On 27 April this year, at the headquarters of the Małopolska Agricultural Advisory Centre in Karniowice, a training course for agricultural advisors and caretakers of demonstration farms and project coordinators took place as part of sub-measure 1.2. “Support for demonstration projects and information activities” covered by the Rural Development Programme 2014–2020 on modern technologies for raising and breeding beef breed cattle. The project is implemented as part of sub-measure 1.2 “Support for demonstration projects and information activities” covered by the Rural Development Programme 2014–2020, financed by funds from the “Cooperation” measure run by the Agency for Restructuring and Modernization of Agriculture. The aim of the project is to set up demonstration farms for raising and breeding beef cattle and to introduce and disseminate modern tools and solutions to support the keeping and use of animals.
The training course, organized by the Department of Cattle Breeding of the National Research Institute of Animal Production in Kraków, in collaboration with the Agricultural Advisory Centre in Brwinów and the Małopolska Agricultural Advisory Centre, was opened by the Centre’s director, Dominik Pasek. The training was attended by around 30 advisors and caretakers of demonstration farms from the Małopolskie, Podkarpackie, Dolnośląskie, Śląskie, Lubuskie and Świętokrzyskie voivodeships, as well as consortium leaders from the Agricultural Advisory Centre in Brwinów and employees of the Department of Cattle Breeding.
The moderator and trainer, Piotr Wójcik, PhD, Professor of the National Research Institute of Animal Production, who also heads the team of scientific supervisors of the project, familiarized the participants with current organizational issues related to the preparation of farms for the implementation of modern solutions supporting breeding and raising of beef cattle and the performance of demonstrations for visiting groups of breeders, farmers, students of agricultural schools and animal scientists. The participants also listened to the Professor’s lectures on crossbreeding and its production effects in cattle herds, as well as on precision farming solutions dedicated to beef cattle breeding farms. The lectures were supported by numerous examples from agricultural practice.
During the presentations by Dr Grzegorz Skrzyński entitled “Breeding work on a beef farm” and “Breeding of cattle and reproduction management”, the audience learnt about the breeds of beef cattle kept in Poland and their characteristics predisposing them to various forms of use and fattening, as well as about reproduction management and the use of techniques supporting cattle reproduction in beef herds.
In the following lectures delivered by Dr Eng. Bartosz Szymik entitled “Cattle housing systems”, “Beef herd management systems” and “Health and safety principles in beef cattle breeding”, the farm supervisors became acquainted with the possibilities and different systems of keeping cattle depending on the capabilities of the farms and the breed being farmed, as well as with herd management programmes and the principles of safe work when handling animals.
The next lecture, given by Dr Adam Radkowski, Professor of the University of Agriculture in Kraków, dealt in detail with the subject of modern pasture management, including cultivation practices, fertilization and renewal.
In the practical part of the training, presented by Farm Innovations, a cattle chipping system was shown together with an application monitoring animal activity and temperature. Representatives of Gallagher Polska – AgroComplex company presented a system of movable (rolling) electric fences designed for rotational grazing of cattle. The audience had the opportunity to practice the assembly of such fences.
The lecture portion of the training was concluded with a presentation by Dr Eng. Agata Karpowicz on the feeding of beef cattle and preventive, zootechnical and veterinary treatments carried out in beef herds. The training was concluded in the late afternoon with workshops and organizational work related to the implementation of on-farm demonstrations.
