Livestock management as a tool for university extension: practical experiences in the animal science course at the UFR

Abstract

The Group of Studies, Research, Extension and Technological Innovation (GPecuária) develops and coordinates the actions of the extension project under the title "Zootechnical assistance and guidance in beef cattle farming: Livestock Management" in the university community and in the rural area, which is linked to the Animal Science Course/ICAT/UFR, aiming to bring extension workers, scholarship students and volunteers closer to the reality of production systems and regional livestock. The objective is to provide practical and technical experiences in rural properties that are partners of the project, promoting the development of professional skills and integration between the university and the countryside. The methodology adopted included face-to-face meetings, technical visits, the organization of events and participation in specialized courses. Among the activities carried out, visits to the Aurora and Talismã Farms, as well as to the Kratsch Ranch, include actions carried out by scholarship holders, such as weighing and marking calves and bulls, as well as morphological evaluation and separation of beef cattle, sanitary management and artificial insemination. Soil samples were also collected for analysis, with the purpose of guiding the fertilization of pastures. The scholarship holders and other members of the GPecuária group also organized the NutriPEC 2025 event (1st and 2nd editions), participated in Exposul 2025, and organized courses in partnership with SENAR-MT on "cattle feeding in the dry season" and "use of drones in livestock". The results demonstrate the positive impact of extension on the training of students, promoting the exchange of knowledge and strengthening professional performance. In this sense, the "Livestock Management" Extension Project is an effective initiative in the construction of applied knowledge and in the valorization of university extension