Expanding Livestock Integrated Pest Management in the Northeast

Expanding Livestock Integrated Pest Management in the Northeast

Summary

We propose to increase the number of producers utilizing livestock IPM by increasing the number, awareness and IPM skill level of extension educator multipliers in the northeast. More specifically we propose to engage extension and other outreach participants from northeastern states in an experiential learning opportunity of classroom, laboratory and on-site education regarding IPM approaches for the effective management of common dairy and livestock summer active arthropod pests.

To encourage communication and enhance teambuilding we propose initiating an electronic list serve to provide networking opportunities and on-line technical support for participants. This list serve can also help to identify stakeholder driven livestock IPM needs, priorities and opportunities for research and extension.

This workshop is viewed as a means to assess the interest and needs for future regional livestock IPM training for animal agriculture personnel and other outreach professionals.
Twenty-five cooperative extension and other animal agricultural industry outreach personnel from the northeast US will participate in a two day “hands-on” livestock IPM workshop. This initial “train the trainer” program will target key personnel involved in animal agriculture including, but not limited to, cooperative extension, state veterinarians, milk inspectors, and other multipliers responsible for local on dairy producer contacts. Participants will learn IPM principles and practices as they relate to dairy production and enhance animal and human health, improve net profitability and minimize neighborhood concerns associated with off site migration of livestock fly pests. Using a combination of classroom, laboratory and on-farm activities, participants will learn current issues related to livestock pest concerns and opportunities, acquire knowledge and develop skills to assess livestock pest problems and effectively manage these pests using the latest IPM principles and techniques. Participants will be trained in identification, evaluation and management of pest problems of confined dairy livestock. They will also become familiar with IPM resources, and become better equipped to effectively assist their clientele in addressing confined dairy fly pests. Participants will be surveyed pre and post participation to better assess their livestock IPM needs and concerns, and to help identify interest, opportunity and need for subsequent workshops. These individuals will help initiate and foster improved livestock IPM practitioner communication and networking in the northeast US.

Objectives/Performance Targets

1) To increase the number of producers utilizing livestock IPM by increasing the number, awareness and IPM skill level of extension educator multipliers in the northeast. More specifically, we propose to engage extension and other outreach participants from northeastern states in an experiential learning opportunity of classroom, laboratory and on-site education regarding IPM approaches for the effective management of common dairy and livestock summer active arthropod pests.

2) To encourage communication and enhance teambuilding we propose initiating an electronic list serve to provide networking opportunities and on-line technical support for participants. This list serve can also help to identify stakeholder driven livestock IPM needs, priorities and opportunities for research and extension.

This workshop is viewed as a means to assess the interest and needs for future regional livestock IPM training for animal agriculture personnel and other outreach professionals.

Accomplishments/Milestones

A two day Livestock Integrated Pest Management workshop was held September 28-29, 2004 at the Ramada Inn in Ithaca, NY to train representatives of cooperative extension and state milk inspectors from northeast states. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Coordinators and State Department of Agriculture Directors from Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and West Virginia were contacted and invited to nominate cooperative extension and milk inspector professionals to attend the workshop. Fifteen cooperative extension (9), state department of health / Agriculture and Markets milk inspectors (2), dairy producers (1), organic growers (1), state department of agriculture (1), and US EPA (1) participated, representing Maryland, Maine, Massachusetts, New York, and Pennsylvania.

Pre-Workshop Survey
A pre-workshop survey was given to those enrolled to provide information helpful to tailoring the workshop agenda to best meet participant needs. (See Appendix 1). Survey responses indicated that although most participants had direct or indirect responsibilities for pest management issues there was considerable diversity in their IPM experience and training. Many participants had responsibilities for training growers, field staff, and/or industry and regulatory personnel, some individuals had Health Department milk inspection responsibilities. Entomological training of participants ranged from “minimal” to PhD. Most individuals did not have any formal training in livestock IPM. Training in IPM varied from “none” to “on-the-job training”, to graduate level courses and multiple years experience in IPM implementation. Many participants stated they had been previously contacted by clientele regarding a livestock pest management problem. Participants indicated their goal for attending the workshop was to learn more about the insect identification, lifecycle and management options of key pests especially of bovines, especially in pastured animals; but other systems too. Participants were interested in learning IPM approaches, less-toxic solutions, current recommendations and latest research findings in livestock IPM. Individuals were interested in constructive ideas for promoting and advancing IPM adoption among NE livestock producers (especially dairy and poultry).
Participants were asked to rate the importance of specific livestock pest problems in their state. The results of this survey are presented in Table 1.

Table 1. Participant ranking of importance for specific dairy livestock pest problems in their state
Pest Type Average Rating
House fly 1.2
Rodents in /around facilities 1.2
Mosquitoes 1.8
Birds in /around facilities 2.0
Stable fly 2.5
Horse and Deer flies 2.8
Sarcoptic mange 2.8
Chorioptic mange 3.2
Face fly 3.2
Cattle grubs 3.3
Horn fly 3.6
Cockroaches 4.5
Ranking 1 = Highest, 5 = lowest

Workshop
The workshop consisted of three components: A) classroom presentations providing an overview of integrated pest management concepts, identification, biology, monitoring methods, assessment, management alternatives, control measures and evaluation of IPM programs. B) laboratory presentations, examination of live and curated insects specimens, including pests affecting animals in confinement, on pasture, and common natural enemies (arthropod and fungal pathogens) of house and stable flies, and an overview of aspects of current house fly IPM research efforts being conducted at Cornell University. C) On-farm visit to a commercial dairy farm view fly problems and their effective integrated management in situ. The workshop concluded with discussion of resources available to further educate clientele on dairy IPM, a discussion of needs, opportunities, and topics for future workshops and educational resources, and an overall evaluation of the workshop. Appendix 2. Workshop Agenda.

Impacts and Contributions/Outcomes

A listserve of has been created to enhance communication among participants.

As the result of this workshop one participant provided dairy fly IPM training to his New York Department of Agriculture and Markets Milk Inspector colleagues in a series of workshops during October 2004. Another provided dairy fly IPM training to the northeast Certified Crop Advisors at their annual meeting in Waterloo NY in December 2004.

Following the workshop participants discussed needs and topic opportunities for future northeast region livestock IPM workshops. Suggestions included:

• General fact sheet on pest trapping and related terminology, with special attention to definitions and clarification about attractants vs. pesticide baits, etc. The document would be geared toward informing about the many options that exist, and the advantages and disadvantages of each (rather than giving specific recommendations about which is best to use)

• Organic / IPM – tailoring resources for this unique audience

• Pasture Fly Management fact sheet – including pest biology. Participants suggested that providing information about pest life cycles and any portions of a proven effective IPM program may be very useful to generate further innovation and discussion

• Economics of Dairy IPM (including manure management issues, i.e. composting; also including potential role of federal cost share monies.

• Discussion of best time/format to reach dairy producers for IPM education/training (suggestions included 2 hours on farm in small groups, TAg formula, include lunch, twilight meeting).

• Informal method for sharing Livestock IPM information – participants think an email list serve would be useful

• Fly Management IPM Poster

• Development of Field ID cards, laminated and included in a flip-pack (ID cards with multiple pictures of common pests of: poultry; pests found in food/processing rooms; pasture/range; house/confinement areas and buildings

Efforts are underway to seek ways to increase communication and training of dairy industry personnel in livestock IPM.