The Dairy Health Blackbelt Podcast - Dr. Anne-Marieke Smid: Outdoor Access for Cows | Ep. 06
Jul 23, 2025In this episode of The Dairy Health Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Anne-Marieke Smid shares insights on what outdoor access means for dairy cattle. She talks about how cows respond to different environments, what farmers think about letting cows outside, and how weather, infrastructure, and public opinion all play a role. Learn how these factors affect both animal welfare and milk production. Tune in now on all major platforms!
What will you learn:
- Cattle outdoor access
- Shelter vs pasture needs
- Farmer decision factors
- Public vs farmer views
- Effects on production
Meet the guest:
Dr. Anne-Marieke Smid earned her Ph.D. in Animal Welfare from the University of British Columbia and holds an M.Sc. in Animal Production Systems from Wageningen University. She is a Postdoctoral Scholar at the University of Calgary, where her research focuses on dairy farmers' perspectives and the welfare impacts of outdoor access for dairy cattle.
Connect with our guest on Social Media: LinkedIn
Click here to read the full research articles:
- Dairy cow preference for different types of outdoor access
- Dairy cow preference for access to an outdoor pack in summer and winter
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