Feedlot education, training and technical services

Summary

This project aimed to deliver information, education, training and technical services to improve management practices among cattle lot feeders throughout Australia.

Small to medium sized feedlot operators have found it increasingly difficult to keep abreast of continual improvements in management practices across such areas as animal welfare, Biosecurity, food safety and quality assurance. This poses a risk to individual feedlots and the broader cattle feedlot industry should a crisis unfold.

This project aims to provide on the ground extension support to such lot feeders thereby better leveraging R&D levy investments and reducing identified risk areas within individual feedlots and the industry as a whole.

To achieve these aims, a Feedlot Industry Technical Services Officer was appointed on a contract basis 3 days per week for the duration of the project.

Activities undertaken by the technical services officer included the completion of a feedlot risk assessment; the provision of technical assistance to feedlot operators; the continued development of close working relationships with the ALFA CEO, MLA R&D feedlot manager, ALFA and AUS-MEAT staff; and assistance in the 'on the ground' organisation and delivery of ALFA/ MLA events and training.

During the project, 350 feedlots were visited. Since the inception of the Technical Services Officer, three hundred and twenty-five individual feedlots have been visited, with 119 feedlots visited on more than one occasion. Of the 375 known NFAS Accredited feedlots 286, or 76% have now been visited at least once.

The Feedlot Industry Technical Services Officer position has been extremely well received by the feedlot industry. Feedback has been received from numerous feedlot operators on the value and worth of a Technical Services position and the important linkage such as position provides between feedlot operators and ALFA/MLA.

The project has been successful in meeting the stated project objectives. There is however, scope for a continuation of the on the ground extension support to lot feeders to further leverage R&D levy investments and further reducing risk areas within individual feedlots and the industry as a whole.