Extension Education 2

The Beef Cattle Institute at Kansas State University (BCI) has developed bilingual educational tools based on audiovisual technology to improve technical knowledge within livestock operations. The Dairy Animal Care and Quality Assurance (DACQA) program is available in a package of 36 multimedia modules with a total length of 2hrs and 42 min of training material to train animal care givers in areas of animal health, productivity and well-being. This quality assurance program promotes the best management practices for dairy animal care and husbandry through each area of the milk production operation, including proper management of feedstuffs and nutrition; pharmaceutical usage and administration; cattle handling guidelines; identification; record keeping and animal marketing decisions. The information in the modules is presented in a simple and colloquial communication to assure effective transmission of information. Two of the DACQA modules (one module addressing animal health practices and one module addressing animal handling) were presented to 10 professional dairy care workers who had a preference for learning in either English (n = 7) or Spanish (n = 3); a 10-question examination with questions relating to each specific module was given before and after viewing each of the modules. Test scores improved by 28% from pre-viewing to post-viewing (P < 0.01; pre-viewing score = 7/10; post-viewing score = 9/10); there was no effect of module or language preference or their interaction (P > 0.37). These results concur with previous data we have generated which demonstrated a 25% increase in knowledge of beef quality assurance best management practices following viewing of this type of module. With the audiovisual technology available, the industry not only addresses current topics related to producing safe and wholesome dairy products, but also supports a welfare-centered and economically sustainable dairy industry.