Making A Real Difference

At Kinder Ground we roll up our sleeves and work with the farming community to implement the changes that will create the compassionate world we envision.

 

Our Approach Makes The Difference

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Comfort

The comfort and health of over 180,000 farm animals is improved because of Kinder Ground projects that have improved housing, handling and resources on farm.

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Hoof Health and Happy Feet

Through the Kinder Hoof Care Academy, Kinder Hoof Consultations, and our latest projects we estimate that we have helped improve the lives of over 255,800 cattle EVERY YEAR!

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Hearts & Minds

Kinder Ground is changing hearts and minds through education and outreach. From Dairypalooza!, Kinder Hoof Care consultations, the Kinder Hoof Care Academy, travel grants for humane handing and animal welfare judging and projects supported by students learning about welfare, Kinder Ground has planted seeds of compassion with over 1,100 champions while making sure caregivers show up competent and capable.

Featured Projects

Kinder Ground projects are funded based on the potential to make a lasting difference. We also evaluate the opportunity to encourage adoption of similar principles elsewhere on the farm and in the community. Learn more about how a little compassion goes a long way.

A brown and white calf lying down ini a pile of hay next to a silver fence.

Sweet Dreams

Did you know the welfare of a calf in its first 3 months has an impact on her success years later? Providing a dairy farm with calf hutches, large calf bottles and hay racks, Kinder Ground supported the farms transition to safer and comfortable housing for calves, encouraging adoption of social housing and improved feeding practices.

Group picture of trainees standing in front of the trim chute

Kinder Hoof Care Academy

The Kinder Hoof Care Academy offers an intensive, 3-day, hands-on hoof trimming course lead by the world’s leading experts in hoof care. Training is held 3 times a year in California, Minnesota and Ohio. Registration costs $750 US per student. A 1-day course for advanced trimmers is also available for $300.

Several sheep stand in a pen while five people pose and smile in a barn behind the fence.

Travel Grants Build Bridges

Kinder Ground has awarded travel grants to students looking to put their animal welfare knowledge to the test and to folks wanting to make sure they show up competent, capable and with compassion on an animal’s last day.

Pig rubbing its head against a mounted brush in a barn, with another pig partially visible nearby.

That Hits The Spot

The most common form of enrichment for dairy cattle is brushes. After spending time with farmers on our baleage and nursery feeder project, we were kinda curious if pigs would like brushes too.

Three yellow chicks standing on wood shavings near a wire fence and green feeder in a brooder.

Bored Broilers

We know that humans and other animals including rodents can get bored, what about birds? Commercial environments are barren and present few behavioral opportunities or natural stimuli. How do we ask chickens if they are bored? The team at Virginia Tech wanted to find out.

Elevating Stockmanship

Did you know goats are a great alternative vegetation management solution? Targeted grazing leverages the natural behavior of sheep and goats in managing invasive weeds as well as wildfire mitigation.

Several pigs eating hay or silage from a large pile inside a barn with concrete walls.

Satiated Sows

Did you know pigs are natural foragers and will spend up to 70% of their time rooting? Kinder Ground partnered with a pig farmer curious about a solution to weed management of his organic crops that would benefit his farm of 350 sows.

Two women in a barn, one wearing virtual reality headgear, the other holding a laptop and smiling.

The Eyes Have It

Did you know that despite having a large field of vision of more than 300º, cattle have tunnel vision because the edges of the visual field are blurred and fuzzy, and, that because they have a different color perception than humans; they cannot see red?

A barn full or brown cows with yellow tags in their ears.

Dairy Cattle-Focused Projects

Sweet Dreams
Feet In The Clouds
Kinder Hoof Consultations
Hope Floats
Raise 'em Right
Smooth Moo-ves
Soft Landing

Poultry-Focused Projects

Bored Broilers
A large warehouse filled with white chickens organized into rows.
A pig lying down in a pile of hay gently resting its head on the body of another pig.

Swine-Focused Projects

These Little Piggies
Satiated Sows
That Hits The Spot!

Beef Cattle-Focused Projects

Give Me Shelter!
Five brown and white cows stand in a grassy field with a cornfield in the background.
A large flock of sheep and goats grazing together on a grassy field.

Sheep and Goat Focused Projects

Elevating Stockmanship
Low Stress Handling

Education & Training Focused Projects

Dairypalooza!
Kinder Hoof Care Academy
Travel Grants Build Bridges
The Eyes Have It
Download Education & Training Summary
Several sheep stand in a pen while five people pose and smile in a barn behind the fence.

Looking for more information?

Download a full list of all Kinder Ground projects (updated annually) or reach out to our Project Coordinator for more information about a specific Kinder Ground project.

projects@kinderground.org

Download a Full Project List
A brown cow with a yellow tag ni its ear points its wet nose covered in hya to camera.

You Can Help Us Make Real Difference

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Tap or hover on the cards for more.

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Apply For A Grant

Do you need support for an idea or project that will improve welfare?

Learn More
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Partner for Transformative Change

Our partners in compassion play a vital role in our mission. Are you or your company ready to help us accelerate change for good?

Partner With Us
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Donate To Make Better Happen

Do you love animals, appreciate the farming community as much as we do, and want to show your support?

Donate Now

Support farmers. Support animals.

Sleep well knowing that Kinder Ground has a 100% donation guarantee which means your whole contribution goes toward helping farmers & animals.

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