Extension Initiatives for Improving Livestock and Poultry Health and Production

"Extension" is a broad concept that in the animal and veterinary sciences is well accepted as an educational process or activity facilitated by a professional whose main objective is to improve the farm practices towards a more efficient livestock production. However, how "extension" is used in the routine of professionals involved in livestock and poultry health and production varies tremendously according to the geographical area and, most importantly, according to the needs of the communities involved. Additionally, while there are various scientific peer-reviewed journals which scope is dedicated to “extension” in animal and veterinary sciences, this subject is not often an easy access to researchers who work directly with basic and applied research in similar areas. As a consequence, despite the incredible contribution of extensionists to the improvement of livestock and poultry production, “extension” is not infrequently mistaken as a less privileged career path for bachelors in animal science and for veterinarians and deserves more attention to the scientific community to be more well recognized for its valuable contributions to animal and veterinary sciences.

The goal of this Research Topic is to provide a dedicated place in a well-recognized journal as Frontiers in Veterinary Science to display the most up-to-date extension initiatives related to animal health and production from various parts of the world and their respective positive outcomes to the involved farms. This collection will serve to the extensionists to publish their research and to see what other extensionists have been doing to solve similar or completely divergent problems. Simultaneously, this Research Topic will also allow other professionals to encounter a variety of science-based approaches to solve challenges encountered by farmers throughout the world, which, consequently, can rouse ideas for the development of new research projects and help to demystify the work in extension.

To be considered for publication, the manuscript must provide science-based research data originated from an extension project which aim was to investigate, mitigate or solve one problem or a series of problems involved in livestock and poultry health and production. There is no restriction regarding the number or size of farms enrolled in the project, the geographical area where the project was conducted, or the animal species involved, although projects involving small to medium size farms of swine, poultry, dairy and beef farms are highly encouraged to be submitted. Studies showing the impact of the use of new technologies and the impact of changes on so called “traditional approaches” to more recent and effective strategies are of high interest.