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The Chesapeake Bay watershed is representative of governance challenges relating to agricultural nonpoint source pollution and, more generally, of sustainable resources governance in complex multi-actor settings. We assess information flows around Best Management Practices (BMPs) undertaken by dairy farmers in central Pennsylvania, a subregion of the watershed. We apply a mixed-method approach, combining Social Network Analysis, the analysis of BMP-messaging (i.e. information source, flow, and their influences), and qualitative content analysis of stakeholders' interviews. Key strategic actors were identified through network centrality measures such as degree of node, betweenness centrality, and clustering coefficient. The perceived influence/credibility (by farmers) of BMP-messages and their source, allowed for the identification of strategic entry points for BMP-messages diffusion. Finally, the inductive coding process of stakeholders' interviews revealed major hindrances and opportunities for BMPs adoption. We demonstrate how improved targeting of policy interventions for BMPs uptake may be achieved, by better distributing entry-points across stakeholders. Our results reveal governance gaps and opportunities, on which we draw to provide insights for better tailored policy interventions. We propose strategies to optimize the coverage of policy mixes and the dissemination of BMP-messages by building on network diversity and actors' complementarities, and by targeting intervention towards specific BMPs and actors. We suggest that (i) conservation incentives could target supply chain actors as conservation intermediaries; (ii) compliance-control of manure management planning could be conducted by accredited private certifiers; (iii) policy should focus on incentivizing inter-farmers interaction (e.g. farmers' mobility, training, knowledge-exchange, and engagement in multi-stakeholders collaboration) via financial or non-pecuniary compensation; (iv) collective incentives could help better coordinate conservation efforts at the landscape or (sub-)watershed scale; (v) all relevant stakeholders (including farmers) should be concerted and included in the discussion, proposition, co-design and decision process of policy, in order to take their respective interests and responsibilities into account. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding trust between dairy farmers and other actors in the dairy chain, as well as the reciprocity norms among them are fundamental to encouraging collective action and decision-making to improve milk production and udder health. The objective of this study was to understand the relationships of trust between dairy farmers and other actors in the dairy chain related to udder health in the north of Antioquia. Mixed methods (cross-sectional and grounded theory) with a convergent triangulation design were used. A total of 216 dairy farmers participated in the quantitative component, and 17 dairy farmers and 9 veterinarians in the qualitative component, they were located in 9 milk-producing municipalities in the north of Antioquia. A characterization survey of the dairy farmers, a survey on reliability and udder health, an analysis of each farm's annual average BTSCC and CFU, and semi-structured interviews on the same topic were conducted. Problems were found in the biological indicators of udder health on the farms: BTSCC was poor for 67% of the dairy farmers, and CFU was poor for 22% of the dairy farmers. Veterinarians are the actors whom dairy farmers trust the most. Trust in dairy chain actors is complex, variable, and depends on many aspects. Trust representation, Socio-cultural Factors, Economic and Commercial Factors, Labor, Clinical and Laboratory Conditions of Milk, and Norms of Reciprocity constitute the categories of analysis when theorizing about trust and udder health. Each of the theoretical and emerging categories in this study describes actors, attitudes, behaviors, relationships between actors, and norms, allowing us to understand that trust between dairy farmers and other actors in the dairy chain in order to face the problems of udder health and milk production depends on technical processes, individual and collective human attitudes and behaviors, supply of services, political, regulative and economic determinants, the latter being transcendental in decision-making to invest in mastitis control and udder health care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The here presented investigation was part of a cross-sectional study on dairy cattle health aiming to identify risk factors for animal health and welfare. Within this setting, we chose a social-science related approach to explore German dairy farmers' personality composition in a variable-centered and person-centered approach. We have assessed German dairy farmers' personalities based on the HEXACO model of personality in three representative regional samples. In total, 765 farm visits were conducted within two and half years (north n = 253; east n = 252; south n = 260). The proportions of returned questionnaires eligible for analysis (i.e., answered completely) were 71.54% (n = 181), 68.25% (n = 172) and 86.92% (n = 226) for the northern, eastern and southern samples, respectively. Variable-centered personality analyses revealed the farmers' structure of personality to be similar within all samples. Overall, we found the farmers to be averagely emotional and agreeable, whereas the results indicate tendencies for a pronounced display of extraversion, conscientiousness and openness to experience. Compared to the German general population, dairy farmers appear to be more extraverted and open to experience. We could not deduce a subcategorization of farmers in different latent