Mapledale Farm and
Wagner Farms in Rensselaer County have become the first two dairies in Eastern
NY to complete a voluntary cattle welfare certification program through the New
York State Cattle Health Assurance Program (NYSCHAP).
“We have pride in
what we do and hopefully that shows in how we care for the land, our animals
and the team of employees on the farm that works with them,” said Carl Greene,
partner of the 430 milking cow Mapledale Farm in Berlin, which also direct markets
cheese in local stores and from its Web site at http://mapledalefarm.com/index.htm.
“We think it’s a good idea to go through the certification process to
demonstrate to our consumers and neighbors the care we have for our animals.”
“Our motto is we want
to do the right thing. The better you take care of your animals, the better
they take care of you. The dairy industry is difficult to survive economically.
We want to continue to raise the bar and keep getting better. We also want to
convey to our neighbors that we take care of our animals,” said Pete Wagner,
partner of the 350 milking cow dairy in Poestenkill. The farm is also
anticipating this month bringing their methane digester online to convert
manure to energy, which is also part of their “doing the right thing approach.”
To become
certified the farms underwent a rigorous independent review by two
veterinarians, including the regional NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets
veterinarian. The veterinarians verified
that standard operating procedures guiding treatment and care of animals are
written and followed, that employees are provided training to follow the
procedures, and that the procedures are reviewed annually.
This was a good
opportunity to ensure all employees were following protocols and standards
already in place, Mr. Greene said. The team that works on the farm – from hoof care
specialists to veterinarians to nutritionists – all focus on providing the best
diet, health and conditioning for the farm’s cows, he said.
“The end result is
the quality of product that we produce reflects the care of the animals,” Mr.
Greene said.
While
farms don’t receive market incentive for participating in the program, program
coordinator Kathy Finnerty says farms participate because of the pride they
take in caring for their animals. Since the program was first developed four
years ago 16 farms across the state have been certified.
“This
is not a new effort for the farms. They have been working on cattle welfare for
years before the NYSCHAP program was developed,” said Finnerty. “They take
pride in what they do for the cows and the third party audit verifies it.”
During the review,
veterinarians reviewed cleanliness and general health of all the cattle on the
farm. To become certified the farm must demonstrate an understanding of animal
husbandry, write procedures for animal care and for disaster preparedness. The
farm must also meet a list of standards, a few of which include: all cattle
must receive a wholesome daily diet and clean water, cattle kept in barns
should be clean and dry, and cattle are
moved in a calm, quiet, careful manner.
The
farm must apply for recertification annually and must participate in the core
module of NYSCHAP to qualify for Cattle Welfare certification. The core module
includes best management practices that benefit animal health, food safety,
product quality and ultimately profit.
The New York State Cattle Health Assurance Program
is an integrated disease prevention program that utilizes a team of advisors to
develop a farm-specific herd health plan. The objectives of this plan are to increase
the herd's health, productivity and profitability; assure food safety,
public health and consumer confidence in dairy products; and promote
environmental stewardship. More information about the program can be found at www.nyschap.vet.cornell.edu.
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