The average weight of a fully grown Holstein cow is around 1,500 pounds, its average height nearly 5 feet at the shoulder. Guiding cattle that large from point A to point B while keeping the animals and people involved safe is no easy task. It requires effective training — the kind that’s now offered through a new educational video game codeveloped by a CALS animal scientist.

Called Mooving Cows, the free game gives dairy workers (and anyone else interested) the opportunity to practice cow handling skills virtually. The idea for the game emerged from feedback offered by Wisconsin dairy producers, explains Jennifer Van Os, assistant professor and extension specialist in the Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences. Over the years, Van Os, an animal welfare expert, says she has heard from numerous producers seeking better training options for milkers and other staff members on proper cow handling — ways to move cows through dairy facilities that help ensure worker safety while also minimizing cow stress and injury.

Compared to standard training videos and articles, the video game format allows for a more active and engaged learning experience. Players practice routine cow movement in a variety of simulated environments, including pastures, milking parlors, and freestall pens. They also learn how their actions affect cow behavior, stress, and milk production.

The game was developed with other collaborators, including Nigel Cook, a professor of medical sciences at the UW School of Veterinary Medicine. It’s based on decades of research and input from more than 60 people in the Wisconsin dairy community, including farm owners, milkers, consultants, and veterinarians.

The game can be played in English or Spanish, and it takes around 30 minutes to complete. People who successfully navigate all levels receive a certificate of completion. This certificate can be used as documentation for the Farmers Assuring Responsible Management (FARM) Animal Care Program, which requires everyone with animal handling roles on dairy farms to have annual continuing education on proper animal handling.

This article was posted in Economic and Community Development, Food Systems, Health and Wellness, Natural Selections, Summer 2024 and tagged animal and dairy sciences, animal welfare, dairy cattle, Farmer Assuring Responsible Management, Holsteins, Jennifer Van Os, Milk Production, Mobile App, Mooving Cows, Nigel Cook, UW School of Veterinary Medicine, video game.