Research summary
We’ve made major strides in understanding how to reduce farm animal diseases through better farm management practices. Yet this understanding has not always translated into action. Currently, there are no guidelines to help policymakers come up with initiatives that would systematically account for human factors when it comes to treating these diseases.
Dr. Caroline Ritter, Canada Research Chair in Social Epidemiology for Healthy Animals, is developing an evidence-based framework to improve the success of behavioural interventions. She and her research team are focusing on dairy cattle, but they intend the framework to be adapted to other species. Standards based on this framework will increase the uptake of recommended animal health management practices on farms. Ultimately, it will improve the sustainability of Canadian animal agriculture.