TtT Animal Welfare PGP

Train the Trainer - Animal Welfare (PGP)

This project is one piece of the wider PGP programme and aims to develop 1) an industry-agreed consistent approach to assessing and diagnosing animal husbandry & management issues or risks on-farm and 2) appropriate, relevant farm management plans to resolve these issues or risks and improve the resiliency of the farm business in the future.

During 2011-12, this project will deliver:

Modules to build capability in calf management, lameness (through Healthy Hoof) and low body condition score management (including body condition scoring certification for rural advisors). Each of these will include:

Assessment and diagnosis tool(s)
Farm management planning tool(s)
Identification of the minimum knowledge requirements for rural professionals to be able to advise farmers in each module, and the training and experience that meet these criteria.
Identification/definition of certification and accreditation processes (likely to be the same for each module – and need to be integrated with other components within the wider PGP project).

Expected outcomes of this project

Benefit

The project will deliver a consistent and practical tool that farmers can adopt for managing their businesses. The tool will be consistently improved as new knowledge becomes available. It will provide a framework to measure improvements in practice, and can underpin training and education at all levels.

The tool will also provide a mechanism to support consistent and common messages that can be delivered to farmers and utilised by related professional support networks.

The building of the necessary networks and resources will ensure that a range of activities and funding are coordinated and focused on key outcomes for New Zealand (e.g. Young Farmers, Tertiary Education investments) and that the delivery of training and education and ongoing skills development occurs past the PGP investment period.

The success will be measured by increased meeting the productivity and sustainability goals and an increase in capability and competency across the dairy and primary industries.