Dr. Peter D. Krawczel
Assistant Professor

Education

Ph.D., Animal, Nutrition, and Food Sciences, University of Vermont
M.S., Animal Science, Texas A&M University
B.S., Environmental Science and Policy, University of Maryland

Professional Interest: Behavior and Welfare of Dairy Cows

Dairy management practices that accommodate behavioral needs are critical in maintaining the welfare of dairy cows and have the potential to increase the long-term sustainability of farms. This is due to the increasing evidence suggesting a relationship between aspects of the management (such as stocking density, stall design, and bedding quality) that impact a cow’s comfort and her productivity.  Fully understanding this dynamic allows for management decisions that promote welfare in a manner that is economically viable at the farm level.  Additionally, there is increasing public demand that the quality of life experienced by dairy cows upholds the inherent social contract that exists within this human-animal interaction, which demonstrates the need for scientific inquiry into to ensure that empirical data is the basis for the assessment of welfare of dairy cows.  On this research side, Dr. Krawczel’s focus is on 1) the effect of a dairy cow’s physical environment and her ability to meet her behavioral needs 2) understanding the relationship among behavior, milk yield, and milk quality, and 3) establishing animal-based methods to assess the welfare of dairy cows.  On the extension side, his focus is on maintaining the sustainability of the dairy industry in Tennessee.

Select Publications:

• Hill, C. T., P. D. Krawczel, H. M. Dann, C. S. Ballard, R. C. Hovey, W. A. Falls, and R. J. Grant.  2009.  Effect of stocking density on the behavior of dairy cows with differing parity and lameness status.  Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci.  117:144-149.
  
• Krawczel, P. D., T. H. Friend, and G. S. Archer.  2008.  Behavior of lambs in rest pens during long distance transport (Brief research report).  J. Appl. Anim. Welf. Sci.  11:337-345.
  
• Krawczel, P. D., C. T. Hill, H. M. Dann, and R. J. Grant.  2008.  Short communication:  Effect of stocking density on indices of cow comfort.  J. Dairy Sci.  91:1903-1907.
  
• Archer, G. S., T. H. Friend, D. Caldwell, K. Ameiss, P. Krawczel, H. Keen, and T. Martin.  2008.  Impacts of feeding several components of the seaweed Ascophyllum nosdum on transported lambs.  Anim. Feed Sci. Technol.  140:258-271.
  
• Iacono, C., T. Friend, H. Keen, T. Martin, and P. Krawczel.  2007.  Effects of density and water availability on the behavior, physiology, and weight loss of slaughter horses during transport.  J. Equine Vet. Sci.  27:355-361.
  
• Krawczel, P. D., T. H. Friend, D. J. Caldwell, G. Archer, and K. Ameiss.  2007.  Effects of continuous versus rested transport on the plasma constituents and antibody response of lambs.  J. Anim. Sci.  85:468-476.
  
• Archer, G. S., T. H. Friend, D. Caldwell, K. Ameiss, P. Krawczel, C. Iacono, and R. Johnson.  2007.  Effect of the seaweed Ascophyllum nosdum on lambs during forced walking and transport.  J. Anim. Sci.  85:225-232.
  
• Krawczel, P. D., T. H. Friend, and R. Johnson.  2006.  A note on the preference of naive horses for different water bowls.  Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci.  100:309-313.