Higham L E, Ongeri W, Asena K, Thrusfield M V
FAI Farms Ltd, The Field Station, Wytham, Oxford, OX2 8QJ, UK.
Division of Infection and Pathway Medicine, Deanery of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, Chancellor's Building, 49 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh, EH16 4SB, UK.
Trop Anim Health Prod. 2016 Dec;48(8):1621-1632. doi: 10.1007/s11250-016-1136-0. Epub 2016 Sep 10.
Livestock are of vital importance to the livelihoods of millions of people across the world, playing a pivotal role in income generation, employment, food security, transport and social cohesion. Access to quality animal-health services by livestock owners is critical to sustainable food-animal production; therefore, animal-health practitioners represent key stakeholders within the world food system. A mixed-method study was conducted in the Rift Valley of Kenya to characterise and compare existing private animal-health services and to explore perceptions of veterinary services amongst pastoralists and farmers. Forty structured questionnaires were administered to staff at animal-health outlets, including franchise outlets of 'Sidai Africa Ltd.', and two focus group discussions were facilitated to explore the perceptions of a Maasai pastoralist group and members of a dairy-farmer cooperative of their local animal-health services. Results were analysed using descriptive methods and the confidence interval overlap technique. Differences were detected in the characteristics of Sidai outlets, agrovets (agricultural retailers), pharmacies and dukas (general shops). Sidai outlets offered a more professional and diverse portfolio of livestock services. Across all outlet types, staff knowledge and training gaps and a shortage of cold-chain facilities were identified. Farmers have strong preferences for certain products, which may foster the development of drug resistance. There is a disconnection between the sale of veterinary medicines and the provision of quality advice, with many agrovets, pharmacies and dukas selling veterinary medicines but lacking the capacity to provide clinical services. There is a clear demand from livestock keepers for accessible, affordable and quality animal-health services and products in Kenya; therefore, animal-health practitioners have the potential to provide increased support to livestock-based livelihoods.
牲畜对全球数百万人的生计至关重要，在创收、就业、粮食安全、运输和社会凝聚力方面发挥着关键作用。牲畜所有者能够获得优质动物保健服务对可持续食用动物生产至关重要；因此，动物保健从业者是世界粮食系统中的关键利益相关者。在肯尼亚裂谷地区开展了一项混合方法研究，以描述和比较现有的私人动物保健服务，并探讨牧民和农民对兽医服务的看法。对包括 “Sidai Africa Ltd.” 特许经营店在内的动物保健机构的工作人员发放了40份结构化问卷，并组织了两次焦点小组讨论，以探讨一个马赛牧民群体和一个奶农合作社成员对当地动物保健服务的看法。使用描述性方法和置信区间重叠技术对结果进行了分析。研究发现，Sidai门店、农资店（农业零售商）、药店和杂货店在特征上存在差异。Sidai门店提供更专业、更多样化的牲畜服务组合。在所有类型的机构中，都发现了工作人员知识和培训方面的差距以及冷链设施短缺的问题。农民对某些产品有强烈偏好，这可能会助长耐药性的发展。兽药销售与提供优质建议之间存在脱节，许多农资店、药店和杂货店销售兽药，但缺乏提供临床服务的能力。肯尼亚的牲畜饲养者对可及、可负担且优质的动物保健服务和产品有明确需求；因此，动物保健从业者有潜力为以牲畜为基础的生计提供更多支持。
