The University of Guelph swept the 2011 animal welfare judging competition, besting teams from across North America to win first place in all three divisions: undergraduate, DVM and graduate student.
Held this week at Michigan State University (MSU), the event attracted 20 teams from across the continent. It was sponsored by the American Veterinary Medical Association, MSU and Dean Foods, one of the largest retailers of dairy products in the United States.
“The success of our students at this competition reflects the strength of the University’s animal welfare program and the dedication of faculty and students to excellence,” said Tina Widowski, director of the University’s Campbell Centre for the Study of Animal Welfare and a professor of animal and poultry science.
U of G’s undergraduate team consisted of students from across the Ontario Agricultural College. Members of the DVM team came from the Ontario Veterinary College (OVC), and the graduate team had members from both colleges.
“What is unique about the Guelph teams is that we train all of our students together,” Widowski said. “The students bring different skill sets and different viewpoints to the teams; they build on each others’ strengths.”
Widowski served as a team coach along with Ian Duncan, an internationally recognized animal welfare expert and a retired animal and poultry science professor, and Derek Haley, a faculty member in OVC’s Department of Population Medicine who studies farm animal behaviour and animal welfare. Veteran competitors graduate student Janet Higginson and DVM student Kait Link also devoted many hours to developing mock scenarios and participating in the training.
Competing teams conducted an assessment at a working animal facility. They also were challenged to make animal welfare recommendations for scenarios involving farm, domestic and exotic animals.
One of this year’s judges was Temple Grandin, a renowned animal welfare scientist and bestselling author.
“It’s a fantastic exercise,” Widowski said. “It fosters the skills students need to critically examine a situation, gather unbiased information and use that information to make a subjective but educated assessment of welfare quality.”
“The education gained here translates past the competition and into the ‘real world,’ where these skills will be applied practically as students embark on their careers.”
Undergraduate team members coached by Duncan were Laura Boerner, Madeleine Cosentino, Elyse Germain, Kristyn Hale, Julie Fish.
Haley coached the DVM team of Nicole Stone, Shannon French, Christie Ryan, Hillary Esdon and Francesca Small.
Widowski coached the graduate team of Jackie Jacobs, Tara Jones, Michelle Lam and Lena Levison.
