Sustainable Livestock Mortality Management

Sustainable Livestock Mortality Management

Summary

The Northeast Carcass Management (NCM) Team comprised of Mark Hutchinson, Craig Williams and Jean Bonhotal, held a Sustainable Livestock Mortality Management Train-the-Trainer program during 2009. The final initial two-day Train-the-Trainer program was held in April at The University of Maine Experimental Station, Highmoor Farm in Monmouth, Maine. Sixteen people participated.

A total of 55 staff from Cooperative Extension, NRCS, State Agriculture agencies and private Ag Service Providers were trained over the past two years. The group is now called the “SARE 55”. All thirteen NESARE states have now been represented at these programs. The NCM is exploring additional carcass management training for Agriculture Professional specifically in policy development in 2010.

Objectives/Performance Targets

Three years after training 60 Agriculture service providers (ASP) across the Northeast SARE region in sustainable carcass management through composting, 500 farmers will adopt composting as carcass management practices. Project duration 4 years.

Accomplishments/Milestones

Milestones:

? A core group of 60 Extension and NRCS staff will participate in a Train-the-Trainer program, 20 participants at three locations. 8 months (2008). This milestone has been completed. Training was offered at three locations with 55 participants.

? From the core group of 60, 30 will provide feedback on Carcass Management Tools website design. 15 months (2008-2009). The Northeast Carcass Management Team opted to use webinars and survey monkey to assess educational material and program success instead of a website. A website is still in the plans for 2010.

? Core group (60) will participate in two video teleconferences to share successes and assess program progress. Year 3 (2010) A webinar was completed with the “SARE 55” in September 2009. Survey monkey was developed for participants to report programming and impacts.

? As a result of the educational programs, 500 livestock producers will implement and improve sustainable carcass management practices. Year 3 and 4 (2010-2011) Accomplished, see outcomes.

• 2009 Carcass Management Project Photos

Impacts and Contributions/Outcomes

Outcomes for 2009

The “SARE 55” have participated in or conducted an additional 28 training events for colleagues and producers during 2009. Many different educational formats were used including classroom workshops, on-farm presentations, on-line presentations and as part of a larger program. A total of 1,128 people have attended these functions. A pre-survey questionnaire was developed to assess individual training impacts. From this group 65% (735) indicated that they will start or continue composting carcasses and carcass material. This number exceeds our performance goal of 500.

The NCM Team also held 4 carcass management webinars in 2009. Approximately 150 participated in the live webinars. We have not yet determined how to assess the number of people viewing the archived webinars. Presentations were provided by internationally recognized experts in carcass management. These webinars were viewed by an international audience not the “SARE 55”.

Collaborators: