FARMERS CARE
FOR THEIR ANIMALS
Learn how farmers care for
their animals 365 days a year.
A resource for Grades 3 & 4 students
Content
Farmers & animal care
1
The code & laws
2
Understanding animals
3
Housing & shelter
5
Handle with care
8
Feeding
9
Veterinary care
10
Technology
11
The five senses
12
The circle of life
13
Animal care in action
14
FACS photo
Farmers and animals
FACS photo
They need each other
Farm animals depend on humans to care for them — in fact, most
couldn’t survive without farmers. Just as you would care for your pet,
farm families provide food, water, shelter, veterinary care and a safe
and comfortable environment for their animals.
Taking good care of their animals is really important to farmers.
They know animals that are well cared for grow, stay healthy and
are content.
Farmers earn their living by raising animals, so it makes good
sense to look after them in the best way possible.
Animal care
Did you know?
Animals provide humans with
many different products. As
well as food, farm animals
All animals have basic needs, like food and water, health and
quality of life. The building blocks of good animal care provided
by farmers are:
1. Freedom from thirst, hunger and malnutrition.
2. Freedom from discomfort.
provide things like fertilizer,
3. Freedom from pain, injury and disease.
leather, heart valves, cosmetics,
4. Freedom to express normal behaviour.
insulin, skin protection for
5. Freedom from fear and distress.
burns and much more.
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Farmers Care for their Animals
Alberta Farm Animal Care
There’s a Code...
And it’s not secret!
Did you know?
Canada has Recommended Codes of Practice for the Care and
Laws state that people:
handling needs of farm animals. They were developed by people
- must ensure animals have
adequate food and water.
Handling of Farm Animals. These codes spell out daily care and
who understand the needs of animals.
There is a code for each kind of animal. The codes tell farmers
about the housing, nutrition, health, handling and transportation
needs of each kind of animal.
Laws protect farm animals.
Alberta’s Animal Protection Act is a law that makes sure farm
animals and pets are cared for. The law states “no person shall
cause an animal to be in distress.”
- must provide animals with
adequate care if the animal
is wounded or ill.
- must provide animals with
protection from heat or cold
that may cause injury.
- must provide animals with
adequate shelter, ventilation
and space.
- must transport animals safely.
- must not abandon an animal.
Canada’s Criminal Code, Health of Animals Act and Meat
Inspection Act also make sure farm animals are well cared for.
In Alberta, animal welfare legislation is enforced by the RCMP,
city police, Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), the Alberta
SPCA and some humane societies. People who don’t care for
their animals can be fined, lose the right to have pets or livestock
or be sent to jail.
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All animals are different
FACS photo
Did you know?
Farmers understand animals
Your classroom is a collection
of unique people. Some of you
like to draw, some like to use
the computer and some like
sports. Your teachers take
time to learn about your
special interests. It helps
them understand how you
behave and how you can
best learn.
Chickens have agoraphobia—that’s a fear of open spaces.
Farmers need to know
what makes their animals
happy and comfortable,
what bothers them, what
frightens them and what
calms them. Understanding
their temperaments and
behaviours helps farmers
provide just the right care
for their animals. Farmers
also know that positive
human contact is important
to an animal’s well-being.
3
Chickens are small birds that can’t fly very well and they’re afraid
of open spaces that put them at risk of being hunted. In the wild,
their best defence from predators is to hide. Barns provide protection
from predators.
Pigs like to be clean! In their pens, pigs establish an eating
area, a sleeping area and even ... a ‘bathroom’ area. Farmers
provide enough space so these areas don’t overlap. This way, the
pigs are comfortable.
Farmers Care for their Animals
Alberta Farm Animal Care
Horses form friendships! Horses and other animals that are raised
in groups have respect for each animal’s position in the herd.
Animals can be bullies at the feeding trough! They will naturally
compete to get to the feed trough. Farmers watch closely to make
sure there is lots of feed and water for every animal and that smaller
animals aren’t being pushed away by the bigger ones. That’s why
animals are often kept with pen mates that are similar in size.
Animals play follow the leader! Animals that move together in large
groups like to follow their own leaders and move at their own pace.
Farmers spot leaders early and learn to work with their animals’
natural instincts. This reduces animal and people stress!
Chickens and turkeys hang out in groups! When chickens and
turkeys roam free in a barn, they naturally group together and stake
out a small area.
Did you know?
Farmers care for their
animals 365 days a year.
The more farmers handle
their animals, the more
comfortable their animals
become with people.
Animals read the body
language of farmers and
they respond to the way
they’re being handled.
Farmers know they must
remain calm and confident
to build trust with their
animals.
Farmers work with regular
schedules because they
know this comforts and
reassures their animals.
Animals like to be fed at the
same times each day, by the
same people.
www.afac.ab.ca
4
Home sweet home
FACS photo
In or out?
Farm animals are housed and sheltered in many different ways.
That’s because each species has different needs. Here are some of
the reasons why farmers provide housing and shelter:
✔ it provides protection from harsh weather like sun, wind, rain
and snow.
✔ it protects animals from predators like coyotes, dogs, wolves,
badgers, owls, hawks and foxes.
✔ it prevents injury by keeping animals out of dangerous places
like mud holes, highways and railroads.
✔ it prevents the spread of diseases.
✔ it reduces competition at the feed trough by ensuring a spot for
each animal and keeping animals of the same size together.
✔ it allows for special feeding and watering equipment.
✔ it keeps animals clean and healthy.
Nature’s insulation controls outside animals’
temperature.
Farmers know some animals are healthiest when raised outside. For
example, horses, cattle, bison, elk, goats and sheep have thick hides,
hair or wool so they can live outside comfortably.
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Farmers Care for their Animals
Alberta Farm Animal Care
Farmers know harsh winter winds or direct summer sunlight can be
harmful, so they provide their outside animals with shelters, lots of
extra feed for energy and access to clean water.
As the weather warms, most outdoor animals naturally shed their
winter hair to cool off. The exception? Sheep. Like your hair, a
sheep’s wool continues to grow, so farmers shear their sheep in
the spring when the weather warms up.
The body of a pig is covered with fine hair, so they feel the cold more
easily. They don’t have sweat glands either, so they can overheat if
they’re left out in the hot summer sun. Did you know that some pig
farms have sprinklers in their barns? This helps cool down pigs in
hot weather.
Technology keeps inside animals comfortable.
Today, farmers know that pigs are healthiest when they’re raised in
a controlled environment.
Did you know?
Snow keeps some animals
warm!
Snow on the backs of animals
can act like a blanket to insulate
them and keep heat in, close to
their bodies. The snow doesn’t
melt because the hair, fur or
wool of the animal is such a
good insulator.
Pig barn pointers...
•
Pigs are housed in temperature-controlled barns.
•
Heat lamps are often used to keep piglets (baby
pigs) warm.
•
Sometimes even the floors in pig barns are heated
to keep piglets warm.
•
Farmers protect newborn piglets while they nurse
by putting protective bars around the sow (mother
pig) to keep her from rolling on the tiny piglets.
Once the piglets are older and larger they are able
to move out of the way.
•
Raising pigs indoors keeps them safe from disease,
predators and extreme temperatures.
Question:
What makes a good
outdoor shelter?
Answer:
A dense stand of trees
or man-made shelters.
www.afac.ab.ca
6
Alberta Farm Animal Care
Home sweet home...
Most chickens and turkeys are raised in special, climate-controlled
barns that protect the birds from harsh weather, disease and
predators. Farmers make sure their birds are fed and watered
and have fresh, dry bedding. Farmers take special care to
make sure the equipment in their barns is working to control the
temperature, humidity, light and fresh air at levels that are just
right for their birds.
Chickens raised for meat are called broilers. Broilers and turkeys
roam free in barns on a floor that is covered with a soft bed of
straw or wood chips.
Did you know?
Eggs from turkeys and
chickens hatch in climatecontrolled hatcheries.
The chicks and poults (baby
turkeys) are then sent, as a
flock, to a warm clean barn
where they are given lots of
food and fresh water.
7
Laying hens are raised to produce eggs. They’re usually kept
in cages with mesh floors that allow manure to fall through. This
means clean birds, clean eggs and a cleaner barn.
A clean environment makes it really tough for disease and
parasites to live. While cages do restrict their movement,
remember that chickens naturally group together in small spaces
to feel comfortable. With just three to six birds in each cage,
each hen is certain to get the food, water and space it needs,
without competition.
Farmers Care for their Animals
Handle With Care
Knock, knock. Who’s there?
Did you know?
Sudden, unusual movements or noises can frighten animals.
Calves have babysitters!
Farmers take special precautions to prevent this.
That’s right. Cows out in the
field will pick a babysitter who
stays with the sleeping calves
while the rest of cows go out
to graze.
Animals learn to recognize familiar sounds, sights and smells.
Some farmers:
•
knock on the door before entering a barn full of
chickens or turkeys.
