Using Behavioural Science to Enhance Extension and Adoption Outcomes for the Australian Thoroughbred Industry

Summary

Addressing social licence challenges in the Australian thoroughbred breeding industry, and many others outlined in the AgriFutures Thoroughbred Horses RD&E Plan, not only requires investment in new research and technologies, but also
understanding of the underlying attitudes, behaviours, and practices that underpin the industry’s growth and drive acceptance. Ultimately, the success of high-quality research or technologies hinges on how effectively the sector can understand and modify people’s attitudes, behaviours, and practices.
Effective extension is being increasingly recognised as a complex process of behaviour modification that not only requires a technical skillset, but a thorough understanding of behavioural factors implicated in adoption and interpersonal skills. An initial desktop review has identified a lack of coordinated extension across the industry. This project will develop a behavioural science capability building program to support the staff working directly with thoroughbreds to provide animal welfare, disease control, and breeding practice advice and support. This project proposes to embed insights into concurrent extension projects in development with AgriFutures. The project will involve:
1. Understanding the system of factors that influence the uptake of best practices and technologies for animal welfare, disease control and breeding across the thoroughbred industry.
2. Creating a behavioural science-based training program to upskill the existing and future thoroughbred breeding industry workforce, focusing on staff working directly with owners (e.g., stud managers & vets), to improve the adoption of animal welfare, disease control and breeding best practices and technologies.
3. Embedding insights across concurrent extension projects in development.
4. Developing a monitoring and evaluation framework to track and evaluate project outcomes and progress over time, identify areas for improvement, and enable long-term behaviour change.
5. Developing a behavioural science-based extension toolkit that includes evidence-based strategies to support long-term engagement with and adoption of animal welfare, disease control and breeding practices across the thoroughbred breeding industry and other levied industries.

Program

Thoroughbred Horses

Research Organisation

Evidn Pty Ltd

Objective Summary

1. A comprehensive behavioural analysis will be conducted to identify the factors that facilitate or hinder the adoption of animal welfare, disease control and breeding best practices and technologies. This will include examining industry norms and context, stakeholder attitudes, perceptions and experiences and communication channels throughout the industry. A training needs analysis will be undertaken to identify the behavioural science acumen of the extension workforce and to what extent training in behavioural science can improve extension and adoption efforts.
2. Develop and deliver a behavioural science training program designed for the existing and future industry workforce focusing on staff working directly with owners (e.g., stud managers & vets). The program will aim to improve their skills to overcome change resistance, enhance communication and support extension and adoption activities, tailored to industry needs and requirements.
3. Establish and integrate an M&E framework to track and assess the attitudinal, behavioural, and social drivers of extension and adoption practices. This will not only track change over time, but also measure the impact of activities implemented into the industry through both qualitative and quantitative measures, providing a feedback process for engaged stakeholders.
4.Ensure that behavioural science insights gained through the project can be widely disseminated and integrated into programs and activities in the thoroughbred breeding industry. Any developed resources will be embedded across the industry and concurrent programs and activities to promote evidence-based practice and collaboration.