Nancy Lidster: Low Stress Pig Handling – Train The Trainer

By Nancy Lidster

We started working with Bud Williams and applying his low stress handling methods with pigs on our farm in 1996. In 2000 I started sharing Bud’s methods with others in the pig industry and even more importantly, other people shared with us. They trusted us to bring video cameras into their barns, slaughter plants, and trailers so that we could learn from them and then share what we learned with others in the industry.

Here it is 2014 and we still have handlers struggling with the exact same pig handling problems for the same reasons that frustrated us on our farm in the 1980’s and ’90’s: handlers who could be safer, happier, more productive, and providing better pig welfare and handling if given Low Stress Pig Handling training.

We are offering Train the Trainer sessions to make LSPH training accessible to more handlers.

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DNL Farms Ltd. LOW STRESS PIG HANDLING: Train the Trainer

We are offering a LSPH Train the Trainer course:

-          AlbertPork boardroom, 4828 89th St., Edmonton AB, Canada

-          October 22 and 23, 2014.

The course will be an intensive one and half days, with a maximum class size of ten people.

The intent of the Course is to equip participants with background knowledge plus take away video and print materials that will help them apply and teach LSPH.

The course will:

-          Provide instructions on basic:

-                  pig behavior and LSPH principles

-                  effective communication and training techniques

-          Use video case studies to lead group learning and allow participants to apply LSPH basic principles to a range of production, transport, and harvest plant situations

-          Apply LSPH to: trouble shooting, handler safety, use of handling tools, and welfare audits

-          Provide the participants with “take home” videos and print materials that they can customize to their unique training needs

-          Give participants the opportunity to bring their own video for group evaluation

-          Allow participants to network with others interested in LSPH

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At the end of the course the participants will be able to:

-          identify movement issues and opportunities in real life pig handling situations

-          use the provided material to coach LSPH techniques or supplement other programs such as TQA.

-          identify ways that their trainees can move pigs with less stress on pigs and people, lower handler injuries (missed work days and Occupational Health and Safety incidents) and improve handler morale

-          use the experience to communicate with other LSPH handlers in problem solving

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The cost for the 1 1/2 day course is $500 (plus GST where applicable) which includes lunches and refreshment breaks both days. The course will run from 8:30 – 12:00 and 1:00 to 4:30 on October 22 and 8:30 to 12:00 on October 23.

Source: DNLFarm