•
greet their animals so their animals know who is
entering their space.
•
wear the same colour of clothing each time they
work with their animals.
•
move their equipment quietly and smoothly.
•
approach their animals slowly and calmly.
•
touch or scratch their animals as they approach.
Some newborn farm animals,
like piglets, chicks and poults
spend their first 24 to 36 hours
of life on straw bedding with a
heat lamp or on a heated floor
to keep very warm.
Calves, foals and lambs
Beef cows, horses and sheep usually give birth in the spring.
Farmers are busy day and night watching the animals carefully to
make sure they don’t have difficulties giving birth. They also help
newborn animals keep warm.
Other animals like pigs and chickens give birth all year round.
www.afac.ab.ca
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Hungry?
Did you know?
Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Just like you, animals need to
eat healthy food to grow.
Horses are always hungry!
Farmers know that their
animals need just the right
combination of nutrients to
grow, stay healthy and be
content.
per day! This is because they
Farmers also know that each
kind of animal needs its very
own diet and needs to be fed
in different ways. For example,
some animals need different
food rations at each stage of
their growth.
Dinnertime!
Feeding their animals is a big
part of a farmer’s day.
Some animals get fed once a
day, some twice and some even
three times!
Horses like to be fed three times
have small stomachs and they
need some food in their stomach
all the time.
Cattle chew their cud. Cattle
are ruminants (that means they
have four stomachs!) and they
chew their food all day. They
burp up some of their food and
they chew it again—that’s known
as ‘chewing their cud’.
Customizing meals. On some dairy farms, cows wear a collar
with a computer chip. When they eat, a device scans the chip and
keeps track of how much each cow eats. The automated feeding
system feeds each animal what they need. Dairy farmers are kept
busy ensuring their equipment is working, keeping the feed supply
full, programming the computer to meet the needs of each cow and
checking the health of their animals.
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Farmers Care for their Animals
Alberta Farm Animal Care
It’s automatic! Most poultry farms have automated feeding systems
that supply the birds with their food. Birds grow quickly so farmers
spend a lot of time calculating and changing feed rations. Since
turkeys and chickens don’t have teeth, farmers need to provide the
right food for easy digestion.
Out for lunch! In the summer, some cattle are put in pastures to
graze grass. Farmers still have to check them regularly to see that
they have clean water, salt and minerals and to make sure they
haven’t eaten all the grass.
Caring = keeping track
Veterinarians are doctors for animals
Your doctor keeps a record that’s filled with information about you.
Your medical record keeps track of when you were born, what shots
you have had, when you’ve been sick, what medications you’ve
taken and how your height and weight changes from year to year.
This record helps your doctor and your family keep track of
your growth.
Farmers keep very detailed records on their animals too. Animal
records track growth, feed and water consumption, medications,
vitamins, vaccinations ... even things like genetics and family trees.
These records help farmers track the growth and health of their
animals. Veterinarians also keep track. They work with farmers
to help animals who need medical attention.
When most animals are very young, farmers put ear tags, tattoos,
leg bands or brands on them. This is done quickly and safely.
These identify the animal for life. This helps farmers find each
animal quickly in case they go missing, need special medication
or require different feed.
www.afac.ab.ca
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Farming can be high-tech!
FACS photo
Computers help farmers care for
their animals.
Do you like using computers? You might be surprised to know that
computers and other technologies play a big role in farming.
From computers to automatic feeding systems, farmers are using
Did you know?
Trucks that haul chickens
have temperature sensors.
Drivers can monitor
temperature from inside
their cabs.
technology in their barns to:
✔ control air circulation
✔ monitor humidity
✔ maintain temperature control
✔ manage lighting
Some farmers even use video cameras that connect to a TV in
their home to help them keep a close eye on their animals!
Truck drivers stop and check
the animals on route.
Research in animal behaviour, health, equipment, feed and nutrition
Laws protect animals in
transport.
On the road...
plays an important role in animal care.
Farmers have to provide safe transportation for their animals. Laws
protect animals in transport. Trucks that haul farm animals must
provide a safe, smooth and comfortable trip for the animals.
The Recommended Codes of Practice for the Care and Handling
of Farm Animals provide farmers and truckers with information on
the transportation needs of each kind of farm animal.
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Farmers Care for their Animals
It takes all five senses
Did you know?
Using their senses
Animals have good sight,
smell and hearing.
Farmers have built-in tools that help them care for their animals.
Farmers keep noises to a
minimum as animals have
sensitive hearing — no
shouting or slamming gates.
Animals recognize places,
smells, voices, pickup trucks
and clothing (even hats).
You have them, too. They’re your five senses:
• sight
• hearing
• touch
• smell
• taste
Farmers use their natural senses as well as their ‘common sense’ to:
✔ see if their animals are happy and growing well.
✔ listen to hear if their animals are in pain, distressed,
frightened, comfortable or content.
✔ smell the shelters or barns to sense if their animals’
surroundings are clean. Farmers smell feed to make
sure it is fresh.
✔ touch their animals to let them know they care.
✔ taste the products animals produce (milk, eggs, meat)
to make sure they are good quality.
www.afac.ab.ca
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The circle of life
All living creatures have a beginning and an end. Just as farmers
care for their animals in life, they respect the need for their animals
to have a gentle death without pain or suffering. In fact, the instant
death farm animals experience is often more gentle than natural
death from disease, predators or old age.
Did you know?
Today we have handling systems
people can use to move animals
with minimal stress and fear.
Laws make sure animals are
handled humanely their whole life.
T.L.C. word search!
Find and circle the words below. See what’s left.
V Y D P R E R U C R A N C H O Y
A L E R T D E U S H E L T E R G
C
I M O D E R N A E F E E D E O
C A O G M R A W F S H R N R M L
I
D O N S
N C R
I
I
C K E A A A A E R O
R E T A W E B F M H A N
A E G T H G
I
L R S
T H E A L T H Y U
I
I
L U T F H
T E H A
I
C
E C L E A N S H C D A W R E T E
C O M F O R T S E R O H C W E T
Alert
Feed
Safe
Chores
Groomed
Sick
Care
Clean
Comfort
Cure
Daily
Disease
Eating
Farmer
“_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ for their animals.”
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Farmers Care for their Animals
Fit
Habit
Healthy
Humane
Husbandry
Light
Modern
Ranch
Shelter
Technology
Vaccinate
Warm
Water
Weather
Welfare
Alberta Farm Animal Care
Animal Care in Action
Alberta Farm Animal Care (AFAC) Association - www.afac.ab.ca
AFAC is Alberta’s livestock industry working together for responsible animal care. AFAC provides
training, supports research and encourages consistent enforcement and continuous improvement
of animal care. AFAC’s members are farmers, ranchers, veterinarians, livestock groups, truckers,
handlers, food companies and the Alberta government.
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AFAC’s Livestock Care Help Line 1-800-506-2273
To lend a helping hand to fellow producers, AFAC has a special
help line and teams that offer assistance to improve the care of
farm animals.
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Alberta Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Alberta SPCA)
- www.albertaspca.org
The Alberta SPCA is a non-profit organization that helps protect domestic animals — both
livestock and pets. It does this by teaching people about their responsibilities to care for animals
and by enforcing animal protection laws.
Alberta Veterinary Medical Association (ABVMA) - www.avma.ab.ca
Animals and their owners deserve qualified and accountable professional care. It is the responsibility
of the ABVMA to make sure this happens. Over 863 veterinarians practice in over 350 veterinary
clinics in Alberta. There are also many veterinarians who work in a regulatory role to ensure good
animal care.
Animal welfare is important to
food companies.
Examples include:
McDonald’s - www.mcdonalds.ca
“At McDonald’s Canada, we support that animals should be free from
cruelty, abuse and neglect while embracing the proper treatment of
animals and addressing animal welfare issues. McDonald’s believes
in the ethical treatment of animals, and that animals should be raised,
transported and processed in an environment free from cruelty, abuse
and neglect.”
Safeway - www.safeway.com
“As an industry leader in animal welfare, our responsibilities include
working to ensure that animals are treated humanely. That’s why
we’ve developed a comprehensive animal welfare program that
ensures standards are in place for the humane treatment of animals
in all aspects of animal husbandry, shipment, and handling during
the harvest process.”
www.afac.ab.ca
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Help farmers care
You’ve learned how farmers provide their animals with a safe and healthy
quality of life.
If you have any questions about how farm animals are cared for, or if you
see something that concerns you, give us a call! Help us care.
1-800-506-2273
Tour a farm from the comfort of your own home or
classroom at www.farmissues.com/virtualtour
p: 403-932-8050
e: info@afac.ab.ca
Cambrian P.O. Box 75028, Calgary, AB T2K 6J8
www.afac.ab.ca
A special thanks to Farm Animal Council of Saskatchewan (FACS) for some photos used in this publication.