1.  Name of the Planned Program.

    Animal Science

2.  Program knowledge areas.

• 301  Reproductive Performance of Animals  12%

• 302  Nutrient Utilization in Animals  13%

• 303  Genetic Improvement of Animals  25%

• 307  Animal Management Systems  25%

• 311  Animal Diseases  12%

• 313  Internal Parasites in Animals  13%

3.  Program existence

• Intermediate (One to five years)

4.  Program duration

• Long Term (more than five years)

5.  Brief summary about Planned Program

Lincoln University, Cooperative Research and Extension Animal Sciences Program (ASP) investigates economically important livestock to solve problems of limited resource farmers.  Stakeholder input is based on local livestock associations (North Central Regional Aquaculture Center, Missouri Aquaculture Association, Missouri Sheep and Goat Producers, and Missouri Cattleman’s Association), market trends and direct requests. 

Small ruminant production will address parasite management (sheep and goats) with medicinal herbs as well as commercial dewormer and the FAMACHA deworming being adopted to help control internal parasites in sheep and goats. Workshops and programs will be completed on co-grazing sheep, goats and cattle to improve land use efficiency, artificial insemination in sheep, goats and cattle, shearing school, fitting school and herd and flock health programs. The need to increase profits from wool, mohair and angora fibers produced from sheep, goats, rabbits, llamas and alpacas is great. Educational programs are being delivered and are being expanded. A value-added fiber program helps small farmers with learning new technologies and marketing.

ASP is addressing ruminants with; parasite management (sheep and goats) with medicinal herbs (de-wormers), co-grazing systems (cattle, sheep and goats) to improve land use efficiency, biosensors (cattle) to facilitate artificial insemination and food-fish production with; nutrition (bluegill and crappie), genetics (sunfishes), production dynamics (sunfishes), pest management and fish health. 

Outcomes are to improve production efficiency and increase opportunities with new strategies regarding livestock production.  These results are essential to enable sustainability of diversified production for small and limited resource farmers. 

6.  Situation and priorities

Missouri has 82,000 small farms. The state is experiencing a shift in its size of farms, with the intermediate size operations in decline. The heads of households in the majority of small farm families are employed outside the home. These families need alternative agricultural options to sustain their way of life. The prevailing climate and geology combined with geography provide unique opportunities and challenges to Missouri farmers. Missouri is the second largest cow-calf producer of in the United States and improved efficiency of production is needed to maintain this status.   Missouri is the second fastest growing state in raising sheep and goat in the nation. The alternatives for small farmers include sheep and goats which are easy to handle and can browse and consume forbs, neither preferred by cattle. Sheep and goats are increasing in popularity and profitability. Missouri is the leading aquaculture production state in the Midwest. Aquaculture is the fastest growing segment of the US agricultural industry. Seafood is a major source of omega three fatty acids, which have a beneficial effect on coronary heart diseases in humans. Fishery harvests are in decline, yet demand for fishery products is increasing. There is a need for increased seafood production and aquaculture can provide an alternative supply for seafood products. Sunfishes, native to Missouri, are highly regarded as food fishes and have been identified as potential aquaculture taxa for the North Central region. However, there are critical factors limiting their economic and sustainable production.   The nutritional requirements of sunfish need to be defined; fast-growing and pure cultivars need to be developed; production dynamics need to be improved; and health issues resolved. 

7.  Assumptions made for the Program

1. Adequate administrative support

1. Adequate personnel

2. Adequate knowledge base

3. Adequate facilities and equipment

4. Adequate funding

5. Adoption of techniques by targeted audience

6. Partnerships

8.  Ultimate goal(s) of this Program

1. To improve quality of life for limited resource farmers in Missouri through livestock and aquaculture production.

9.  Scope of Program

• In-State Extension 

• In-State Research 

• Integrated Research and Extension 

Inputs for the Program

10.  Expending formula funds or state-matching funds

• Yes

11.  Expending funds other than formula funds or state-matching funds

• No

12.  Estimated amount of professional FTEs/SYs to be budgeted for this Program

 Year: 

Outputs for the Program

13.  Activity (What will be done?)

a. Conducting research utilizing herbs to control internal parasites in small ruminants.

b. Practice the use of artificial insemination in large and small ruminants to improve the genetics of herds and flocks to reduce cost.

c. Develop sunfish cultivars for distribution to the industry.

d. Determine nutritional requirements of sunfishes.

e. Develop optimal production dynamics for sunfishes.

f.   Provide aquaculture fish health services for stakeholders.

