Issue #2
Animal Production
Problem, Opportunity Statement*
Animal agricultural production remains a significant component of Pennsylvania’s
economy. Pennsylvania farms received $4.5 billion in
cash receipts in 2002; 40% of that total, $1.8 billion was from the dairy
industry alone. The dairy industry is important to Pennsylvania, which ranks 4th
among the 50 states in milk production and cow numbers. Pennsylvania had 590,000 dairy cows and
another 567,000 dairy heifer replacements in 2002. Add to those 1.2 million
dairy animals, 1.9 million swine, 133 million broilers, 10 million turkeys, 24
million layers, 200,000 beef cows, 150,000 beef cattle on feed and 215,600
pleasure, work and race horses; and the scale and economic importance of
Pennsylvania’s animal production can easily be comprehended. While animal
agricultural production occurs throughout Pennsylvania, there are geographic areas
where animal production facilities are very concentrated.
Pennsylvania’s animal
agricultural production industry is not only massive in size, but is also
extremely dynamic in response to the increasingly competitive, national and
global food marketplace. Farm businesses producing animal products are
restructuring in many ways to gain competitive advantages. Some businesses are
expanding, while others are seeking direct or niche markets for their products.
Most businesses are adopting various alternative production strategies to meet
the demands of the consumer, and almost all of the state’s animal production
businesses, regardless of size, are seeking to adopt new technologies to
maintain profits or provide superior products to consumers.
Additionally,
Pennsylvania
youth show a strong interest in animal production programs. Over 50,000 youth
are enrolled in the 4-H embryology program. Another 7,400 youth participate in
the 4-H youth horse program annually. Total youth animal projects number over
78,800 each year. Youth animal projects increase appropriate knowledge, skills,
production practices, and awareness of animal agriculture issues for our future
agricultural leaders.
Because of the economic importance of the animal production
industry in Pennsylvania, its size and concentration in certain areas of the
state, and because it is often concentrated in areas of significant human
population, animal agriculture is worth an intensive and sustained effort by
Penn State Cooperative Extension to
meet the industry’s challenges and to ensure public support and future
viability
. These challenges
include:
·
Designing milk meat and egg production systems to
meet the increasingly stringent quality and food safety demands of the
marketplace.
·
Maintaining animal health in
Pennsylvania
’s geographically concentrated
industry and in production units of increasing animal populations.
·
Controlling new and emergent diseases in animal
agriculture, especially diseases with zoonotic capabilities or potential to cause economic
destruction to the state’s animal production industry.
·
Maintaining efficient and profitable production
while eliminating negative environmental and public health impacts. Issues of
concern include complying with legislation regarding water quality and
quantity, air quality,nutrient management and environmental
stewardship, as well asemploying practices that promote good will
and understanding between agricultural and non-agricultural
neighbors.
·
Providing facilities to improve animal care and
comfort, as well as meet increasing societal standards for humane care and
management of farm animals.
·
Finding new technologies to improve the
efficiency and quality of animal production and applying those technologies
appropriately.
·
Educating the general public (including youth
audiences) about animal agriculture and industry standards of best managementproduction
practices, while helping producers address the concerns of consumers, neighbors,
and communities.
Penn State Cooperative Extension has the capacity to develop
andprovide objective, research based information
and solutions to address all of these challenges. Cooperative Extension will
enthusiastically work with producers, agribusinesses, related businesses,
consumers and citizens to meet these and the other challenges that the future
holds for Pennsylvania’s animal production industry.
