- Author: Alda Pires
- Editor: Karen Giovannini
As part of the UCCE's commitment to helping build a more resilient community, the UCCE is partnering with the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine to hold a series of workshops throughout Northern California to provide backyard producers with information on animal health and biosecurity, antimicrobial use, and ways to comply with new federal and state antimicrobial regulations. This work is being funded by the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA).
We are conducting a survey that is part of the Healthy Animals, Healthy People workshop series on animal health and antimicrobial use for backyard producers. This questionnaire asks about the specific practices and perceptions that you apply to your animals' health, husbandry, and antimicrobial use. This survey also seeks to identify whether your knowledge about these topics changed after attending the regional workshops.
The survey will take approximately 15-20 minutes of your time and the provided information will be kept strictly confidential. We will not connect your name with your responses. This study is being conducted for research and outreach purposes. You can choose not to participate or can quit the survey at any time.
This research has been reviewed by an Institutional Review Board (“IRB”). You may talk to an IRB staff member at (916) 703-9151 or IRBAdmin@ucdmc.ucdavis.edu if you have questions about your rights as a research subject. If you have any other questions, please contact the questionnaire administrator, Jasmin Bardales, at jabardales@ucdavis.edu, or the principal investigator, Dr. Alda Pires.
/span>- Author: Alda Pires
- Editor: Karen Giovannini
Drs. Alda Pires and Maurice Pitesky, along with PhD epidemiology student Laura Patterson, from UC Davis joined with Dr. Stephanie Larson, Director of UCCE Sonoma County, to present a seminar titled “Farming 101: Diversified Crop and Livestock Farming” at the UCCE office in Santa Rosa. About 30 small-scale diversified farmers with diverse livestock (e.g., sheep, goats, poultry, pig, rabbits and cattle) and crops (e.g., vegetables, fruit trees, wine grapes) attended the event.
Dr. Pitesky provided information on pastured poultry and biosecurity practices that are important to reduce the risk of avian influenza outbreaks.
Dr. Larson discussed pastured swine practices and opportunities for NRCS funding.
Dr. Pires gave a presentation on food safety risks and animal health considerations for integrated crop-livestock and diversified farms, including information about specific food borne pathogens (e.g., Salmonella and E. coli O157:H7) and parasite management.
PhD student Laura Patterson discussed research updates about a small-scale farm study as well as
opportunities for farmers to engage in research studies at UC Davis.
Information about upcoming UCCE Sonoma County workshops can be found on our calendar.