Thriving Livestock Comfortable livestock are more productive and profitable. Although a healthy animal is a worthy goal in itself, the fight against disease, infections and just plain discomfort wages on because the livestock industry pumps billions of dollars into the economy every year. Whether it's dairy cows in Pennsylania, chickens in Indiana or mink in Utah, if a livestock industry is economically important to producers, they can count on scientists, professors and specialists to back them up.
Bad milk is bad business for dairy producers and consumers.
So Idaho researchers help them reduce mastitis in the herds to improve milk quality. Eighty-seven percent of Idaho dairy operators have adopted critical milking procedures promoted by the Extension Service. So Purdue animal scientists are breeding kinder, gentler chickens. Purdue's docile chickens showed dramatic vitality with a 16- percent mortality rate in 56 weeks, compared to 73 percent for a commercial group of chickens. Cows can sleep comfy in Georgia.