Description, socio-economic characteristics, disease managements and mortality dynamics in smallholder's dairy production system in coastal humid region of Tanga, Tanzania

摘要

Thisretrospectivecross-sectionalstudyaimedtoprovidedescriptiveinformationonsocio-economics,diseasemanagementpracticesandmortalitydynamicsinanintensivedairyingareaofcoastalhumidregionofTanzania.Inthisstudy,aninterviewresponserateof100%wasrecorded.Thefarmdemographicinformationrevealedfarmsizetobe8.0hectares(ha)forrural(R),4.2haforperi-urban(P)and2.7haforurban(U)withamedianof3-4dairycattleperfarm.Eightysevenpercentofthefarmersweremalesanddairyingwasrankedthirdasamajorsourceofhouseholdincome.Thestudyidentifiesandlisteddifficultmilkmarketing,feedsanddiseasesasthemostchallengingfarmconstraints.Theuseofpermanentlabourwasrevealedtobecommonfeatureinallfarmclasses(rural,peri-urbanandurban)andthetendencyofusingfamilylabourwasnotedmoreinruralthanurbanandperi-urbanlocatedsmallholderfarms.Thestudyrevealedthatmostfarmswereusingacaricidesthatrequireon-farmdilution,andthatmostfarmswereunder-dosingwithacaricidesandusingacaricideatirregularorinconsistentintervals.Mostfarmsseemtobeawareofudderdisease(mastitis)asreflectedbyhighpre-milkingudderpreparationresponses,butmilkingtechniquesandpost-milkinguddermanagementwereinadequatelycarriedout.Duringthestudy,894animalsthatwerealiveatsomestagein1998werefollowedforatotalof648animalyearsandtheoverallmortalityratewas8.5animalsper100year-risk.Ofthetotaldeaths,56%wereanimalslessthanoneyearoldand40%ofthesewereattributedtotickborndiseases(TBDs-theileriosisandanaplasmosis).Animallessthan12monthsofageandmalestockhadhigherdeathratesthanolderanimalsandfemales.Theresultsofthestudythereforeshowthatforasmallholderdairyenterprisetobeadoptedonawidescale,andforittobesustainable,thereisaneedfortheeffectiveimplementationofpoliciesondiseasecontrol,properfarmplanningandmilkmarketing,adequateinputsupplytothefarmersaswellasstrengtheningtheextensionservicetoenhancetheproductionofdairyingintheTangaregionofTanzania.