08/11/2025
Reflecting on WEFCO’s Animal Husbandry!
The Women of the Agricultural Women Educators and Farmers Cooperative (WEF/WEFCO) pour their hearts into raising healthy livestock and corps with an aim of alleviating poverty through agriculture. However, one of our biggest challenges isn't the weather, seed or feed costs—it's the constant threat of injury and loss due to animal behavior and inadequate infrastructure.
We see firsthand how quickly things can go wrong when animals are stressed or unsupervised. A simple moment of inattention can be fatal:
High-Stakes Injuries: If we aren't watching closely, a young calf can suffer a broken leg in a simple fall or collision, which is often a devastating financial loss.
🐑 The Danger of Poor Housing: Competition leads to conflict. We frequently deal with serious injuries from sheep headbutting. In cases where housing is old or poorly designed, confined animals fight, sometimes resulting in a fatality.
These issues are more than just bad luck; they represent a fundamental need for expertise in animal welfare and farm design.
To protect our livestock and secure our livelihoods, WEFCO always relies on the technical support of agri-vets, extension officers and agricultural students completing attachments and projects. We are advocating for:
Agricultural Extension Workers: To help us implement safer, more efficient barn and pen layouts that reduce fighting and prevent accidents.
Students and Agri-Vet Services: To provide timely, on-farm veterinary checks and quick care, ensuring that minor injuries don't escalate into life-threatening problems.
Healthy animals are the foundation of a healthy community. By supporting WEFCO, you’re investing in the safety, sustainability, and success of women farmers.
