Abstract

Two diverse audiences, livestock producers and families living with autism, learned life and business changing lessons from Dr. Temple Grandin.

Issue

Dr. Temple Grandin (Colorado State University and Grandin Livestock Handling Systems, Inc.) is a unique and gifted person with a special technical expertise in low-stress livestock handling. She is in demand internationally as a speaker on this subject and for her rare ability to share her compelling personal journey with autism. It is very difficult both logistically and financially to arrange for Dr. Grandin to travel to a rural venue for the sole purpose of speaking to an agricultural audience. A group of extension educators took on the risk by partnering with providers of education and social services for people with developmental disabilities. By this route they created a win-win situation for both the dairy and livestock producers and rural members of the developmental disabilities community.

Response

Two days became available for a speaking tour by Dr. Grandin in northern and south-central New York. The daytime hours were set to fit the schedules of the dairy and livestock producer audiences. Altogether, 118 producers, agri-service personnel, and students attended the session in northern New York, while another 65 attended the presentation in south-central New York. In both locations, local school educators, therapists, human services agency professionals, families of autistic people, medical staff, and interested community members participated in evening sessions titled "Living With Autism - A Personal Perspective." These talks drew approximately 400 people the first night and 300 the second night. Connections were made through the BOCES of Jefferson, Lewis, Herkimer, Hamilton, and Oneida counties to recruit audiences for the northern New York meeting, and through the Franziska Racker Centers for the meeting in the south-central region.

Impact

Dairy and livestock producers were challenged to consider the ramifications of animal stressors, particularly the primitive emotion of fear, in a new light. Many animal handling "habits" learned from watching others and/or steeped in tradition are based on erroneous assumptions and often cause greater problems. Many participants expressed the intention to make immediate changes in handling techniques. A farm employee in attendance impressed his business owner by correcting the conditions causing a young animal to balk at entering the milking parlor. The need for the usual "convincer" became unnecessary, and the owner asked to borrow the DVD of Dr. Grandin's presentation. A dozen practicing veterinarians in attendance between the two sites will multiply the message among non-attendees as well as using the gained knowledge in their work with client herds.

Dr. Larry Chase's presentation on dairy industry issues affecting businesses in the immediate future set the stage for Dr. Grandin's second presentation regarding animal welfare guideline development. Understanding the "what" and "why" of animal welfare requirements gave attendees a leg up on changes coming in the near future. We assume that attendees at the two evening sessions were affected in many different ways as well.

Funding Sources

• State or Municipal (e.g., NYSDAM)
• Private (e.g., commodity groups, foundations, companies)

Collaborators

• Children's Miracle Network
• Cornell Small Farms Program
• Countryside Veterinary Clinic
• Franziska Racker Centers
• John W. Ferry, DVM, Adams
• Pfizer Animal Health

Key Personnel

• Frans Vokey, Lewis Cornell Cooperative Extension
• Julie Berry, Jefferson Cornell Cooperative Extension
• John Conway, PRO-DAIRY & TCT Dairy and Field Crops Team
• Janice Degni, TCT Dairy and Field Crops Team