Perceived risk and strategy efficacy as motivators of risk management strategy adoption to prevent animal diseases in pig farming.

For Dutch fattening pig farms, this study explored (1) farmers' perceptions towards animal disease risks and animal health risk management; (2) factors underlying farmers' adoption of the two risk management strategies, namely, biosecurity measures and animal health programs. The risks included endemic and epidemic diseases. Data were obtained through a questionnaire (n=164). A behavioral model was developed using the Health Belief Model and tested using structural equation modeling. Endemic and epidemic diseases were regarded as an operational and catastrophic risk, respectively. Farmers considered severity of epidemics as slightly more important, compared to endemics. For both disease categories, farmers valued biosecurity measures as a more effective strategy than animal health programs. In the behavioral model, perceived benefits in terms of strategy efficacy was the strongest direct predictor of strategy adoption. Other behavioral components had a minor indirect effect, namely, via perceived benefits, and only in case of biosecurity measures. The indirect effect path did, however, vary per disease category. For endemics, such a path captured the effect of perceived susceptibility on perceived benefits mediated by perceived severity. For epidemics, it only captured the effect of perceived severity on perceived benefits. The results also revealed the importance of innate risk characteristics of farmers in their adoption decisions. In particular, general self-protection behavior directly contributed to decisions to adopt a certain strategy. The obtained knowledge highlights possible ways of improvement of programs aimed at promoting effective risk management strategies.

Motivation of dairy farmers to improve mastitis management.

The aims of this study were 1) to explore different motivating factors and to quantify their importance in decisions of farmers on improving mastitis management, 2) to evaluate different quality payment schemes as extra incentive mechanisms for farmers, and 3) to link the motivating factors to farmer characteristics. Data on characteristics of farmers were obtained through a traditional paper-based questionnaire (n = 100). Data on the factors motivating farmers to improve mastitis management were collected in a computer-interactive mode. Adaptive conjoint analysis was used to investigate perceptions of farmers of the importance of factors. Factors that are internal to the farm performance and the individual farmer provided more motivation than external factors implying esteem and awareness of the whole dairy sector performance. Internal nonmonetary factors relating to internal esteem and taking pleasure in healthy animals on the farm were equally motivating as monetary factors affecting farm economic performance. The identified difference in perceptions of farmers of importance of extra financial incentive based on bulk milk somatic cell count (BMSCC) depending on whether farmers think in terms of quality premium or penalty for a lower and a higher BMSCC, respectively, suggested that farmers are expected to be more motivated by a price decrease for milk with a greater BMSCC than by a price increase for milk with a lower BMSCC. In this respect, quality penalties were found to be more effective in motivating farmers than quality premiums. Two-stage cluster analysis of individual perceptions resulted in 3 distinct clusters according to motivation of farmers: premium- or penalty-oriented motivation, motivation to have an efficient (well-organized) farm that easily complies with regulatory requirements, and basic economic motivation. The obtained results highlight possible areas of improvement in incentive and educational programs aimed at improving mastitis management.

Improving food safety within the dairy chain: an application of conjoint analysis.

This study determined the relative importance of attributes of food safety improvement in the production chain of fluid pasteurized milk. The chain was divided into 4 blocks: "feed" (compound feed production and its transport), "farm" (dairy farm), "dairy processing" (transport and processing of raw milk, delivery of pasteurized milk), and "consumer" (retailer/catering establishment and pasteurized milk consumption). The concept of food safety improvement focused on 2 main groups of hazards: chemical (antibiotics and dioxin) and microbiological (Salmonella, Escherichia coli, Mycobacterium paratuberculosis, and Staphylococcus aureus). Adaptive conjoint analysis was used to investigate food safety experts' perceptions of the attributes' importance. Preference data from individual experts (n = 24) on 101 attributes along the chain were collected in a computer-interactive mode. Experts perceived the attributes from the "feed" and "farm" blocks as being more vital for controlling the chemical hazards; whereas the attributes from the "farm" and "dairy processing" were considered more vital for controlling the microbiological hazards. For the chemical hazards, "identification of treated cows" and "quality assurance system of compound feed manufacturers" were considered the most important attributes. For the microbiological hazards, these were "manure supply source" and "action in salmonellosis and M. paratuberculosis cases". The rather high importance of attributes relating to quality assurance and traceability systems of the chain participants indicates that participants look for food safety assurance from the preceding participants. This information has substantial decision-making implications for private businesses along the chain and for the government regarding the food safety improvement of fluid pasteurized milk.