Kerwee hosts Young Guns Training and Development Workshop 2014

The 2014 Young Guns Training and Development workshop was held at the Jondaryan Woolshed (with practical sessions conducted at Kerwee Feedlot) over the 6th, 7th and 8th of February. The workshop, an initiative run by the Australian Meat Industry Council (AMIC), is designed to provide opportunities for professional development to young people employed in the meat industry, who quite often live and work in remote areas. This year’s workshop was conducted together with Boyd Holden, a highly regarded authority on Stock Handling in the industry. The course content included theory sessions on Animal Welfare, with later practical sessions held at Kerwee Feedlot. Participants were reminded to bring warm bedding and bunked down in shearers quarters, and were well catered for with hot meals and country hospitality! As a designated bio-security site, Kerwee Feedlot needs to risk-assess all visitors. The Young Guns participants were required to answer a standard set of questions upon arrival, in order to determine the level of potential bio-security risk that they may have presented. Due to Kerwee Feedlots status as a designated bio-security site, and additionally due to the cutting edge animal welfare practices engaged there, this year’s Young Guns have definitely benefitted from their time on the course. The modules studied by the participants will contribute towards the Animal Welfare Officer Accreditation.