Online Livestock-Handling Courses

Proper livestock handling and animal care is a major concern for livestock producers and auction personnel. A partnership between Livestock Marketing Association (LMA) and the Beef Cattle Institute at Kansas State University now allows livestock handlers to fine tune their handling skills via the Animal Care Training Web site. The site offers training videos, testing and certification in specific areas of livestock handling.

"With some 35 million cattle and calves and 11 million sheep and swine going through America's livestock auction markets annually, we feel that the markets are doing a tremendous job but continuous training is vital for the safety of the livestock we care for and our employees," says Kristen Parman, LMA's vice president for membership services.

The training packages on the Web site include topics such as low-stress animal handling, handling injured or disabled animals, properly moving non-ambulatory animals, safe and responsible euthanasia and safely working with gates. A section is also geared toward business owners and managers, addressing the need for a coordinated animal-handling or risk-management programs.

Access to the courses is available at www.animalcaretraining.org/index.aspx; however, there is a fee.

Reprinted in part from Hobby Farms