Learning traditional medicine (especially use of local plants and seeds from farmers) and carefully listening to their priorities for improving herd health and welfare, provide a capacity-building platform for our community workshops.
Our first training session attended by thirty cattle owners from many villages surrounding Gunung Palung National Park started with coffee, cake and introductions. Classes and discussions including livestock nutrition, parasitism, housing conditions, hoof health and reproduction followed. After lunch, we enjoyed a hands-on workshop examining cattle, comparing shelter construction strategies and using our very own special recipe for making mineral salt blocks for cattle and goats.
Networking in group workshops or one-on-one with farmers and widows helps us promote best practices in livestock care and manure composting for organic farming, ultimately improving garden soil conditions and saving forest from traditional slash-and-burn practices.
– Dr. Jeff Wyatt, veterinarian