personality profiles in person-centered analysis. Our findings provide a basis for further evaluation of the farmers´ personality as an influencing factor for farm outcomes (e.g., productivity, animal health and welfare). Furthermore, we provide a glance and encourage interdisciplinary research to link personality information with communication theory aiming to enhance effectiveness of veterinary consultancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among one of the key challenges in dairy production is the management of manure in a way that is beneficial for agricultural production, with minimal environmental and public health impacts. Manure management systems (MMS)—the entire system of handling, storage, and application of manure—are diverse in countries with developed dairy industries such as the United States, enabled by a number of different technologies. The ways in which dairy farmers manage manure is driven by varying tradeoffs, including economic, social, and environmental; however, existing research has not examined the relationships between components of MMS. Here we use data from the National Animal Health Monitoring System's Dairy 2014 study to explore the ways in which manure handling, storage, and application are related, using a series of logistic regression models and network associations. We found significant associations between how manure is handled, stored, and applied, especially driven by the consistency of manure. For solid manure, we found highly heterogeneous systems, where farmers may have a suite of alternative manure management strategies available to them, and substitution is viable. Conversely, farms using liquid manure systems have very few substitutes in their MMS, suggesting greater investment in certain infrastructures, which are not easily changed. Such findings have important implications for shifting farmers towards management practices with minimal environmental and public health impacts, demonstrating that not all farm systems are easily changed. We highlight these results in light of current policies, which may not fully capture the relationships across the MMS, and suggest that greater financing may be necessary to shift MMS on some farms. Furthermore, we suggest that different MMS have varying tradeoffs across environmental, social, and economic aspects, which demonstrates that MMS are highly individualized to a given farm's goals and priorities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study assesses the practices and views of Scottish dairy farmers relating to pasture-based and indoor systems. There are the debates about the environmental, economic and animal welfare implications of these systems. Indoor dairy farming is a contentious practice among the public. While this controversy is sometimes represented as a lack of public understanding, there is a need for more research on farmers' views to facilitate discussion in the industry. A survey was posted to 909 dairy farmers in Scotland with questions about their grazing practices and attitudes to grazing and indoor systems. 254 surveys were completed, online and in paper form. There was a 26% response rate to the paper version of the survey. The results showed that 19% of respondents housed some or all the cows all year-round. 68% agreed or strongly agreed that cows should graze for part of the year and 51% agreed or strongly agreed that welfare was better if cows grazed for part of the year. These views coexisted with the view that management was more important than the type of system for determining profitability or welfare outcomes (83% and 82% strongly agree or agree respectively). Respondents whose system involved grazing and respondents who had spent longer in farming were moderately more likely to agree that cows should have access to pasture, and slightly less likely to agree that management was more important than system for determining welfare outcomes. The results indicate that the picture is more complicated than the public rejecting indoor dairy farming and those in the industry accepting it. The results showed that a majority preference for cows to graze co-existed with the view that management was more important than system. In terms of industry and policy recommendations, the research suggests that measures should be taken to safeguard farmers' ability to graze through for instance research and advisory support on grazing; ensuring different systems are not penalised in the development of dairy sector environmental measures and recommendations; and potentially supply chains that financially rewards farmers for grazing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the transformation of agri-food systems in developing countries, we usually see rapid changes in the dairy sector. However, good data for understanding patterns and inclusiveness of this transformation are often lacking. This is important given implications for policy design and service and technology provision towards better performing dairy sectors in these settings. Relying on a combination of unique diverse large-scale datasets and methods, we analyze transformation patterns in the dairy value chain supplying Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, the second most populous country in Africa. Over the last decade, we note a rapid increase in expenditures on dairy products by urban consumers, especially among the better-off. Relatedly, the number of dairy processing firms in Ethiopia tripled over the same period, supplying a significant part of these dairy products, especially pasteurized milk, to the city's residents. Upstream at the production level, we find improved access to livestock services, higher adoption of cross-bred cows, an increase in milk yields, expanding liquid milk markets, a sizable urban farm sector supplying