Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/1959.11/51814
Title: An investigation of interventions associated with improved cattle and buffalo reproductive performance and farmer knowledge on smallholder farms in Lao PDR
Contributor(s): Olmo, L  (author)orcid ; Young, J R (author); Nampanya, S (author); MacPhillamy, I B (author); Khounsy, S (author); Thomson, P C (author); Windsor, P A (author); Bush, R D (author)
Publication Date: 2021
Early Online Version: 2021-05-11
DOI: 10.1071/AN19709
Handle Link: https://hdl.handle.net/1959.11/51814
Abstract: 

Context. Smallholder beef farming in Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Laos) is constrained by poor reproductive performance, contributing to regional food insecurity. To address this, interventions were promoted in some rural communities by extension services to enhance cattle and buffalo nutrition, health, and reproductive husbandry.

Aims. This study assessed the impacts of these interventions on cattle and buffalo reproductive performance.

Methods. Knowledge, attitude and practice surveys were conducted on smallholder beef farmers in 2015 (n = 637) and 2018 (n = 226). With written records lacking on these farms, the survey relied on farmer recall of the number of calves born in the previous 12 months and the number of female cows (>12 months of age) present. The rate of these, calves/female cows, was used as an indicator of reproductive performance.

Key results. This proportion was higher in 2018 at a predicted mean 0.27 calves/cow compared with 2015 at 0.21 calves/cow (P < 0.001), suggesting a beneficial effect of interventions over time. Specifically, reproductive performance improved with increasing land dedicated to forages (P < 0.001) and increased farmer market-orientation (P = 0.006). Farmers who believed that selling sick large ruminants stopped the spread of disease had enhanced reproductive performance (P = 0.008). Although the practice of culling animals of low reproductive performance is desirable, in countries where foot-and-mouth disease is endemic, it is important to discourage practices that increase infectious disease transmission risk.

Conclusion. As reproductive knowledge interventions were not associated with reproductive performance, introducing interventions such as castration and weaning to consolidate reproductive knowledge is recommended as well as addressing challenges that limit forage adoption; and debunking misconceptions on effectiveness of biosecurity.

Implications. The use of evidence-based research helps inform the selection of interventions required to best enhance reproductive efficiency, potentially leading to improved reproductive performance of smallholder large ruminant systems in Laos and beyond.

Publication Type: Journal Article
Source of Publication: Animal Production Science, 61(14), p. 1484-1496
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Place of Publication: Australia
ISSN: 1836-5787
1836-0939
Fields of Research (FoR) 2020: 300305 Animal reproduction and breeding
Socio-Economic Objective (SEO) 2020: 280101 Expanding knowledge in the agricultural, food and veterinary sciences
Peer Reviewed: Yes
HERDC Category Description: C1 Refereed Article in a Scholarly Journal
Appears in Collections:Journal Article
School of Environmental and Rural Science

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