Dairy cow longevity: Impact of animal health and farmers' investment decisions.

A dairy farmer's decision to cull or keep dairy cows is likely a complex decision based on animal health and farm management practices. The present paper investigated the relationship between cow longevity and animal health, and between longevity and farm investments, while controlling for farm-specific characteristics and animal management practices, by using Swedish dairy farm and production data for the period 2009 to 2018. We used the ordinary least square and unconditional quantile regression model to perform mean-based and heterogeneous-based analysis, respectively. Findings from the study indicate that, on average, animal health has a negative but insignificant effect on dairy herd longevity. This implies that culling is predominantly done for other reasons than poor health status. Investment in farm infrastructure has a positive and significant effect on dairy herd longevity. The investment in farm infrastructure creates room for new or superior recruitment heifers without the need to cull existing dairy cows. Production variables that prolong dairy cow longevity include higher milk yield and an extended calving interval. Findings from this study imply that the relatively short longevity of dairy cows in Sweden compared with some dairy producing countries is not a result of problems with health and welfare. Rather, dairy cow longevity in Sweden hinges on the farmers' investment decisions, farm-specific characteristics and animal management practices.

Farmers' preference and willingness to pay for a multivalent lumpy skin disease and Rift Valley fever novel vaccine: A discrete choice experiment in the Free State province, South Africa.

Rift Valley fever and lumpy skin disease are infectious ruminant diseases that are endemic in most African countries. The most cost-effective method of prevention and control is through annual vaccination. However, unlike lumpy skin disease, annual vaccination against Rift Valley fever is not practiced by many farmers due to its sporadic occurrences and shortcoming of the existing vaccines. This necessitates development of novel vaccines that would provide dual protection against a Rift Valley fever and a more prevalent disease. In this study, a discrete choice experiment was undertaken to guide vaccine development by examining the value smallholder livestock farmers place on different vaccine attributes and related attribute levels. The attributes considered are target-species, thermotolerance, nature of the vaccine, efficacy and price. The study was carried out with 164 smallholder livestock farmers in the Free State province. Results indicate that thermostaility is not a major deciding attribute to smallholder farmer's choice of vaccine. Farmers prefer multivalent vaccines, which are highly efficacious with about 90-100 % efficacy levels. Farmers were found to be heterogeneous in preference. The heterogeneity is explained by socio-economic factors such as type of livestock owned, income level, gender and perceived disease risk. Farmers were also willing to pay for preferred attribute levels. However, for less favourable levels such as multispecies, female farmers were willing to accept a lower compensation than males. These findings present a favourable potential for development of a novel multivalent vaccine and also provide vaccine research and development scientists with evidence based knowledge for development of vaccines that cater for the needs of smallholder farmers.

Indigenous Tswana pig production characteristics and management practices in southern districts of Botswana.

Indigenous animal genetic resources are vital in agriculture especially in the era of climate change because they are adapted to the harsh local conditions. Therefore, their conservation through utilisation is necessary. Indigenous Tswana pigs are one of the animal genetic resources that need to be protected from becoming extinct. The aim of this study was to determine the population of Tswana pigs, their production characteristics and management practices in the southern districts of Botswana. A survey was done in 15 villages in Kweneng, Kgatleng and South East districts of southern Botswana. A combination of purposive and convenience sampling methods was used to select villages and households where the survey was conducted. A questionnaire with closed- and opened-ended questions was administered to 71 indigenous pig farmers. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics procedure, frequency procedure and principal component analysis. The study established that indigenous Tswana pigs are mainly kept and managed by middle-aged and elderly women with lower level of education and no formal employment. These farmers keep Tswana pigs alongside other livestock species. The population of indigenous Tswana pigs in the surveyed districts is 620. Farmers keep indigenous pigs for cash and for home consumption. The pigs are kept in the backyard and fed kitchen leftovers and others are left to scavenge for feeds. Farmers do not put much effort in attending the health of the indigenous pigs; hence, their ignorance of the parasites and diseases affecting the pigs.