Jennifer Van Os
Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist - Animal Welfare
60% Extension, 40% Research
1675 Observatory Dr
266 Animal Sciences Building
Madison, WI 53706
Jennifer Van Os is an Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist in Animal Welfare on the faculty of the Department of Dairy Science at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Dr. Van Os received her Ph.D. in the interdisciplinary Animal Behavior graduate program at the University of California-Davis and conducted postdoctoral research in the Animal Welfare Program at the University of British Columbia. The research in her lab at UW-Madison focuses on understanding, evaluating, and improving the welfare of dairy animals from a biological perspective. The goal of Dr. Van Os’s extension program is to promote best practices in management and housing to help the dairy industry adapt as our scientific knowledge about animal welfare continues to grow.
Dr. Van Os’ research focuses on understanding, evaluating, and improving the welfare of dairy animals from a biological perspective. The goal of her extension program will be to promote best practices in management and housing to help the Wisconsin dairy industry adapt as our scientific knowledge about animal welfare continues to grow.
Select Peer-Reviewed Publications
Chung, H., J. Li, Y. Kim, J.M.C. Van Os, S.H. Brounts, C.Y. Choi. 2020. Using implantable biosensor and wearable scanners to monitor dairy cattle heat stress in real-time. Computers in Agriculture 174:105453.
Van Os, J.M.C., D.M. Weary, J.H.C. Costa, M.J. Hötzel, M.A.G. von Keyserlingk. 2019. Sampling strategies for assessing lameness, injuries, and body condition score on dairy farms. Journal of Dairy Science 102:8290-8304.
Wang, X., H. Gao, K.G. Gebremedhin, B. Schmidt Bjerg, J. Van Os, C.B. Tucker, G. Zhang. 2018. A predictive model of Equivalent Temperature Index for dairy cattle (ETIC). Journal of Thermal Biology 76:165-170.
Van Os, J.M.C., E.M. Mintline, T.J. DeVries, C.B. Tucker. 2018. Domestic cattle (Bos taurus taurus) are motivated to obtain forage and will demonstrate contrafreeloading. PLoS ONE 0193109.
Van Os, J.M.C., C. Winckler, J. Trieb, S.V. Matarazzo, T.W. Lehenbauer, J.D. Champagne, C.B. Tucker. 2018. Reliability of sampling strategies for measuring dairy cattle welfare on commercial farms. Journal of Dairy Science 101:1495-1504.
Van Os, J.M. C., E.M. Mintline, T.J. DeVries, C.B. Tucker. 2017. Motivation of naïve feedlot cattle to obtain grain and individual responses to novelty. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 197:68-74.
Chen (Van Os), J.M., C.L. Stull, D.N. Ledgerwood, C.B. Tucker. 2017. Muddy conditions reduce hygiene and lying time in dairy cattle and increase time spent on concrete. Journal of Dairy Science 100:2090-2103.
Chen (Van Os), J.M., K.E. Schütz, C.B. Tucker. 2016. Technical note: Comparison of instantaneous sampling and continuous observation of dairy cattle behavior in freestall housing. Journal of Dairy Science 99:8341-8346.
Chen (Van Os), J.M., K.E. Schütz, C.B. Tucker. 2016. Cooling cows efficiently with water spray: Behavioral, physiological, and production responses to sprinklers at the feed bunk. Journal of Dairy Science 99:4607-4618.
Chen (Van Os), J.M., K.E. Schütz, C.B. Tucker. 2016. Sprinkler flow rate affects dairy cattle avoidance of spray to the head, but not overall, in an aversion race. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 179:23-31.
Chen (Van Os), J.M., K.E. Schütz, C.B. Tucker. 2016. Sprinkler flow rate affects dairy cattle preferences, heat load, and insect-deterrence behavior. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 182:1-8.
Chen (Van Os), J.M., K.E. Schütz, C.B. Tucker. 2015. Cooling cows efficiently with sprinklers: Physiological responses to water spray. Journal of Dairy Science 98:6925-6938.
Chen (Van Os), J.M., K.E. Schütz, C.B. Tucker. 2013. Dairy cows use and prefer feed bunks fitted with sprinklers. Journal of Dairy Science 96:5035-5045.
Select Book Chapters
Miller-Cushon, E., J.M.C. Van Os. 2020 (In Press). Advances in understanding the behavioral needs and improving the welfare of calves and heifers. Understanding the Behavior and Improving the Welfare of Dairy Cattle, edited by M. Endres.
Van Os, J.M.C. 2019. Considerations for cooling dairy cows with water. Veterinary Clinics of North America: Food Animal Practice 35:157-173. Housing to Optimize Comfort, Health and Productivity of Dairy Cattle, edited by N.B. Cook.
Select Conference Proceedings
Van Os, J. 2019. Animal welfare: Critical for the cow, the producer, and the consumer. Dairy Cattle Reproduction Council Annual Meeting. Pittsburgh, PA.
Van Os, J.M.C. 2019. Welfare of dairy calves and heifers: Relevance to the animal, the producer, and the consumer. Dairy Calf and Heifer Association Conference. Middleton, WI.
Van Os, J.M.C. 2018. Animal Welfare: Current trends for dairy cattle and relevance to the AI sector. National Association of Animal Breeders 27th Technical Conference on Artificial Insemination and Reproduction. Green Bay, WI.
Select Popular Press Articles
Robbins, J., B. Ventura, J. Van Os. How do we maintain consumer confidence when it comes to animal care? Hoard’s Dairyman. 2020 (In Press).
Cook, N., C. Halbach, M. Mondaca, J. Van Os. How do you assess an adult cattle barn ventilation system? Progressive Dairy. 2020 (In Press).
Van Os, J. Pairing dairy calves using hutches for housing. Wisconsin State Farmer. 21 April, 2020.
Van Os, J. Engage with cattle well-being experts in Wisconsin Dells on February 21. Wisconsin State Farmer. 10 February, 2020.
Van Os, J. For dairy calves, two – or more – heads are better than one. Wisconsin State Farmer. 26 November, 2019.
Van Os, J. Two calf heads better than one. Dairy’s Bottom Line. 3 October, 2019.
Van Os, J. Showerheads effectively cool cows. Dairy’s Bottom Line. 8 August, 2019.
Van Os, J. Let cows choose. Dairy’s Bottom Line. 11 July, 2019.
Van Os, J. Animal welfare should be a strength for a dairy operation, not a threat. Wisconsin State Farmer. 12 June, 2019.
Van Os, J. Animal care includes providing dairy cattle with opportunities for important behaviors. Progressive Dairy. 29 May, 2019.
Van Os, J. Cow-centric approach leads to wins. Dairy’s Bottom Line. 19 July, 2018.
Select Videos
UW Dairy Animal Welfare Specialist Thankful for the Cows. Wisconsin Life. 24 December, 2019.
Animal & Dairy Sciences Extension Committee
UW Faculty Senate Alternate
USDA-NIFA-AFRI Foundational & Applied Science Program, Animal Welfare & Well-Being program area priority (A1251) – Panel Manager, Panelist
International Society for Applied Ethology (ISAE) –Communications Officer
Ad-hoc peer reviewer for 13 scientific journals
Ad-hoc grant proposal reviewer for UW USDA-Hatch, Ontario Agri-Food Innovation Alliance, USDA-NIFA-AFRI
UW-Extension Wisconsin Dairy & Beef Cattle Well-Being Conference planning committee Four-State Dairy Nutrition & Management Conference planning committee
USDA multistate groups NC-1029 and W-3173