Alternative livestock systems needs assessment
Extension Education
Sabrina Florentino
Alternative livestock systems educator
University of Minnesota
Stacy
Abstract
In Minnesota, there is a growing number of alternative livestock operations, including pasture-based, organic, and small scale. To better serve these producers, the University of Minnesota Extension hired an alternative livestock systems educator. A needs assessment survey of Minnesota audiences was conducted to help guide relevant program development in this diversified discipline. The survey was developed using expertise of an evaluation specialist and the UMN Extension Livestock Team. The 15-question survey was created in Qualtrics and distributed electronically via listservs, newsletters, educator contacts, social media, and QR code flyers. There were 166 responses. Poultry (54%) and beef cattle (50%) were the main livestock species raised by respondents. The alternative livestock systems used most often included pasture-based (87%), small-scale (63%), mobile housing (32%), silvopasture (32%), and livestock land management services (27%). The educational topics of interest included pasture and forage management (38%), business management (32%), animal health (22%), nutrition and feeding (12%), and raising new livestock species (11%). The preferred learning formats were webinars (69%), online courses (48%), in-person field days (42%), newsletters (42%), in-person workshops (34%), website articles (34%), and YouTube (31%). In response to these results, an online beginning livestock production course is being developed covering animal health, nutrition and feeding, and raising a new livestock species. The course includes a livestock safe-handling video series which shows participants how to handle new livestock species. Due to interest in pasture and forage management and the use of livestock for land management, a crop and livestock integration partnership between the UMN Extension Water, Crops, and Livestock Teams has formed. A pilot crop and livestock integration field day was hosted in 2024, with 50 participants. In the post-field day evaluation, 100% of respondents indicated they can use what they learned at the field day on their own farm or in their work. 95% of respondents were likely to implement a new crop and livestock integration practice. These outcomes demonstrate that the use of a needs assessment to inform programming in a diverse discipline has resulted in a high degree of program collaboration and impact.
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Authors: Sabrina Florentino, Gabi Bolwerk, Claire LaCanne, Kristina Cibuzar
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Florentino, S. Alternative livestock systems educator, University of Minnesota Extension, Minnesota, 55079
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Bolwerk, G. Water resources and soil health educator, University of Minnesota Extension, Minnesota, 55720
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LaCanne, C. Crops educator, University of Minnesota Extension, Minnesota, 55304
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Cibuzar, K. Evaluation specialist, University of Minnesota Extension, Minnesota, 55108