14.  Type(s) of methods will be used to reach direct and indirect contacts.

Extension

Direct Methods

Indirect Methods

• Workshop

• One-on-One Intervention

• Demonstrations

• Other 1  (Field Days)

• Other 2  (Undergraduate Research)

• Newsletters

• TV Media Programs

• Web sites

• Other 1  (Festivals and Fairs)

15.  Description of targeted audience.

Limited resources audiences

16.  Standard output measures.

Target for the number of persons (contacts) to be reached through direct and indirect contact methods.

Direct Contacts Adults

Indirect Contacts Adults

Direct Contacts Youth

Indirect Contacts Youth

Year

Target

Target

Target

Target

2007

2000

80000

400

2000

2008

2100

80000

400

2000

2009

2200

80000

400

2000

2010

2300

80000

400

2000

2011

2400

80000

400

2000

17.  (Standard Research Target) Number of patents.

Expected Patents

Year

Target

2007

0

2008

0

2009

0

2010

0

2011

0

18.  Output measures

 Output Text: 

Research Projects Completed*

Year

Aquaculture

Small Ruminant

Large Ruminant

2007

1

1

0

2008

0

1

0

2009

4

1

0

2010

0

1

1

2011

2

1

1

                 *Projects reported only in year of completion   

Presentations

Year

Aquaculture

Small Ruminant

Large Ruminant

2007

4

2

0

2008

6

2

0

2009

6

2

0

2010

6

2

0

2011

6

2

0

Manuscripts

Year

Aquaculture

Small Ruminant

Large Ruminant

2007

3

1

0

2008

4

1

0

2009

4

1

0

2010

5

1

0

2011

5

1

0

 2007 Target: 12
 2008 Target: 14
 2009 Target: 18
 2010 Target: 16
 2011 Target: 18

Outcomes for the Program

19.  Outcome measures

 Outcome Text: 

Aquaculture- Define sunfish nutritional requirements. Develop a fast growing sunfish cultivar. Identify viable production systems for sunfishes. Make available a fish health protocol. Small Ruminants- Assess the use of herb cultivars for control of internal parasites. Investigate new cultivars of grasses and legumes for potential improvement of weight gains in lambs and kids. Large Ruminants- Develop biosensor for determining levels of lutenizing hormone (LH) in the blood.

 2007 Target: 2053
 2008 Target: 2557
 2009 Target: 3064
 2010 Target: 3575
 2011 Target: 4085

 Outcome Text: 

Transfer new technologies for sunfish, small and large ruminant production to farmers. Farmers will use learned technologies.

 2007 Target: 1010
 2008 Target: 1215
 2009 Target: 1420
 2010 Target: 1530
 2011 Target: 1640

 Outcome Text: 

Farmersadopt new technologies for increased and sustainable production.

 2007 Target: 1010
 2008 Target: 1215
 2009 Target: 1420
 2010 Target: 1530
 2011 Target: 1640

20.  External factors which may affect outcomes.

• Economy

• Public Policy changes

• Competing Programatic Challenges

Description.

A major factor regarding the aquaculture program are energy costs for maintaining facilities at proper temperature, as well as water quality issues.  For the Small ruminant program, it will be dependent upon the ability to find and acquire appropriately trained personnel and long-term demand for goat meat.

21.  Evaluation studies planned.

• After Only (post program)

• Case Study

Description.
Many of these programs at the current time are still at the level of determining appropriate research methods.  The economics of these will be determined and if the program appears to be economically feasible, then it will be transferred and evluated under field conditions as case studies.

22.  Data collection methods.

• Sampling

• Unstructured

• Case Study

Description.
Those producers receiving the updated information and incorporating it into the program will be evaluated for their perceptions including labor, economics and marketing.

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