Education to extension agents, veterinarians, and other professionals in complementary treatments and preventive management for organic livestock farms

Education to extension agents, veterinarians, and other professionals in complementary treatments and preventive management for organic livestock farms

Summary

The goal of this grant is to broaden the knowledge and understanding of holistic approaches to animal health specific to the needs and requirements of organic livestock producers. The target audience is extension agents, veterinarians, college students studying veterinary medicine and animal sciences and other resource professionals working in the field assisting organic and transitioning livestock producers.
In 2007, a three-day conference was held in two locations in the Northeast (NH and NY) with overall attendance numbers exceeding the expectations of the grant. It was decided that if funds remained and additional funds could be raised through sponsorships, that a second conference would be offered in 2008.
Our intentions all along were to reconvene a second year for continued learning but the proposal that was submitted to NESARE was only 80% funded. This meant that we needed to raise an additional $28,623 on top of what we already needed to complement the grant budget. Our fundraising efforts were successful; the 2008 conference took place in the fall, providing exceptional speakers, great food and a nice location for the event. The conference immediately followed the annual NODPA (Northeast Organic Dairy Producers Alliance) Field Days, which hosted the first of five listening sessions on the NOP Proposed Pasture Rule. As a result, USDA NOP staff stayed for the PDP conference.
Steps remaining for the grant are to compile the resources and make them available on the NOFA-VT and QMPS websites and to contact registrants one last time to determine if we have met our performance targets.

Objectives/Performance Targets

Performance targets

1. Of the 80 veterinarians, extension specialists, vet students and other professionals attending one of the two regional organic livestock health workshops, 60 will become more knowledgeable of organic farming methods and proven therapies and treatments, 25 will reconvene in a year to discuss case studies, on farm trials and build on the new resources and information that was learned at the organic livestock health workshop, and 20 will actively engage in using at least 2 new management practices or complementary treatments with their clients.

2. Of the 80 veterinarians, extension specialists, vet students and other professionals that attend one of the two organic livestock health workshops, 25 participants will reconvene in a year to discuss case studies, on-farm trials and research priorities. Of those, 8 will develop research proposals and 2 will receive funding.

Accomplishments/Milestones

(Milestones for Performance Target #1)

1) 1000 veterinarians, extension specialists, vet students and other professionals from around the Northeast receive information about the organic livestock health workshops.
(2007 Conferences) Over 600 brochures were sent by direct mail to veterinarians, extension, NRCS and other professionals. The Press Release and brochures were made available at numerous meetings and conferences in the Northeast. Information was provided through veterinary (AABP-L), dairy (Dairy-L/O-Dairy) and extension list-serves.
(2008 Year II Conference) Over 800 brochures were sent by direct mail to veterinarians, students of veterinary medicine, extension, NRCS, and other professionals. Press Releases were sent to numerous calendars, newspapers, agricultural publications and electronic list-serves in the form of ‘save the date’ and later with the 3-day agenda and highlighted speakers. The brochure, detailed agenda and high-end sponsors were posted on the NOFA-VT Website. This page is currently being updated and amended so that power point presentations, proceedings and other resources from 2007 and 2008 conferences can be available in a comprehensive and useful way.

2) 200 ask to receive registration materials, video recordings and/or written proceedings.

(2007 Conferences) The Webpage containing conference registration information, sponsorship forms, directions, lodging and other relevant information received over 700 hits prior to the conference dates. In addition the NOFA-VT office and the conference coordinators sent information to at least 100 interested parties.
Conference proceedings and power point presentations were promoted and marketed through the NOFA-VT website, the QMPS web page and through various publications and email discussion lists. Video recordings have been made and are currently for sale.

3) 80 professionals attend the workshops, actively engaging in new resources and learning.

(2007 Conferences) We surpassed our performance target of 80 veterinarians, extensions specialists, vet students and other professionals. The total attendees for both conferences, meeting our target audience description was 137 people.

(2008) 94 attend the second year conference, of which 27 had attended the first year.

4) 25 participants reconvene for a reunion class to share new experiences, learn new concepts and discuss possible on-farm trials.

94 people attended the 2008 conference of which 35 were extension specialists, educators working for NCAT, NRCS, or organic certification staff; 10 were veterinarians; 9 were organic dairy producers; 18 were organic milk processors or professionals providing a service to the organic dairy sector; and 22 were speakers and staff. Of those 94 attendees, 27 had attended the previous year.

5) 20 participants actively engage in using at least 2 new management practices or complementary treatments with their clients.

(2007) Feedback has been received from six veterinarians and two veterinary students. All are currently working with clients in organic dairy and appreciate the connections and networking opportunities provided by the conferences. All have plans to attend the 2008 conferences and will encourage their colleagues to attend as well.
(2008) Feedback from the 2008 conference has shown that some of the attendees intend use the knowledge learned and act on some of the following: 1) look into performing research on certain medical treatments, 2) learn more about herbal therapies and homeopathy, 3) educate their clients more about homeopathy and incorporate into their practice, 4) offer more organic programming, 5) feel more confident that they have something to offer their organic clients, and 6) better able to discuss animal welfare with organic clients. A thorough evaluation will be performed in the spring of 2009, which will collect more specific information on many of these actions.

