Department of Communication Science, Wageningen University, PO Box 8130, 6700 EW Wageningen, the Netherlands.
J Dairy Sci. 2010 Feb;93(2):604-12. doi: 10.3168/jds.2009-2531.
Worldwide, programs to improve udder health are implemented using communication tools and methods that inform and persuade dairy farmers. This study evaluated 2 communication strategies used in a mastitis control program in the Netherlands. To improve farmers' udder health management, tools such as instruction cards, treatment plans, checklists and software were developed following an argument-based comprehensive "central route." These tools were used during on-farm study group meetings for farmers organized by veterinarians and also during individual veterinarian-farmer interactions. The second strategy aimed at adopting a single management practice to increase the use of milking gloves during milking. This approach followed a straightforward "peripheral" route that used implicit persuasion techniques. Results of an online survey of 374 Dutch dairy farmers showed that most farmers were able and willing to use the educational management tools to increase udder health on their farms. They evaluated the tools positively regardless of the mastitis problems on their farms. This seems to indicate that the central route of communication is most effective when farmers are motivated to work on udder health in general. Results of repeated random telephone surveys before, during, and after the campaign on the use of milking gloves showed that the use of gloves increased from 20.9 to 42.0% of the respondents. Respondents' opinions about milking gloves also changed favorably, indicating that a relatively short peripheral campaign on a single action can have a sustained effect on farmers' behavior. Both communication strategies seem to be potentially successful in disseminating knowledge to a specific target group of farmers and in changing that group's behavior. However, to reach as many farmers as possible, the strategies should be combined. When optimizing these strategies, both the farmers' motivation to work on udder health and the aim of the campaign should be considered. When aiming to improve general udder health management, the central route seems to be effective if farmers are already motivated to optimize their udder health management. For farmers who are less motivated to work on udder health, the peripheral route seems to be most effective when aiming to change a single management practice. The evaluated communication strategies are examples of how management practices to control mastitis can be effectively communicated to farmers. As such, this study contributes to optimizing future programs to control and prevent diseases.
全球范围内，采用沟通工具和方法来改善奶牛健康的计划正在实施，这些计划旨在告知和说服奶农。本研究评估了荷兰一项乳腺炎控制计划中使用的 2 种沟通策略。为了改善农民的乳房健康管理，根据基于论证的全面“中心途径”，开发了指导卡、治疗计划、检查表和软件等工具。这些工具在兽医组织的农场研究小组会议期间供农民使用，也在兽医与农民的个别互动期间使用。第二种策略旨在采用单一管理措施，增加挤奶时使用奶衬的比例。这种方法遵循了一种简单的“外围”途径，使用了隐含的说服技巧。对 374 名荷兰奶农的在线调查结果显示，大多数农民有能力且愿意使用教育管理工具来提高其农场的乳房健康水平。无论他们的农场是否存在乳腺炎问题，他们都对这些工具给予了积极评价。这似乎表明，当农民普遍有动力改善乳房健康时，沟通的中心途径最有效。在关于使用奶衬的宣传活动之前、期间和之后，通过重复随机电话调查的结果表明，奶衬的使用率从 20.9%上升到了 42.0%。受访者对奶衬的看法也发生了有利的变化，表明针对单一行为的相对短期的外围宣传活动可以对农民的行为产生持续的影响。这两种沟通策略似乎都有可能成功地向特定的农民群体传播知识，并改变该群体的行为。然而，为了让尽可能多的农民受益，这些策略应该结合使用。在优化这些策略时，应考虑农民改善乳房健康的动力和宣传活动的目的。当旨在改善一般乳房健康管理时，如果农民已经有动力优化其乳房健康管理，中心途径似乎是有效的。对于那些对改善乳房健康管理动力不足的农民来说，当旨在改变单一管理措施时，外围途径似乎是最有效的。评估的沟通策略是如何向农民有效传达控制乳腺炎的管理措施的例子。因此，本研究有助于优化未来控制和预防疾病的计划。
