Livestock Health Fundamentals
- ALFA
- Feb 12
- 3 min read
Updated: Mar 20
Upskill your livestock handlers and educate your team on essential cattle health practices with the new Livestock Health Fundamentals series - an educational initiative developed by ALFA & MLA, now available on our online training platform, Feedlot TECH.
This comprehensive eLearning series is designed to equip feedlot professionals with a deep understanding of livestock health management, ensuring they can make informed decisions that enhance animal welfare and overall feedlot performance.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
Livestock health management is crucial for successful feedlot operations. As a livestock handler, your role is vital in ensuring proper animal care, disease prevention, and responsible treatment administration.
Livestock Health Fundamentals is divided into five comprehensive modules, each addressing a key aspect of cattle health and management.
Module 1: Cattle induction, acclimation and care
Your role within the feedlot team is critical for keeping the cattle healthy and safe. In this course we will cover the fundamentals of how to manage cattle induction, acclimation, and care.
This module will cover:
Safely applying cattle tagging and scanning techniques.
How to administer preventative vaccinations accurately.
Complying with regulations when using Hormonal Growth Promotants (HGP).
Performing hygienic and effective tail trimming.
Treating cattle parasites effectively.
Classifying cattle by market specifications.
Weighing cattle accurately with calibrated scales.
Implementing acclimation and recognising the benefits
Module 2: Treating with drugs and antimicrobials
As a livestock handler, you play a crucial role in maintaining the health and productivity of the animals under your care. This module will equip you with essential skills in administering medications and practising responsible antimicrobial use.
Completing this module will help you to:
Understand various drug categories and their applications in livestock management.
Interpret and apply information from drug labels accurately.
Calculate and administer the correct drug dosages.
Observe and adhere to Export Slaughter Intervals (ESI) and Withholding Periods (WHP).
Selecting and safely using injection equipment.
Conducting subcutaneous, intramuscular, and above-ear injections properly.
Minimising injection-related complications, such as abscesses.
Applying antimicrobial stewardship principles to reduce resistance risks.
Module 3: The feedlot hospital
Your role in the feedlot hospital is vital for maintaining the health and welfare of the cattle. In this module, we will cover the essentials of managing and operating the feedlot hospital effectively.
This module will cover:
Understanding the setup and requirements of a feedlot hospital, including facilities and biosecurity measures.
Procedures for animal assessment upon arrival and maintaining accurate records.
Following veterinary protocols for treatment, ensuring compliance and effective recovery.
Identifying and treating common ailments such as respiratory disease, lameness, and digestive issues.
Monitoring recovery and managing continuity of care through re-treatments and record-keeping.
Module 4: Practical procedures
Your role in the feedlot environment involves essential hands-on practices to maintain the health, welfare, and productivity of cattle. In this module, we will explore practical procedures that are critical for effective cattle management in feedlots.
By completing this module, you'll be able to:
Take and interpret cattle temperature readings for early disease detection and health monitoring.
Administer eye treatments and other health procedures, focusing on technique and animal welfare.
Identify and manage abscesses, using the appropriate procedures to ensure recovery and minimise complications.
Address bloat through correct use of a stomach tube and understanding when this intervention is necessary.
Apply mass treatments responsibly, with a focus on disease prevention, animal welfare, and compliance with veterinary standards.
Maintain cattle hoof health by ensuring clean, well-drained pens and proper nutrition to prevent lameness and other issues.
Module 5: Euthanasia and postmortem
In the feedlot environment, understanding euthanasia and post-mortem practices is critical for ensuring animal welfare, ethical treatment, and biosecurity compliance. This module provides essential guidelines and techniques to equip you with the knowledge needed to make informed decisions regarding euthanasia and perform post-mortems effectively.
This module will cover:
Recognising conditions that necessitate euthanasia to prevent prolonged suffering and uphold ethical standards.
Choosing the appropriate euthanasia method (firearm or captive bolt) and executing it with precision and safety.
Confirming the effectiveness of euthanasia through a comprehensive check to ensure humane outcomes.
Practising firearm safety, including compliance with licensing and Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) requirements.
Ensuring proper carcass disposal through composting or deep burial to meet environmental and biosecurity standards.
Conducting post-mortem examinations to identify disease causes and take samples for laboratory analysis, supporting herd health management.
By completing the Livestock Health Fundamentals course, users will enhance their understanding of livestock health management, improve their ability to diagnose and treat ailments, and apply best practices to support cattle health, welfare, and performance.
Whether you’re new to the industry or an experienced livestock handler looking to refine your skills, this comprehensive training will equip you with the tools and knowledge to excel.
The Livestock Health Fundamentals course was created as part of ALFA’s wider careers and training strategy, designed to deliver a full set of eLearning courses and resources covering the fundamentals of lot feeding in Australia.
An initiative of ALFA, in collaboration with MLA, the Livestock Health Fundamentals eLearning series is available through the feedlot industry’s Training, Education and Careers Hub, Feedlot TECH.