Djurvälfärd är A och O för att driva ett framgångsrikt lantbruk.
Detta tvärvetenskapliga projekt där psykologi, ekonomi och husdjursvetenskap integreras, syftar till att undersöka svenska mjölkbönders beslutfattande, attityder och motivation till att arbeta förebyggande mot mastit i sin besättning.
About the project
This interdisciplinary project in which psychology, economics, animal science and veterinary medicine are integrated, aims to explore the Swedish dairy farmers’ decision-making, attitudes and motivation to work with animal welfare and specifically with mastitis prevention. Mastitis is an infection of the cow’s udder that causes pain and suffering, loss of financial compensation for the individual farmer, increased risk of a negative impact on the farmer’s own well-being and increased use of antibiotics, which in turn can lead to antibiotic resistance.
The project consists of two sub-studies, focus groups and workshops. A first questionnaire was distributed to a representative sample of Swedish dairy farmers (spring, 2016). The survey examines the dairy farmer’s motives to work preventively against mastitis, an aspect of good animal welfare, and whether their own health affects their work with the animals and the attitudes that influence decision-making. Part two will examine differences in motivation to work with general animal welfare issues compared to specific animal health issues and mastitis.
The aim is to consider how the dairy farmers themselves see animal welfare and through the knowledge generated use it to improve guidance and policy making in milk production. Focus groups with farmers will be held to create communication with our end users. In addition, we will offer veterinarians and advisors workshops as part of the effort to improve the animal welfare situation.