Effective communication with âhard-to-reachâ farmers

C.D.M. Steuten; J. Jansen; R.J. Renes; M.N.C. Aarts; T.J.G.M. Lam

Effective communication with âhard-to-reachâ farmers

In: Mastitis control

Authors:

C.D.M. Steuten

C.D.M. Steuten ¹Communication Sciences, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 8130, 6700 EW Wageningen, the Netherlands

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J. Jansen

J. Jansen ¹Communication Sciences, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 8130, 6700 EW Wageningen, the Netherlands

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R.J. Renes

R.J. Renes ¹Communication Sciences, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 8130, 6700 EW Wageningen, the Netherlands

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M.N.C. Aarts

M.N.C. Aarts ¹Communication Sciences, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 8130, 6700 EW Wageningen, the Netherlands

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, and

T.J.G.M. Lam

T.J.G.M. Lam ²Dutch Udder Health Centre UGCN, P.O. Box 2030, 7420 AA Deventer, the Netherlands Corresponding author: chantal.steuten@wur.nl

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Type:: Chapter

Pages:: 389â395

DOI:: https://doi.org/10.3920/9789086866496_093

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Three years after the start of the five-year mastitis control program of the Dutch Udder Health Centre (UGCN), indications are that a substantial number of farmers is still hard to reach with the information on udder health they receive from their veterinarian and the UGCN. The aim of this study is to provide insight into the attitude and motivation of these farmers, so that more effective communication instruments and strategies can be developed to reach this group of farmers. In the period October 2007-July 2008, 40 interviews were conducted with farmers and veterinarians. First, ten veterinarians, all participating in the five-year UGCN mastitis control program, were interviewed with the aim of selecting a group of 30 âhard-toreachâ farmers, whom the veterinarians considered to be difficult to approach or motivate with advice on udder health improvement (three from each practice). Extended semi-structured interviews were conducted with these farmers on three topics: (1) description of the farm and the farmer, (2) attitude and behaviour towards mastitis and (3) information sources and social environment. Three categories of farmers could be identified, on a scale ranging from âopenâ to âclosedâ for information. The âopenâ farmers use many information sources such as study groups, journals, their veterinarian, colleagues and the Internet, and have no objection to the veterinarian having access to their farm administration. The âclosedâ farmers use, apart from agricultural journals, few information sources and they object to sharing information about their farm management with others. Hard-to-reach farmers are not automatically badly informed about udder health and do not automatically experience problems with mastitis. The fact that the hard-to-reach farmers are a heterogeneous group with varied characteristics, suggests that the different types of farmers need to be approached differently with information on udder health.

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Mastitis control

From science to practice

E-Book ISBN:: 9789086866496

Publisher:: Wageningen Academic

Print Publication Date:: 30 Oct 2008

Subjects
- Life Sciences

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Effective communication with âhard-to-reachâ farmers

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Mastitis control

From science to practice

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Effective communication with âhard-to-reachâ farmers