Understanding beef-cattle farming management strategies by identifying motivations behind farmers’ priorities
This study aimed to identify and better understand management strategies that help livestock farmers adapt to changes in their production contexts, a fundamental challenge. A total of nine beef-cattle farmers were interviewed three times over 1 year to discuss 13 dimensions of livestock farming (e.g...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2012-01-01
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| Series: | Animal |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S175173111100231X |
| _version_ | 1818424580103995392 |
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| author | M.A. Magne M. Cerf S. Ingrand |
| author_facet | M.A. Magne M. Cerf S. Ingrand |
| author_sort | M.A. Magne |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This study aimed to identify and better understand management strategies that help livestock farmers adapt to changes in their production contexts, a fundamental challenge. A total of nine beef-cattle farmers were interviewed three times over 1 year to discuss 13 dimensions of livestock farming (e.g. reproduction, feeding, sales, etc.). Characterisation of management strategies rested on three main factors: (i) ranking of the dimensions according to the degree to which farmers desired to control them, (ii) reasons for the ranking and (iii) management guidelines. Although farmers agreed upon the rank of certain dimensions, such as herd management, they differed on that of others, such as sales and administration/regulations. Four motivation categories were identified: risk, pleasure, efficiency and ability to control the dimension. Three management guidelines were identified, which indicated that farmers managed for future survival of their farms at different scales (animal/herd v. whole-farm), involving different resources (biological v. financial) and based on different animal categories (reproductive cows v. animals sold). These results improve understanding of individual livestock farmers and their current management strategies by integrating the motivations behind their strategies. For this reason, they constitute methodological elements that agricultural advisors can use to provide relevant information to farmers while accommodating differences in farm management. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-14T14:00:18Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-01af04642ec9417a8e519e78ceb71cc2 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1751-7311 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-14T14:00:18Z |
| publishDate | 2012-01-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Animal |
| spelling | doaj.art-01af04642ec9417a8e519e78ceb71cc22022-12-21T22:58:43ZengElsevierAnimal1751-73112012-01-0166971979Understanding beef-cattle farming management strategies by identifying motivations behind farmers’ prioritiesM.A. Magne0M. Cerf1S. Ingrand2INRA – UMR1273 Métafort, Equipe Select, F-63122 Saint-Genès Champanelle, FranceINRA – UR SenS 1326, F-78850 Thivernal-Grignon, FranceINRA – UMR1273 Métafort, Equipe Select, F-63122 Saint-Genès Champanelle, FranceThis study aimed to identify and better understand management strategies that help livestock farmers adapt to changes in their production contexts, a fundamental challenge. A total of nine beef-cattle farmers were interviewed three times over 1 year to discuss 13 dimensions of livestock farming (e.g. reproduction, feeding, sales, etc.). Characterisation of management strategies rested on three main factors: (i) ranking of the dimensions according to the degree to which farmers desired to control them, (ii) reasons for the ranking and (iii) management guidelines. Although farmers agreed upon the rank of certain dimensions, such as herd management, they differed on that of others, such as sales and administration/regulations. Four motivation categories were identified: risk, pleasure, efficiency and ability to control the dimension. Three management guidelines were identified, which indicated that farmers managed for future survival of their farms at different scales (animal/herd v. whole-farm), involving different resources (biological v. financial) and based on different animal categories (reproductive cows v. animals sold). These results improve understanding of individual livestock farmers and their current management strategies by integrating the motivations behind their strategies. For this reason, they constitute methodological elements that agricultural advisors can use to provide relevant information to farmers while accommodating differences in farm management.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S175173111100231Xmanagement strategieslivestock farming systemagricultural advicefarmer motivationfarmer priorities |
| spellingShingle | M.A. Magne M. Cerf S. Ingrand Understanding beef-cattle farming management strategies by identifying motivations behind farmers’ priorities Animal management strategies livestock farming system agricultural advice farmer motivation farmer priorities |
| title | Understanding beef-cattle farming management strategies by identifying motivations behind farmers’ priorities |
| title_full | Understanding beef-cattle farming management strategies by identifying motivations behind farmers’ priorities |
| title_fullStr | Understanding beef-cattle farming management strategies by identifying motivations behind farmers’ priorities |
| title_full_unstemmed | Understanding beef-cattle farming management strategies by identifying motivations behind farmers’ priorities |
| title_short | Understanding beef-cattle farming management strategies by identifying motivations behind farmers’ priorities |
| title_sort | understanding beef cattle farming management strategies by identifying motivations behind farmers priorities |
| topic | management strategies livestock farming system agricultural advice farmer motivation farmer priorities |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S175173111100231X |
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