Access ALFA & MLA’s new online training tools

NFAS Accredited feedlots and their staff can access this suite of short courses from online platform, Feedlot TECH. Image: ALFA.

Australian Lot Feeders’ Association (ALFA) and Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) have launched a range of new online short courses within the Feedlot Fundamentals training program – aimed at driving efficiencies and supporting career development for those working in the feedlot sector. The easy-to-access courses are designed for industry by industry and cover the fundamental skills required to operate each facet of a successful feedlot.

Recently released Fundamentals of Feedlot Nutrition, Feeding and Milling Operations, focuses on upskilling those workers in charge of feeding and milling and is housed in Feedlot TECH – a feedlot training, education and careers hub that meets the feedlot industry’s need for skills development.  

ALFA President, Barb Madden, said the suite of courses supports the feeding and milling team who play an integral role within the day-to-day operations of a feedlot.

“Understanding the fundamentals of record keeping, commodity processing and the science behind rations is important for all feeding and milling staff,” Barb said.

Topics covered include:

• feedstuff energy and what constitutes a ration
• the basics of milling and grain processing
• a more advanced milling and grain processing module
• commodity and ration testing
• record keeping.

Another recently launched course available at Feedlot TECH as part of the Feedlot Fundamentals training program is Fundamentals of Livestock Handling. This course includes the following seven modules:

• good stockmanship
• receive and dispatch
• working your facility
• team leader
• animal wellbeing for transport
• chain of responsibility
• lairage.

Launched this week, the Fundamentals of Pen Riding course covers the fundamentals of pen riding, including how to identify and respond to health issues, assess common health challenges, safely remove an animal from the pen, and appropriately use horses in a feedlot environment.

Future courses will meet the training needs of other key teams:

• bunk management
• NFAS fundamentals
• office and administration.

“All courses are designed to assist feedlot operators in ensuring new and existing team members have access to core skills training, grow capability within their teams and continue to foster high performance in the operations of their business.

“The industry is hungry for training opportunities, however we’re often time poor and short on labour, so the online courses have made huge savings in terms of time spent off site for training and engaging staff.

“With e-learning tools, we have been able to deliver a quality product that is really hitting the mark in terms of efficiency, flexibility, and technical appeal,” Barb said.

Online platform Feedlot TECH offers:

• career, employment, and professional development opportunities
• access to ALFA/MLA developed feedlot-specific core training
• links to external training provider courses relevant to feedlot employees.