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https://hdl.handle.net/1959.11/52344
Title: | Knowledge, attitudes and practices of smallholder farmers on foot and mouth disease control in two Cambodian provinces |
Contributor(s): | Sieng, Socheat (author); Patrick, Ian Walter (author); Windsor, Peter Andrew (author); Walkden-Brown, Stephen William (author) ; Sar, Chetra (author); Smith, Robert Geoffrey Beaumount (author); Kong, Reatrey (author) |
Early Online Version: | 2021-06-08 |
DOI: | 10.1111/tbed.14182 |
Handle Link: | https://hdl.handle.net/1959.11/52344 |
Abstract: | | Food-and-mouth disease (FMD) is endemic in Cambodia. The control programme for FMD has relied on vaccination, with poor vaccination uptake by smallholder farmers becoming an increasing concern. A study to improve the understanding of farmer knowledge, attitudes and practices of FMD control and vaccination was conducted in two Cambodian provinces (Kampong Cham and Pursat). The aim was to identify opportunities to improve the livestock disease control programmes provided by both the government and private sectors. The survey comprised 300 smallholder farmers using a one-on-one interview technique and was completed between January to February 2014. Results identified that over two-thirds of the respondent farmers had not vaccinated their cattle over 2 years (2011–2013). Of those who did, most cattle were vaccinated either once a year or once every 3 years. A booster had never been administered. It was concluded that the FMD vaccine had only been administered through an unreliable and limited government vaccination programme, and private FMD vaccination services were not accessed in the study areas. FMD outbreaks occurred every year during the study period, with a morbidity rate of over 30%. Isolation of first infected cattle from the household herd was not practiced, with treatment identified as the first preference intervention. Farmers often assisted other farmers to restrain and treat infected cattle both before (57%) and after (43%) their own cattle were infected. This indicated that most farmers did not practice basic biosecurity measures and chose to report FMD outbreaks to the village animal health workers (VAHW), friends, neighbours and relatives in preference to government officials. It was concluded that poor knowledge of disease transmission and biosecurity, with low FMD vaccination coverage and a focus on treatment, contribute to regular FMD outbreaks in these communities. Improvement of FMD control requires the cooperation of villagers, VAHWs and village leaders in disease reporting, with either improved funding of government vaccination services or establishing a private FMD vaccination service. Training programmes for farmers on disease transmission, and the importance of biosecurity and vaccination, including information on the cost-benefits of treatment versus full fee bi-annual FMD vaccination, are required.
Publication Type: | Journal Article |
Source of Publication: | Transboundary and Emerging Diseases, p. 1-16 |
Publisher: | Wiley-Blackwell Verlag GmbH |
Place of Publication: | Germany |
ISSN: | 1865-1682 1865-1674 |
Fields of Research (FoR) 2020: | 300302 Animal management |
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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