Typologies of Dairy Farms with Automatic Milking System in Northwest Spain and Farmers’ Satisfaction

How do dairy farmers communicate with the government? A case study in northwest of Spain

With the aim of assessing the farmers’ situation in terms of the use of ICT (Information and Communication Technologies) and their relationship with the e-government (electronic government), a case study consisting of 34 face-to-face surveys between February and March 2020 in dairy farms in the region of Galicia (Spain) was conducted. From the census, we chose those farms considered most representative taking into account the following criteria: the level of CAP (Common Agricultural Policy) and the production of milk (litres / cow and year). The results show that, in spite of the fact that a vast majority of the users use the web tools of the Public Administration, there are many users who find problems related to the agility and ease of use of these tools, especially when compared with private APPs which they also use daily in connection to their farms. Our research delves into those farmers who do not use the internet and the alternative methods which they employ. The telephone helpline is particularly important, as it is the favourite method of smaller farms.

Factors Affecting e-Government Adoption by Dairy Farmers: A Case Study in the North-West of Spain

With the objective of assessing the farmers’ situation regarding the use of the ICT and their relations with the electronic government, a case study consisting in the realization of 34 face-to-face surveys was conducted between February and March 2020 in dairy farms in the region of Galicia (Spain). The sample was selected according to one of the most important online journals in the farming sector at a national level. From the census, we chose those farms considered most representative taking into account the main criteria: the level of PAC (Common Agrarian Politics) subsidies and milk production (litres/cow and year). The results show that the majority of the farmers used the internet, but on many an occasion, they were discontented in relation to the poor connection quality in their farms. In regard to the use of the electronic government for procedures related to their farms, many of them were able to perform them through the government website; however, there were procedures which the users defined as “complex” and which had to be outsourced to authorised entities. The results also show that the farmers do want to employ the e-government, mainly because of the time and cost saving; however, the current web pages do not meet the users’ expectations. Finally, this situation, applied to a region placed among the 10 most productive regions of milk, is comparable to what happens in other regions.

Performance perception of Canadian dairy producers when transitioning to an automatic milking system

Adoption of automated milking systems (AMS) has increased exponentially around the world in recent years. The objective of this observational study was to evaluate how producer perception of changes in cow-average milk yield and somatic cell count (SCC) compared with the actual changes in their herds after the introduction of AMS in Canadian commercial dairy herds. Data were collected (in 2014 and 2015) through a survey of 97 Canadian dairy herds that shifted to AMS from 2000 to 2014. Producers were asked their perception about milk yield and SCC changes (increase, decrease, or no change) after AMS introduction. Actual herd performance data were obtained from dairy herd improvement organizations. Differences between the 12-mo rolling herd-average milk yield (kg/cow per year) and SCC (cells/mL) at the closest test 2 yr after transitioning to AMS and at the last test before the transition were calculated and compared with the producer perception answers. After AMS adoption, milking herd size, milk yield, SCC, and number of AMS units per herd averaged (± standard deviation) 99.8 ± 54.4 cows, 9,619 ± 1,354 kg/cow per year, 248,825 ± 97,286 cells/mL, and 1.9 ± 1.1 units, respectively. On average, after AMS introduction, herd size, milk yield, and culling rate increased by 11.3 cows, 441 kg/cow per year, and 1.3%, respectively, and calving interval decreased by 7 d. For producers who perceived an increase, actual milk yield and SCC increases averaged (mean ± standard deviation) +534 ± 1,003 kg/cow per year and +56,679 ± 66,662 cells/mL, respectively. Alternatively, for producers who perceived a decrease, actual milk yield and SCC decreases averaged -984 ± 658 kg/cow per year and -26,976 ± 94,099 cells/mL, respectively. An actual milk yield change of +83.1 ± 1,113.3 kg/cow per year and an SCC change of +6,135 ± 72,609 cells/mL were observed in the herds in which the dairy producers perceived no change with the AMS introduction. Hence, dairy producers were, on average, able to discern their actual milk yield and SCC changes after AMS adoption. However, the proportions of dairy producers who accurately perceived their actual milk yield and SCC changes after AMS introduction were 39.4% for milk yield (increase: 36.3%; decrease: 100.0%; and no change: 45.5%) and 46.7% for SCC (increase: 50.0%; decrease: 39.0%; and no change: 54.1%). From these results, we concluded that several dairy producers distorted their actual milk yield and SCC changes or were not fully aware of those changes.

Characterization of dairy innovations in selected milksheds in Kenya using a categorical principal component analysis

To enhance milk quantity and quality which have continued to decrease in Kenya, various stakeholders have intervened through promotion of technical dairy innovations at the farm level including improved cow feeding, health management, promotion of exotic breeds, and milking hygiene. At the milkshed level, stakeholders’ focus has been on organizational innovations, specifically milk sale by farmers through groups. This study sought to characterize dairy innovations that have been adopted by farmers in the milkshed of three milk processors including New Kenya Co-operative Creameries Sotik (NKCC Sotik), Happy Cow Limited (HCL), and Mukurweini Wakulima Dairy Limited (MWDL), representing one state, private, and farmer-owned processor, respectively. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire from a sample of 1146 farmers (410, 382, and 354 in MWDL, HCL, and NKCC Sotik, respectively). A categorical principal components analysis was used to reduce 32 variables into four sets of uncorrelated components. Four categories were identified including principal component (PC) 1 (technical capacity), PC 2 (animal health management), PC 3 (organizational capacity), and PC 4 (milk hygiene). More farmers in the milkshed of MWDL adopted technical and organizational dairy innovations such as use of artificial insemination and milk sale through groups, respectively, than farmers in milkshed of NKCC and HCL. The county governments in the milkshed of HCL and NKCC Sotik need to strengthen cooperative societies to boost adoption of artificial insemination through arrangement in which milk is sold and payment of services offered on credit is settled from milk sale and ensure milk market availability throughout the year.