Preference of veterinarians to select an udder health programme for milk producers

RICHARDET, MELINA; CHAVES, JAVIER; VISSIO, CLAUDINA; LARRIESTRA, ALEJANDRO

VETERINARY RECORD

BRITISH VETERINARY ASSOC

Año: 2019

0042-4900

Background This investigation was carried out to gainmore insight about the preference of veterinarians on theimplementation of an udder health programme (UHP) in adairy farm.Methods A choice experiment was designed to elicitthe preferences of the participants. The study populationconsisted of 36 veterinarians from Argentina specialised onmilk quality. The choice experiment offered several UHPs,which were combinations of some of the interventionsincluded in the so-calledfive-pointplan. To reduce biasamong the participants, the UHPs offered were unlabelledand considered two farm contexts: one was on a pasturesystem and the other was on a dry-lotwith pasture accesssystem. The basic criteria (the so-calledattribute) todescribe veterinarians? preferences for each UHP proposedwere efficacy on clinical mastitis (CM) and bulk milksomatic cell count (BMSCC) reduction, cost and technicalsupport. The data collected were analysed using conjointanalysis.Results UHP cost and UHP efficacy on BMSCC and CMhad a significant influence on veterinarians? rankingdecisions under both dairy production contexts. Theefficacy on CM was the most important attribute to prefera particular UHP, while technical assistance was the leastimportant attribute considered. The attributes related toefficacy on both BMSCC and CM explained over 60 percent of the total importance of all attributes.Conclusion To the authors? knowledge, this is thefirst research in South America focused on studyingveterinarians? preferences to suggest a UHP. The costand efficacy attributes were the veterinarians? top priorityattributes to decide the best UHP.