Three curious lambs peeking over a metal pen in a straw-filled barn — Sheep peer over the side of a livestock chute called a bulk handler. Flocking animals prefer to be handled as a group. It prevents stress and improves animal welfare. It also makes health checks easier for ranchers who raise them. (Gregory Urquiaga / UC Davis)

Podcast: Where Science Meets the Herd

by Amy Quinton
April 14, 2026

What does the world look like to a cow and why do goats spook so easily? New tools are helping people experience how livestock perceive and respond to their surroundings—leading to safer, lower-stress handling for animals and the people who raise them. UC Davis researchers and veterinarians are bringing these tools to ranchers and others, showing how understanding animal behavior improves welfare in real-world settings. In this episode of Unfold, we explore where science meets the herd.

In this episode:

Cassandra Tucker, professor with the UC Davis animal science department and co-founder of Kinder Ground
Fauna Smith, assistant professor of livestock herd health and reproduction, UC Davis Weill School of Veterinary Medicine
Thandi Nixon, third-year veterinary student at UC Davis Weill School of Veterinary Medicine
Temple Grandin, professor of animal science, Colorado State University
Jen Walker, co-founder of Kinder Ground and herd health veterinarian
Nathan Medlar, owner, NM Ranch
Ashlynn Kirk, program manager for the Humane Handling Institute at the University of Wisconsin—River Falls

Want to see what it looks like through the eyes of a cow?