Webinar presenter Dr Renee Willis (right) with webinar participant and stockperson Adi, on a voyage together in 2017.

THEY work quietly and tirelessly in the background, caring for thousands of animals on sea voyages.

Shipboard stockpersons, and the vets they work with on board, are the true frontline of animal welfare in the livestock export industry.

For many stockies, ongoing professional development is an important way to refine and add to their existing expertise in animal husbandry.

Adi, an experienced stockperson who has worked on livestock ships for more than 10 years, recently joined a webinar series on animal health and welfare at sea attended by more than 90 stockpersons, ship crew members and vets.

“The webinars were very helpful and gave me practical tips I could use straight away on board. It was good to be able to join from the ship and discuss afterwards with the crew,” Adi said.

Improved internet availability on the ships allowed some participants to join from on board for the first time, meaning shipboard crew members could also participate, marking a new step forward for training delivery.

The targeted, three-part webinar series was developed to ensure stockpersons are not only well-supported on board but also continuously educated and upskilled.

Presented by renowned academics and industry experts, the sessions focused on early detection, risk reduction and treatment strategies for three key livestock health conditions: eye disease, lameness, and bovine respiratory disease.

The series was led by Dr Renee Willis, an experienced Australian Government Accredited Veterinarian (AAV) with extensive voyage experience and a PhD in animal welfare science.

She was joined by guest lecturers Associate Professor David Beggs, Dr Mike Laurence, and Dr Paul Cusack.

Dr Cusack, an adjunct Professor with the veterinary school at Charles Sturt University, emphasised the importance of supporting and training stockpersons.

“LiveCorp is investing in the training of stockies and pooling the expertise and experience of AAVs through this series of webinars, which will undoubtedly benefit the health, welfare and production of the livestock we export,” Dr Cusack said.

The webinar series is part of the industry’s ongoing commitment to world-leading animal welfare standards.

By investing in the professional development of all those on board, the industry is helping to continually improve outcomes for livestock during their journey.

With the successful inclusion of participants directly from ships, the series has set a new benchmark for industry collaboration, ensuring those caring for animals at sea can access training resources no matter where they are in the world.

The webinars were funded by the Livestock Export RD&E Program, a collaboration between LiveCorp and Meat & Livestock Australia.

Source: LiveCorp