Quality Assurance training for youth has focused on avoidance of drug and chemical contamination and placed little emphasis on carcass defects such as bruising. In order to reduce the incidence of carcass defects, youth need an understanding of animal behavior and how it is affected by the animal's environment. Two hundred seventy-three youth completed pre- and post-program tests of knowledge as it relates to animal behavior and handling. Pre-test results showed that participants had prior knowledge of the impacts of improper animal handling. The post-program test indicated increased knowledge and understanding of the environmental effects and inherent behavior of livestock.
Yost et al. (Tue,) studied this question.