Contact Us
Humane Handling Institute
hhi@uwrf.edu
715-425-4987
Learn With Us
Dive into our workshops and collaborate with passionate, experienced experts in a friendly, supportive environment. You’ll leave with enhanced skills, greater confidence, and a comprehensive understanding of the principles and practices of humane handling and stunning. Join us and transform your approach to animal welfare!
Our first USDA slaughter was pure success, thanks to some great training from the HHI, we slaughtered 5 beef in 5 hours and passed everything with flying colors from USDA inspectors. This is the first time in 35 years that beef have been slaughtered under USDA inspection within 80 miles of our area.
Shawna Montgomery, Montgomery's Meats, Inc.
Effective Stunning and Equipment Maintenance
Successful stunning is crucial for preventing regulatory consequences, safeguarding animal welfare, and protecting the mental well-being of employees. In this workshop, trainees will complete hands-on activities related to head anatomy, identifying the optimal placement of a stun, stunning equipment maintenance, and more.
This workshop is ideal for individuals who stun or euthanize animals and/or maintain captive bolt or electrical stunning equipment.
- Detailed stunning equipment repair and maintenance
- Hands-on, low-risk stunning simulations
Workshop runs Thursday, 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
Fee: $750
Upcoming Dates:
- Feb. 20
- March 6
- May 1
Humane Handling and Restraint
Handling livestock can be challenging and, in some cases, dangerous. Animals have a mind of their own and see the world differently than we do. Having a deeper understanding these animals and how they flow through a slaughter facility, livestock market, or handling facilities on a farm can make the whole process safer and more efficient. In this workshop, trainees will develop a new understanding for how animals see the world, complete hands-on activities related to common animal handling challenges, and practice methods of humane restraint.
This workshop for individuals who handle livestock, this includes transporters, livestock auctions, and more.
- Real-life animal handling scenarios
- Understand how animals see the world
Workshop runs Thursday, 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
Fee: $750
Upcoming Dates:
- Feb. 21
- March 7
- May 2
Training Bundle:
Humane Handling and Stunning
Maximize your travel and training time and attend both workshops: Effective Stunning and Equipment Maintenance and Humane Handling and Restraint; conveniently offered on consecutive days. Bundle registration qualifies for tuition waiver programs.
This workshop is for individuals who would like to train in both the handling and stunning of livestock.
- Real-life animal handling scenarios
- Understand how animals see the world
- Detailed stunning equipment repair and maintenance
- Hands-on, low-risk stunning simulations
Workshops run Thursday-Friday, 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m., both days.
Fee: $1000
Upcoming Dates:
- Feb. 20-21
- March 6-7
- May 1-2
Building a Humane Handling Program for Your Facility
A humane handling plan (also known as a Robust Systematic Approach to Animal Welfare) has many benefits, such as preventing handling and stunning problems, as well as providing evidence that a mistake was a one-time occurrence if something goes wrong. Building a plan on your own can be intimidating or confusing, but it does not have to be. This workshop follows a simplified Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) program format, but specifically focused on parts of the slaughter process have the potential for animals to experience excitement, discomfort, or accidental injury. Trainees will leave this workshop with a complete humane handling plan, including digital and printed documents specific to their slaughter establishment that are ready to use. This two-day workshop qualifies for tuition waiver programs.
- Create a collection of establishment-specific protocols and documentation
- Leave with a "robust ready" humane handling plan
Workshops run Thursday-Friday, 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m., both days.
Fee: $1000
Upcoming Dates:
- April 3-4
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.
Cost:
One-day workshops are $750 per participant, two-day workshops are $1,000 per 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 if attending a two-day event. 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