Maple Leaf Foods appoints head of animal wellness
Maple Leaf Foods have appointed Dr Stephanie Cottee in the new position of Leader, Animal Wellness effective August 11, 2014.
Dr Cottee will be responsible for leading the establishment of an integrated and comprehensive animal wellness program that crosses the Company’s pork and poultry operations and interface with its suppliers and other stakeholders. This will include all areas that affect the health and welfare of animals including nutrition, medication, housing, transportation and processing. She will work closely with management, operations and animal care experts to realise this mandate.
Dr Cottee brings significant academic and applied experience in animal behaviour, research and welfare. Most recently, she held the position of Provincial Programs Advisor – Ontario Pork, where she managed the Canadian Quality Assurance and Animal Care Assessment programme. In this capacity she acted as the primary liaison between key pork industry stakeholders to develop, implement and improve swine production programmes and animal welfare practices in Ontario. She was also instrumental in implementing a nation-wide swine traceability programme. Prior to her role with Ontario Pork, Dr Cottee worked for the Chicken Farmers of Ontario, where she supported a range of projects including on-farm biosecurity, health and safety, and traceability. She has also worked as a Research Writer to support the development of two Codes of Practice for the National Farm Animal Care Council.
Dr Cottee has a PhD in Farm Animal Behaviour and Welfare and a Master of Science in Farm Animal Behaviour and Welfare from the University of Guelph. She was a sessional professor for the University’s Animal Behaviour and Welfare program. Stephanie completed her Honours Bachelor of Science Zoology degree at the University of Toronto.
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