Design Your Own Dairy Farm

Have you ever wondered what it takes to run a modern dairy farm? What are the financial, environmental, logistical and social aspects of diary farming? What is the life of a dairy cow like and where does your milk come from? Designed by a team of animal welfare scientists from the University of British Columbia, in this camp you will discover the complex world of modern dairy farming. Follow the life of a dairy cow from birth to retirement and reimagine the future of dairy farming. Your final mission, should you wish to accept it, is to design your very own dairy farm using all the concepts you learned. All materials will be provided.

Why should you attend?

Gain extracurricular experience within a rapidly growing scientific field - engage in discussions about animal welfare and ethical issues related to the treatment of animals in agriculture.

Discover the workings of an actual dairy farm - this camp offers you the opportunity to virtually visit the UBC Dairy Education and Research Centre based in Agassiz, BC.

Reimagine the future of farming - find out how you can make an impact on sustainability and animals' lives through participating in animal welfare research.

Earn a certificate of completion from the Vancouver Independent School for Science and Technology.

What will you learn?

Walk in a Dairy Farmer’s Shoes: Get an insider look into the complex world of modern dairy farming, addressing a range of challenges ranging from financial to environmental, logistical, and even social. We invite you to delve deep into the concepts of animal welfare as we apply it in a dairy farm setting, encouraging you to envision how current dairy farming practices can evolve to align with your values and better the well-being of both humans and animals. You’ll participate in interactive discussions, trivia, and take a virtual tour of the UBC Dairy Education and Research Centre to gain firsthand experience of life as a dairy farmer.

Create Your Ideal Dairy Farm: Equipped your new found knowledge about animal welfare, it's your turn to design a sustainable farm that champions the welfare of dairy cows, while respecting the perspectives of both the animals and the farmers that care for them. This part of the camp is intended to spark your imagination and compassion, encouraging a mindful exploration of how farm design influence animal behavior and health. Seize this opportunity to rethink, redesign, and revolutionize the way we farm for a kinder and more sustainable future for livestock animals.

Please Note: This camp will involve discussions on sensitive topics surrounding traditional dairy farming practices, such as early cow-calf separation. These discussions are important for a thorough grasp of the industry and its effects on animal welfare. We handle these subjects with care, as they are essential in developing empathetic yet informed views among camp participants.

Camp Instructors

Lara Sirovica

Lara is a PhD student in Applied Animal Biology with the Animal Welfare Program at UBC. Her work focuses on understanding perceptions of animal management and welfare issues and how animal welfare can fit into sustainable systems. Lara has a strong background in animal welfare research, having spent time studying animal welfare issues in different species during her MSc. (Applied Animal Biology at UBC) and BSc. (Animal Science at UC Davis). She is also passionate about teaching and has served as a teaching assistant at UBC in addition to spending time mentoring undergraduate students with interests across a variety of animal welfare research projects involving pigs, cattle, and survey data.

Meghan Lok

Meghan is a recent graduate of the UBC Applied Biology Program with interests in human-animal interaction, social sciences, and science communications. She completed a BSc in Applied Animal Biology with a minor in Psychology. After several volunteer and leadership roles including being the Vice President Engagement of the Land and Food Systems Undergraduate Society, she began assisting with animal welfare research near the end of her degree. With passions that lie in both the arts and sciences, Meghan aspires to pursue a career where she can communicate research in novel and engaging ways that can bolster public understanding.

Isaac Qi

Isaac is an undergraduate student with the UBC Applied Animal Biology Program with a research focus in dairy cattle welfare. He is deeply passionate about using innovative research methods to tackle complex problems. Isaac's enthusiasm for leadership and mentorship is evident in his involvement at UBC, where he serves as president of the Pre-Vet and Animal Welfare club and as the captain of the UBC Quadball team. Additionally, his decade-long experience coaching senior girls' basketball at Eric Hamber Secondary demonstrates his commitment to creating an inclusive and supportive educational atmosphere for athletes and students alike.

Sky Sheng

Sky is a PhD student at UBC where she specializes in Applied Animal Biology with a focus on Computer Science. She applies her machine learning and data science skills to conduct research on animal behavior, health and welfare. Known for her ability to break down complex concepts and make them easy to understand, Sky has a proven track record of mentoring undergraduate and graduate students in animal welfare science, programming and data analysis. Driven by a desire to inspire and empower students, she is passionate about fostering personal growth and sparking a love of science in her students.

Additional Notes

All camp materials will be provided.

Refund policy: Email us at least 2 weeks (14 days) prior to the start of the camp for a full refund.

VISST reserves the right to cancel camps and refund camp fees due to low enrolment. In this event, we will provide as much advance notice as possible.

Questions?

Please email [email protected]