Vogel is an associate professor in the department of animal and food science at UW–River Falls. His research interests include food animal behavior and welfare, impact of management strategies on animal welfare, physiology, and product quality, and ethics of animal use.
This proposal is the final in a three-phase approach to replacing and improving the existing Network Video Recording (NVR) system at the Mann Valley Farm Dairy Learning Center. Phase 3 is a moderate priority ask to further support farm management, teaching, and research. Phase 3 is a request to supply cameras and infrastructure for the heifer and dry cow barn. Footage from these cameras will allow farm staff to ensure security of the dairy herd at all times. Professors can use the footage to show cattle handling practices and cattle behavior associated with management activities in real-time from campus classrooms. This system would provide specific value for dairy farm management and teaching in the area of estrus detection through identification of indicative behavior. Research would benefit from camera footage for cattle behavior studies with possibilities including detection of breeding receptivity with artificial intelligence-based image analysis, establishment of time budgets for pre- and non-lactating dairy cattle, and changes in time budgets associated with changes in bedding type and thickness.