Unity College wins $7500 grant for agricultural equipment
The Murray Bridge school aims to spend the grant money on new tech that will enhance student learning in agricultural studies.
Unity College has secured more than $7500 for its agricultural department.
The college will use the funds to buy a 360-degree camera, a new livestock weigh scale with a data collector and electronic identification, and GPS cattle/sheep collars.
The school was included in round three of the Producer Technology Uptake Program, run by AgriFutures Australia.
Eligible high schools needed to have an agricultural department and could receive up to $20,000 to develop a bespoke activity or project to build students’ capacity to learn, understand and incorporate technology on-farm.
Unity College agriculture teacher Jessica Fegan said the new equipment would enhance the school’s agricultural studies.
“This grant will allow us to improve our equipment and embed new and emerging technologies further into our existing agriculture curriculum,” Mrs Fegan said.
“This will provide new opportunities for our students to learn and be engaged with to enhance their understanding of livestock behaviour, growth rates and geographical land use.”
The new tech will allow for greater accuracy for when students weigh stock, provide automated recorded data and feedback analysis and a refined ability to track animal behaviour and movements.
Students will be able to learn how to use the software to further investigations into soil type, pH levels, land usage and the impact of livestock and feedlots.
It will also help with students from years 9-12 with their studies of Science as a Human Endeavour.
The technologies will be used alongside the school’s current agricultural activities, such as preparing show livestock of cattle, sheep and goats, working with pigs and chicken, and providing knowledge of available technology when students work on the farm.
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