Training on yak animal husbandry, disease risk & mitigation, flaying & fleshing techniques, and preservation & storage of yak hides

The "Capacity building to the Mongolian vegetable tanned yak leather on bio-leather and bio-leather products" project - Sustainable Yak Leather (SYL) project - is funded by the EU, within the framework of the SWITCH-Asia Grants Programme. The Mongolian Association of Leather Industry (MALI), in collaboration with other partners of the SYL project, in organizing three, five-day training programmes for yak herders, veterinary extension officers, staff of slaughter facilities, and traders and merchants engaged in the production and supply of yak hides. Each of the three courses will presented in the project’s four targeted provinces (that account for 81% of Mongolia’s resources of yaks; namely: Arkhangai, Bayankhongor, Khuvsgul and Uvurkhhangai. More specifically:

1. A five-day training programme will be organized for up to 25 representatives of herders’ groups and veterinary extension officers, targeted to highlight essential issues for attention during animal breeding and ultimately during slaughter, such as:

• Good nutrition;
• Animal health care;
• Attention to animal welfare; 
• Use of veterinary services to avoid (or mitigate) significant skin diseases (and associated defects). 

The training will also demonstrate humane slaughter, with attention to animal welfare, good hygiene and the health and safety of operators.

The training will be held on:

• 14/11/2022 – 18/11/2022, Premises of Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Light Industry building – Conference Hall, Arkhangai province, Tseterleg (city center)
• 21/11/2022 – 25/11/2022, Premises of Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Light Industry building – Conference Hall, Khuvsgul province, Moron (city center)
• 28/11/2022 – 02/12/2022, Premises of Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Light Industry building – Conference Hall, Bayankhongor province, Bayankhongor (city center)
• 05/12/2022 – 09/12/2022, Premises of Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Light Industry building – Conference Hall, Uvurkhhangai province, Arvaikheer (city center)

2. A five-day training programme will be organized for up to 25 staff of slaughter facilities, focusing on flaying and fleshing techniques.

Indicative topics include:

• Ante-mortem inspection of animals, animal welfare, OSH and slaughtering in approved facilities;
• Flaying, fleshing and trimming; with appropriate equipment;
• Preservation, chilling, freezing, salting, and/or drying.

The training will be held on:

• 14/11/2022 – 18/11/2022, newly established warehouse for meat processing (southeast of the MOFALI building), Arkhangai province, Tsetserleg (City center)
• 21/11/2022 – 25/11/2022, Bayan shuvuut LLC, Khuvsgul province, Moron (City center)
• 28/11/2022 – 02/12/2022, Mah Mart LLC Slaughter/ Meat processing plant, Bayankhongor province, Bayankhongor (City center)
• 05/12/2022 – 09/12/2022, Tumnii Buyan dalai LLC meat processing plant, Uvurkhhangai province, Arvaikheer (City center)

3. A five-day training programme will be organized for up to 25 traders and merchants engaged in the production and supply of yak hides, focusing on preservation and storage.

Indicative topics include:

• Features of fresh and preserved hides;
• Environmental issues related to hides for leather;
• Traceability of hides and identification and registration (I&R);
• Sorting, grading, storage and transportation of hides.

The training will be held on:

• 14/11/2022 – 18/11/2022, Premises of Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Light Industry building – Room #101, Arkhangai province, Tsetserleg (City center)
• 21/11/2022 – 25/11/2022, Premises of Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Light Industry building – Room #101, Khuvsgul province, Moron (City center)
• 28/11/2022 – 02/12/2022, Premises of Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Light Industry building – Room #103, Bayankhongor province, Bayankhongor (City center)
• 05/12/2022 – 09/12/2022, Premises of Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Light Industry building – Room #508, Arvaikheer, Uvurkhhangai province

All training programmes will also describe the requirements of national legislation (concerning slaughter practices) and standards regarding the production and sorting/grading of hides. 

Following the trainings, technical advice will be provided to the beneficiaries, so as to support them further in implementing changes and processes introduced.

Please find attached the invitation and the agenda of each training programme.

For more information, you may contact Mr. Uuganbayar Batbayar (email: mongolianyakleather@gmail.com, phone: 90808085)

For further information about SWITCH-Asia Grants Programme, please visit www.switch-asia.eu