Staff and students from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls Humane Handling Institute (HHI) will soon head to Denver. They will present at the Meat Institute’s Animal Care & Handling Conference, held May 13-14.
This is the only national event focused entirely on improving animal welfare in the meat industry. It connects academic research with real-world practices to promote meaningful change.
“Sharing ideas and solutions with industry professionals helps us all move forward,” said HHI Program Director Kurt Vogel. “This conference provides a valuable platform to collaborate and expand our impact.”
Vogel will co-present with Kayla Williams from American Foods Group. Their session, “Creating Great Animal Welfare Culture,” will offer hands-on strategies to inspire teams and support ethical handling.
“Our goal is to foster a culture of excellence in animal welfare practices,” Vogel said. He has spent nearly 15 years helping UW-River Falls partner with the meat industry to advance animal welfare research.
Student program technicians Brooke Casey and Alli Matzek will also share their research findings. Casey studied humane handling enforcement actions. Matzek explored stun placement for bison.
HHI scientist and trainer Karly Anderson will present her findings on captive bolt placement for mature beef bulls. She leads HHI’s research program, which focuses on stunning and euthanasia techniques for livestock.
“Understanding the position of captive bolt placements relative to the brain is important for guiding stun placement recommendations,” Anderson explained.
Learn more about the conference at meatinstitute.swoogo.com/animalcare2025.
