Humane Handling Institute
Developing Confident and Humane Livestock Handlers
Proudly strengthening the skill level of industry employees and improving consumer trust in meat processing establishments of all sizes. At the Humane Handling Institute (HHI), we train meat industry professionals, maintenance personnel, and stunner operators to handle animals with care, how to perform stunning equipment maintenance, and how to ensure quick, effective stunning.
Join us for a two-day workshop!
Work alongside experienced and caring experts in a comfortable, judgement-free environment. Come away with sharpened skills, more confidence and a deeper understanding of the “hows” and “whys” of humane handling and stunning. Workshop descriptions and dates listed below. Click here for our printable flyer!
Attend for FREE, for a limited time, grants are available to cover workshop fees thanks to support from the Wis. Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) and the American Meat Science Association (AMSA.) Learn how to take advantage of this opportunity under Cost and Location.
Outcomes:
- Increased worker and animal safety
- Prevent regulatory actions
- Improved handling and stunning efficiencies
Effective and Humane Restraint and Stunning
- Detailed stunning equipment repair and maintenance
- Hands-on, low-risk stunning practice
- Real-life animal handling scenarios
Successful stunning is crucial for preventing regulatory consequences, safeguarding animal welfare, and the mental well-being of employees. In this workshop, trainees will complete hands-on activities related to common animal handling challenges, humane restraint, head anatomy, identifying the optimal placement of a stun, stunning equipment maintenance and more.
Workshops run Thursday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. both days.
Upcoming Dates:
- Feb. 20-21, 2025
- March 6-7, 2025
- May 1-2, 2025
Building a Robust Systematic Approach to Animal Welfare
- Create a collection of establishment-specific protocols and documentation
- Leave with a "robust ready" humane handling plan
Trainees will identify any areas in their facility that have potential for animal excitement, discomfort, or accidental injury and then create a written humane handling program to comply with the Humane Slaughter Act, proactively mitigate risk, and promote animal welfare. Trainees will leave this workshop with a complete collection of documents and training materials specific to their slaughter establishment.
Workshops run Thursday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. both days.
Upcoming Dates:
- April 3-4, 2025
The program will provide as much hands-on experience as possible for trainees. Workshop attendees include barn supervisors and management personnel, livestock handlers, stunner operators, maintenance personnel, transporters, livestock market employees, and managers from slaughter establishments of all sizes.
Fee:
$1,000 per workshop participant*, includes lunch and morning refreshments.
*For a limited time, most qualify for FREE registration from the Wis. Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection or the American Meat Science Association. No registration fees are paid out of pocket. You simply need to attend the workshop and cover your own travel expenses. Kinder Ground is providing travel reimbursement for out-of-state attendees up to $500. Sign up to confirm if you qualify.
Location:
UWRF Campus, specific information for each session will be shared with participants ahead of time.
Cancellation/withdrawal: Registrant can send a qualified substitute. Up to 10 calendar days prior to the start date, registrant can transfer to a different date, or cancel without penalty, cancellations received fewer than 10 days before the start of their workshop will be invoiced $50 to cover administrative expenses.
UW-River Falls is located 40 miles from the Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport. The closest hotel to campus is the Radisson Hotel River Falls. Accommodations are not included in the registration and should be made separately. You may qualify for a travel expense grant from Kinder Ground, ask us how.
The City of River Falls is a thriving and growing community located east of the Minneapolis/St. Paul area in northwestern Wisconsin. With a population of 16,183 residents and 5,862 college students, the City offers 26 parks, miles of hiking and biking trails along the Kinnikinnic River and a vibrant downtown. There are restaurants, shops, grocery stores and gas stations located a safe and walkable distance from campus.
If you require additional assistance or have questions regarding your registration, please email: hhi@uwrf.edu
Free registration will be offered for a limited time for most who enroll in:
- Effective and Humane Restraint and Stunning
- Building a Robust Systematic Approach to Animal Welfare
We make it super easy. See details under Cost and Location.
"Meat" the Team
Kurt Vogel
Ph.D., Program Director
Professor of Livestock Welfare and Behavior, a go-to resource for humane livestock handling and stunning in the industry for many years.
Ashlynn Kirk, Program Manager
Angela Whitaker, Outreach Program Manager
Karly Anderson, Ph.D., Scientist and Trainer
In the News
- Stunning equipment care
- Captive Bolt Placement, sows over 440 lbs.
- Broken Tails in Holstein Dairy Cattle study graphic
- Cattle vision infographic
- 3 Captive Bolt Placements on Mature Swine under 440 lbs. (200 kg.)
- 3 Captive Bolt Placements on Mature Swine over 440 lbs. (200 kg.)
- Swine Electrical Stunning Methods
- Livestock Receiving and Lairage
- Stunning Equipment Operation and Maintenance
Trainees have the option of selecting the workshops that fit their needs or completing the entire series of workshops and an additional project for comprehensive certification. Trainees that complete the series and project will receive a certificate in humane handling and stunning and the limited rights to utilize the program logo in marketing and promotional materials.
One-day-long refresher training workshops will also be developed to accompany each of the workshops.
Contact Us
Humane Handling Institute
hhi@uwrf.edu
715-425-4987