While we know agriculture doesn’t stop for anything, Delaware Cooperative Extension is taking precautionary measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19. We appreciate your support and understanding as we work together to keep our communities safe and healthy. Currently, we are not able to conduct face to face meetings but we encourage you to visit: https://www.bqa.org/bqa-certification/online-bqa-certification for Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) certification. The courses that are available teach methods for raising your cattle in accordance with BQA fundamentals. Topics involve: cattle health, stockmanship, marketing, emergency planning, and meat quality. With three certification classes available, you can choose one that relates to your operation.
In addition, for those small ruminant producers who would like FAMACHA© certification, the University of Rhode Island has an on-line course: https://web.uri.edu/sheepngoat/famacha/. Use of the FAMACHA© scoring system allows small ruminant producers to make deworming decisions based on an estimate of the level of anemia in sheep and goats affected by barber pole worm (Haemonchus contortus) infection. As the barberpole worm is most abundant in the warm and humid moths of the year it is very important that small ruminant producers are prepared for the spring and summer months to come.
The FAMACHA© card, developed in South Africa, was introduced to the U.S. by the American Consortium for Small Ruminant Parasite Control (https://www.wormx.info/) This online training program was developed by Dr. Katherine Petersson and Dr. Anne Zajac, DVM, members of the ACSRPC, as part of a Northeast SARE grant and is administered by the University of Rhode Island. The ACSRPC fully endorses the program for those who are unable to attend a workshop.
If you have any questions please feel free to contact:
Dan Severson: severson@udel.edu | 302-299-9158
Kwame Mathews: kmatthews@desu.edu | 302-857-6540
Susan Garey: truehart@udel.edu | 302-242-1510