*Statistics used in this
statement are from the following sources:
PA Ag Statistic Survey,
2001-2002
PA Equine Economic Impact
Survey, 2003
Feed Management, October 2003
Pennsylvania
state 4-H Office
Subject Matter Areas
- Product Quality
Systems and Ethics Education
- Unique Animal ID
- Pork, Beef and
Dairy Beef Quality Assurance for Producers
- Youth
programs Quality Assurance and/or Ethics for youth, parents and
volunteers
- Milking systems and milk quality
assurance
- Animal Health
- Waste Structures/Nutrient Management
- Reproductive Management
- Animal Nutrition
- Animal and Agricultural Facilities
- Human Resource Management related to
Animal Production
- Public
Policy/Education regarding
Animal Products, Production and Management
- Environmental Issues: nutrient
management, flies, odor,
- Production and
Management Practices Issues
- Insurance
Issues
- Youth
education including animal-based school enrichment programs, dairy, horse,
swine, beef, sheep, goat, small animal, and companion animal
Program Titles and/or
Program Topics by Subject Matter Area
- Product Quality Systems
- Quality Assurance
and/or Ethics Training
- Milking Systems
- Consumer Issues
- Alternative Production
Strategies(organic, natural)
- Marketing
Diversity
- Animal Health
- Disease Control & Prevention
- Prepurchase testing & vaccination
protocols
- Metabolic disease control
- Biosecurity in Animal Production
- New & Emerging Diseases
- Strategic
Antibiotic Use
- Waste Structures/Nutrient Management
- Farm Site Assessment & Layout
- Manure Management
- Structures
- Hauling & handling
- Safety and Environmental Issues
- Manure Regulation Issues (Act 6
& CAFO)
- Mortality Composting
- Air Quality
- Nutrition Strategies Impacting
Nutrient Management
- Reproductive Management
- Strategies to improve pregnancy rate
- Parturition Management
- Animal Nutrition
- Forage Quality
- Grazing Systems
- Feeding Systems
- Cost Containment
- Matching animal requirements to growth
stage
- Animal and Agricultural Facilities
- Design & renovation of animal
facilities and farmsteads
- Animal Comfort, welfare and
productivity
- Handling and
safety,
including horse safety and horse management skills
- Cost
Containment
- Human Resource Management related to
Animal Production
- Training in Production Systems
- Public Policy/Education regarding
Animal Products and Production
- Economic Impact of Animal Agriculture
- Public Education on Animal Production
Issues
- Youth
Education of Animal Production, Management and Use Issues
- Liability Issues
Resources
o State Extension Specialists and Extension
Veterinarians
o
County
Extension Staff
o Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture Veterinarians and
staff.
o Local veterinarians
o Extension publications
o Animal Disease Laboratories
o WEB based resources
o Industry/Producer Groups
o Extension Specialists
o Extension Agents
o Registration fees
o Grant money
o Agribusiness specialist
o Written and web-based
resources
o Industry support
o
Non-Extension University personnel
o Federal grant
o State funds
o Web sites and list serv
o Staff and faculty
o Partnerships with ag
organizations
o Conservation funds
o Equipment
o State funds for extension faculty and staff
salaries.
o Reference guides, websites, videos, computer programs,
demonstrations and on-farm research.
o USDA-ARS Pasture Systems and Watershed Management Research
Unit
o
Pennsylvania Project Grass Chapters
o Grant money from various
sources.
o Commodity checkoff funds
o PDA grants
o USDA grants
o Departmental allocation of 504
funds
o State funds for agent salaries
- Reproduction and
Genetics
o State specialists
o Extension veterinarians
o Agents
o Industry partnerships (artificial insemination
industry)
o Tuition (cost recovery)
o Web based resources
- Animal Science Public
Policy and Education
o Agents, Specialists, Volunteers,
Teachers, Local county and
Township Officials
o Species and Breed, agricultural Associations, Councils,
etc.
o PA
Dept. Ag
o 4-H
project materials
- Animal &
Agricultural Facilities
o Cooperative Extension Educators and
Faculty
o Program Funding
o County program support
o NRAES
o Mid-West Plan Service
o Agribusiness and agrifinance
firms
Indicators
- Number of individuals
(producers,
volunteers, parents and youth) demonstrating increase in subject
knowledge and skills (all program areas,
including 4-H animal skill activities
).
- Number of individuals receiving
individual assistance.
- Estimated dollar value of adopted best
management practices.
- Number of individuals implementing
recommended action or practice - nutrients, water quality and/or odor.
- Number of individuals implementing or
improving an on-farm composting.
- Number of individuals implementing
recommended action or practice - reproduction or genetics.
- Number of individuals
completing quality assurance certification
and/or ethics training.
- Number of producers adopting management
practices - product quality.
- Number of producers implementing human
resource management practices.
- Number of animal owners implementing
infectious animal disease control measures.
- Number of buildings constructed or
renovated according to recommended design features.
- Number of facilities sited during new
construction to improve farmstead traffic and animal flow.
- Number of municipalities adopting or
modifying ordinances as a result of educational programming.
- Number
of youth completing 4-H animal projects.