(Milestones for Performance Target #2)

1) 80 Veterinarians, extension specialists, vet students and other professionals attend an organic livestock workshop.
A total of 137 veterinarians, extension specialists, vet students and other professionals attended the 2007 conferences. A total of 94 veterinarians, extension specialists, vet students and other professionals attended the 2008 conference.

2) 40 participants learn important criteria and possible topic areas for performing on-farm trials.

(2007) Presented a session entitled: Basic Clinical Trial Design and Considerations for Conducting On-Farm Evaluations of Complementary Therapy which provided basic knowledge and discussion on evaluating current literature, the basics of good study design and evaluating outcomes.

3) 25 participants reconvene for a reunion class and discuss possible on-farm trials

(2008) 27 of the 94 attendees had also attended one of the initial conferences in 2007. Many of the presentations at the 2008 conference included case studies or research results from recent projects. Also, as part of the design of the 2008 conference, Poster Presentations were set up in the Exhibitor Hall, highlighting recently completed and ongoing research impacting organic and grazing dairy farms. One thing that was noted and appreciated by attendees was that there was lots of time for networking. Details within our final evaluation will include some of the opportunities, ideas and outcomes that happened as a result of the 2008 conference.

4) 8 participants seek funding to conduct ‘on-farm’ trials evaluating management practices or therapies with their farmers.

(2007) Two collaborations for potential studies have been formed as a result of contacts made at this conference. A NESARE grant proposal evaluating a botanical intramammary mastitis treatment, was authored by participants from the conference and submitted in the fall of 2007. A second proposal evaluating another potential intramammary treatment was developed and was submitted to the Integrated Organic Program in June, 2008.
(2008) Dr Hubert Karreman (Penn Dutch Cow Care), in collaboration with Aurora Organic is going to perform research trials using certain mastitis tube treatments in 2009. Dr Linda Tikofsky has taken on a new graduate student (Kellie Ciccioni) who will be evaluating health and incidences of disease on organic and conventional farms in New York.
More information will be reported after our final evaluation is completed in the spring of 2009.

5) 2 participants are awarded funding to perform an on-farm trial on livestock management or a complementary therapy.

Has not happened yet

Impacts and Contributions/Outcomes

Having considered the suggestions and needs from the 2007 conference evaluations, the 2008 conference was centrally located and brought in speakers and subject material that advanced the learning from the first year. Participants were offered a two-track system; one for extension, one for veterinarians with a couple workshop sessions presented for everyone. Content included in the 2008 agenda included: grazing, animal nutrition on high forage diets, economics of organic dairy, herbs and their use in livestock health, botanicals, homeopathy, animal welfare, animal behavior, lameness, internal parasites and fly control, poster presentations highlighting recently completed and ongoing research impacting organic and grazing dairy farms, and an update on the organic dairy standards,. Attendees were served organic and/or local food, which took a lot of time to organize, but was well worth the effort and had been strongly recommended after the 2007 conferences. Total attendance numbers were 94 people: 35 were extension specialists, educators working for NCAT, NRCS, or organic certification staff; 10 were veterinarians; 9 were organic dairy producers; 18 were organic milk processors or professionals providing a service to the organic dairy sector; and 22 were speakers and staff.

Monies raised from sponsorship for 2007 was $19,050 (plus $2,900 in-kind), and $21,175 for 2008 (plus $6500 in-kind). Though much of this money was used to cover basic costs, we were able to provide 4 partial scholarships and 8 full scholarships to resource individuals, graduate students, and organic dairy producers.

Evaluation Summary for 2008: Overall, the conference was given a rating of 4.3 with 1 being poor and 5 being excellent. As a result of the conference, attendees felt that they had a better understanding about organic dairy production and why certain products or practices were allowed and others were prohibited. Many appreciated the fact that this conference focused on pasture and nutrition on high forage diets. Others benefited from the economic information shared and a achieved a deeper understanding of herd health issues. Many wondered why more professionals were not present and hoped that this conference could become an annual event.
As a result of the conference, attendees intend use the knowledge learned and act on some of the following: 1) look into performing research on certain medical treatments, 2) learn more about herbal therapies and homeopathy, 3) educate their clients more about homeopathy and incorporate into their practice, 4) offer more organic programming, 5) feel more confident that they have something to offer their organic clients, and 6) better able to discuss animal welfare with organic clients.
Things that attendees want to learn more about include: advanced session on feed rations as well as grain; starch and sugar metabolization with forages; more information on animal health; exercises in calculating intake and quality of pasture; case studies of pasture problems; feedback from producers on what they need from a veterinarian ; nutritional components of organic milk, such as CLA, and how that compares to non-organic milk; and cow behavior and case studies to substantiate the information,.
Recommendations for future conferences include: to push the organic industry for more data, to offer a 2 track system that caters to the beginner or the more advanced, more indepth information on homeopathy, more depth on all the talks given in general, organic management and therapy for lameness, more on nutrition on high forage/pasture diets, and on-farm herd health activities.

Over the next 9 months (for the remainder of the grant), information from these conferences will be compiled and made available on the NOFA-Vermont website in the form of proceedings, power point presentations, and video taped conference presentations. Other resources to be posted on the site will include: research and educational projects that are of interest to the target audience plus upcoming conferences and other educational opportunities. In order to determine how well we have achieved our performance targets, attendees will be contacted by phone, email or regular mail for a final evaluation of the conferences and its impact on their professional development.

Collaborators: