Agrifood Business and Spatial Analysis, Rural Economy & Development Programme, Teagasc Mellows Campus, Athenry, Co., Galway, H65 R718, Ireland.
Agrifood Business and Spatial Analysis, Rural Economy & Development Programme, Teagasc Mellows Campus, Athenry, Co., Galway, H65 R718, Ireland.
Prev Vet Med. 2021 Aug;193:105393. doi: 10.1016/j.prevetmed.2021.105393. Epub 2021 May 31.
The need to move towards Selective Dry Cow Therapy (SDCT) has become increasingly pertinent as a means to reduce the use of antibiotics in the dairy sector. With the EU 2022 ban on prophylactic antibiotics at drying off, practices on some farms will need to drastically change. In Ireland, one particular challenge to the sector-wide transition to SDCT is the lack of widespread uptake of milk recording across dairy farms, a decision support tool which can support mastitis control and help identify cows to select for SDCT. The current study examined readiness to engage in milk recording amongst Irish dairy farmers, and specifically investigated the role of mastitis risk perceptions in shaping farmers' readiness. The study explores the multifaceted nature of risk perception as a construct shaping farmers' attitudes. An online survey was carried out with 197 Irish dairy farmers exploring their attitudes towards mastitis and milk recording. A cluster analysis classified farmers according to their mastitis risk perceptions, with 3 segments identified with differing risk perception profiles. Elevated mastitis risk perceptions were linked to an increased readiness to milk record. However, this relationship was not universal across all farmers. One segment of farmers in the current study maintain low mastitis risk perceptions and remain unmotivated to engage in milk recording. The study concludes that targeted risk communication strategies related to mastitis and milk recording are needed to encourage the move towards SDCT and reduced AMR. Results suggest that the types of risk communication strategies - message framing and two-way risk communication - should reflect farmers' types of mastitis risk perceptions to have the most effective impact on milk recording uptake.
随着在奶牛干奶期停止预防性使用抗生素的欧盟 2022 年禁令的实施，减少抗生素在奶牛养殖中的使用，向选择性干奶疗法（SDCT）转变的需求变得越来越迫切。在爱尔兰，向全行业推行 SDCT 的一个特别挑战是，奶牛场对牛奶记录的广泛采用不足，而牛奶记录是一种决策支持工具，可以支持乳腺炎控制，并有助于确定适合 SDCT 的奶牛。本研究考察了爱尔兰奶牛养殖户参与牛奶记录的准备情况，特别研究了乳腺炎风险认知在塑造养殖户准备情况方面的作用。该研究探讨了风险认知作为一种影响农民态度的构建因素的多面性。通过在线调查，对 197 名爱尔兰奶牛养殖户进行了调查，了解他们对乳腺炎和牛奶记录的态度。聚类分析根据养殖户的乳腺炎风险认知对其进行分类，确定了 3 个具有不同风险认知特征的群体。较高的乳腺炎风险认知与更高的牛奶记录意愿相关。然而，这种关系并非普遍适用于所有养殖户。本研究中的一个养殖户群体维持着较低的乳腺炎风险认知，且对参与牛奶记录缺乏动力。研究得出结论，需要针对乳腺炎和牛奶记录制定有针对性的风险沟通策略，以鼓励向 SDCT 和减少 AMR 转变。结果表明，与牛奶记录采用相关的风险沟通策略——信息框架和双向风险沟通——应反映养殖户的乳腺炎风险认知类型，以对牛奶记录的采用产生最有效的影响。