almost one-third of all liquid milk consumed in the city, and an upscaling process with larger commercial dairy farms becoming more prevalent. However, average milk yields are still low and not all dairy farmers are included in this transformation process. Small farms with dairy animals as well as those in more remote areas benefit less from access to services and adopt less these modern practices. For these more disadvantaged farmers, stagnation in milk yields and even declines–depending on the data source used–are observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antibiotic resistance is a global problem affecting both human and animal health. Ensuring the strategic and effective use of antibiotics is paramount to combatting the emergence and spread of resistance. This study explored New York State (NYS) dairy farmers' perceptions regarding antibiotic use in dairy farming and antibiotic resistance. Dairy farmers' perceptions were assessed through semi-structured, in-person interviews. Twenty interviews with farm owners and/or managers of 15 conventional and five USDA certified organic dairy farms with 40 to 2,300 lactating cows were conducted. Thematic analysis was used to assess, compare and contrast transcripts for farmers' characterization of their beliefs, values, and concerns. Conventional dairy farmers had a low level of concern about the possible impacts of on-farm antibiotic resistance on human health and believed their antibiotic use was already judicious. Generally, they believed their cattle's health would suffer if antibiotic use were further curtailed. Conventional farmers expressed frustration over the possibility of more stringent governmental, milk cooperative, buyer, or marketer requirements for antibiotic use and associated animal welfare in the future. They attributed expanding regulations in part to misinformed consumer preferences, that farmers felt were influenced by the marketing of organic dairy products. Organic dairy farmers were generally more concerned about issues related to antibiotic resistance than conventional farmers. Both conventional and organic farmers placed emphasis on disease prevention through herd health management rather than treatment. In conclusion, the conventional NYS dairy farmers in this study were skeptical of the need for and benefits of reduced antibiotic use on their dairy farms. Interventions for farmers, delivered by a trusted source such as a veterinarian, that provide training about proper antibiotic use practices and information of possible financial benefits of refining antibiotic use may hold promise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Infections of the cow udder leading to mastitis and reducing milk quality are a critical challenge facing all dairy farmers. Mastitis may be linked to the ecological disruption of an endogenous mammary microbial community, suggesting an ecosystems approach to management and prevention of this disease. The teat end skin represents a first point of host contact with mastitis pathogens and may offer an opportunity for microbially mediated resistance to infection, yet we know little about the microbial community of teat end skin or its potential interaction with the microbial community of intramammary milk of organic dairy cattle. High-throughput sequencing of marker genes for bacterial and fungal communities was used to characterize the skin and milk microbiome of cows with both a healthy and infected gland (i.e., udder quarter) and to assess the sharing of microbial DNA between these tissue habitat sites. The mammary microbiome varied among cows, through time, and between skin and milk. Microbiomes of milk from healthy and infected quarters reflected a diverse group of microbial DNA sequences, though milk had far fewer operational taxonomic units (OTUs) than skin. Milk microbiomes of infected quarters were generally more variable than healthy quarters and were frequently dominated by a single OTU; teat end skin microbiomes were relatively similar between healthy and infected quarters. Commonly occurring genera that were shared between skin and milk of infected glands included Staphylococcus spp. bacteria and Debaryomyces spp. fungi. Commonly occurring genera that were shared between skin and milk of healthy glands included bacteria SMB53 (Clostridiaceae) and Penicillium spp. fungi. Results support an ecological interpretation of the mammary gland and the notion that mastitis can be described as a dysbiosis, an imbalance of the healthy mammary gland microbiome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Allergic and autoimmune diseases had been attributed to lack of exposure to biodiversity, an important factor in regulating immune homeostasis in a healthy host. We posit that the microbiome of healthy dairy farmers (DF) will be richer than non-farmers (NF) living in urban settings due to exposure to a greater biodiversity in the dairy environment. However, no studies have investigated the relationships between microbiota of dairy farmers (DF) compared with urban non-farmers (NF). We compared the nasal and oral microbiota of dairy farmers (N_DF, O_DF, respectively) with nasal and oral microbiota of NF in the same geographical area. The N_DF showed high microbial diversity with hundreds of unique genera that reflected environmental/occupational exposures. The nasal and oral microbiomes clustered separately from each other using Principal Coordinate Analysis, and with DF harboring two-fold and 1.5-fold greater exclusive genera in their nose and mouth respectively, than did non-farmers. Additionally, the N_DF group had a lower burden of Staphylococcus spp. suggesting a correlation between higher microbial diversity and competition for colonization by staphylococci. The N_DF samples were negative for the mecA gene, a marker