Cost-benefit of implementing a participatory extension model for improving on-farm adoption of Johne’s disease control recommendations

摘要

The objective of this study was to perform a costbenefitanalysis (CBA) of a participatory extensionmodel, called Ontario Focus Farms (FF), which wasdesigned to facilitate the adoption of on-farm managementpractices to control Johne’s disease (JD) onOntario (ON) dairy farms. Partial budget models weredeveloped to estimate the annual herd cost of JD onan average 78-cow Ontario dairy herd and the annualherd cost of neonatal calf diarrhea (NCD). Withthese estimates, a CBA was developed to assess thesimulated net benefits of implementing various on-farmmanagement scenarios (i.e., implementing 1, 2, or 3 ofthe following: calf feeding, maternity pen management,maternity area structure changes), where the benefitsrepresent a reduction in the annual cost of JD andNCD. These models informed the final CBA assessingthe net benefits of FF implementation over a 10-yrperiod. All monetary values are reported in Canadiandollars (Can$; where 1 Can$ = 0.823 US$ at the timeof the study). The annual herd cost of JD was estimatedto be $3,242 ($41.56/cow), and that of NCD wasestimated to be $1,390 ($36/heifer calf). When farmswere expected to have both JD and NCD, all scenarios,when implemented over a 10-yr period, yielded positivenet benefits ranging from $439 to $2,543 per farm whenchanges to maternity area structure were combinedwith calf feeding changes. These effects were sensitiveto changes in level of disease (JD and NCD) on thefarm, and the costs and effects of making changes. TheNPV of making any on-farm change when JD was notpresent on the farm was negative. Overall, FF implementationyielded positive net benefits of $426,351or $749,808, depending on whether a veterinarian ornon-veterinarian served as the facilitator. The NPVwas most sensitive to changes in burden of disease, thecost of implementing changes, and the proportion ofFF participants that had JD and NCD on the farm.Benefits of FF implementation are also likely to accrueto veterinarians, as a result of professional facilitatortraining, and the Ontario dairy industry, as a byproductof improved milk quality and safety; therefore,the true net benefits of FF implementation are likelyunderestimated. Overall, the FF process should beconsidered an economically viable program and worthyof investment as part of a JD control strategy, as itdemonstrates potential to yield positive net benefits forthe Ontario dairy industry.