once before installation and twice after and is for producers in Ontario and the western provinces.