of methicillin-resistance in staphylococci. The lower burden of staphylococci was found to be independent of the abundance of Corynebacterium spp. Exposure to greater biodiversity could enhance microbial competition, thereby reducing colonization with opportunistic pathogens. Future studies will analyze whether exposure to livestock microbiomes offers protection from acute and chronic diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the intentions of dairy farmers towards mastitis control is important to design effective udder health control programs. We used the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) to explore the intentions of North-Western Ethiopian dairy farmers towards implementing non-specified mastitis control measures (nsMCMs) and towards implementing 4 specific MCMs. Face to face interviews were held with 134 dairy farmers to study associations between their intentions and any of three factors (attitude, subjective norm and perceived behavioral control) that, according to the TPB, determine intentions. The majority of the farmers (93%) had a positive intention to implement nsMCMs, whereas a smaller majority of farmers had the intention to implement the specific MCMs to improve udder cleaning (87%), to improve stall hygiene (78%), to improve feeding of cows (76%), and to perform foremilk stripping (74%). Farmers had a more positive attitude, but lower subjective norm and lower perceived behavioural control towards implementing nsMCMs compared with implementing most specific MCMs, although the subjective norms for stall hygiene and perceived behavioural control for improving feeding of cows were also low. Attitude was positively associated with intentions to implement nsMCMs, to improve cleaning of the udders, to improve stall hygiene and to implement foremilk stripping. Both the intention to improve udder cleaning and to implement foremilk stripping, were positively associated to subjective norms towards these MCMs. Our data can help tailor intervention programs aiming to increase the intention of Ethiopian dairy farmers to implement MCMs and thus to improve udder health in this country. We show that such programs should primarily focus on changing attitude and secondarily on improving the farmers’ subjective norms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aimed to assess the extent of knowledge and understanding of brucellosis in smallholder dairy farmers and identify practices at the farm and household level that might pose a risk for humans contracting brucellosis. Between February and June 2015 a cross-sectional study was conducted among smallholder farms (n = 420) in five districts of Punjab and two districts of Sindh province. Farmers were interviewed using a questionnaire to obtain information on farmers’ knowledge about brucellosis and the potential risks for contracting the disease that are present for dairy farmers and their families. Logistic regression and ordinal logistic models were used to investigate potential predictors for risky behaviours. The results show almost all farmers (97%) were not aware of the modes of transmission of brucellosis. Relating to risk, the majority (66%) of the farmers’ families were reported to consume raw milk and its products, live in shared housing with animals (49%) and not cover hand cuts during contact with animals (74%). All farmers performed at least one risky practice on a regular basis for brucellosis transmission from animal to human. A multivariable analysis highlighted that the respondents with no formal education and those who had not heard of the disease displayed greater risky behaviour. Poor understanding of the disease, presence of multiple risky practices on farm and at the household, and incorrect perception supports the need for an educational awareness program in order to ensure uptake of improved practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Improvement of knowledge, attitudes and practices among urban livestock farmers could have a significant impact on the reduction of many zoonotic infections in urban farming. This study aimed to describe and evaluate weak areas in knowledge, attitudes and practices with regards to brucellosis among urban and peri-urban small-scale dairy farmers in a low income country to generate information essential for control programmes and public health interventions. The cross-sectional study was conducted during six weeks in 2011. The study subjects were small-scale dairy farmers living in the urban and peri-urban area of the capital Dushanbe in Tajikistan. In total, 441 farmers were interviewed using a questionnaire with questions about demographic characteristics, knowledge, attitudes and practices relating to brucellosis. Descriptive statistics were used and a logistic regression model applied to evaluate potential predictors to knowledge about brucellosis. The majority (85%) of the farmers had never heard of brucellosis. Low educational level was found to be associated with low awareness of brucellosis (P = < 0.001). Respondents who talked about animal health issues with family members or friends were less likely to have heard of brucellosis compared to those who often talked to veterinarians (P = 0.03). Sixty three per cent of the participants wanted more information about brucellosis. Seventeen per cent sold unpasteurized dairy products on a regular basis direct to consumers. Almost 30% of the households consumed unpasteurized dairy products on regular basis. A majority of the respondents did not use any protection when handling cows having an abortion or when dealing with aborted materials. Poor knowledge, high-risk behaviours and a willingness to learn more strengthens the logic for including health education as part of control programmes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]