Characteristics, socioeconomic benefits and household livelihoods of beef buffalo and beef cattle farming in Northeast Thailand
Since the Thai economy experiences rapid growth, agricultural systems, i.e. crop-livestock systems, are changing rapidly. On account of these changes, buffalo and cattle production has to be re-examined in terms of performance characteristics and roles of livestock for farm households in order to in...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Kassel University Press
2012-01-01
|
| Series: | Journal of Agriculture and Rural Development in the Tropics and Subtropics |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.jarts.info/index.php/jarts/article/view/2012092441833/195 |
| _version_ | 1819231532917719040 |
|---|---|
| author | Eva Schlecht Jan Maxa Chakrapong Chaikong Christian Lambertz Matthias Gauly |
| author_facet | Eva Schlecht Jan Maxa Chakrapong Chaikong Christian Lambertz Matthias Gauly |
| author_sort | Eva Schlecht |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Since the Thai economy experiences rapid growth, agricultural systems, i.e. crop-livestock systems, are changing rapidly. On account of these changes, buffalo and cattle production has to be re-examined in terms of performance characteristics and roles of livestock for farm households in order to initiate suitable development programmes. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the present characteristics of beef buffalo and beef cattle farms in Northeast Thailand. Using a semi-structured questionnaire, 121 randomly selected beef buffalo and beef cattle farms were interviewed in Nakhon Ratchasima province between October 2007 and May 2008. Both buffaloes and cattle were mostly integrated in mixed crop-livestock systems with medium to large farm sizes (7.9 ha), whereof less than half of the area was used for livestock. Family members were mainly responsible for the different activities of livestock farming and salaried labourers were only found on large-scale farms. The dominant roles of livestock were income generation to build up wealth or savings, the coverage of expected and unexpected expenses and earning of regular and additional income. Another important issue was the improvement of the social status, which increased with herd size. In order to improve farmers’ livelihoods and develop sustainable farming systems in Northeast Thailand the changing economic circumstances of cattle and especially buffalo production should receive more attention of researchers, governmental institutions and stakeholders. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-23T11:46:28Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-8f0eace9fef24943b0b0afcb48b7d945 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1612-9830 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-23T11:46:28Z |
| publishDate | 2012-01-01 |
| publisher | Kassel University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Agriculture and Rural Development in the Tropics and Subtropics |
| spelling | doaj.art-8f0eace9fef24943b0b0afcb48b7d9452022-12-21T17:48:20ZengKassel University PressJournal of Agriculture and Rural Development in the Tropics and Subtropics1612-98302012-01-011132155164Characteristics, socioeconomic benefits and household livelihoods of beef buffalo and beef cattle farming in Northeast ThailandEva SchlechtJan MaxaChakrapong ChaikongChristian LambertzMatthias GaulySince the Thai economy experiences rapid growth, agricultural systems, i.e. crop-livestock systems, are changing rapidly. On account of these changes, buffalo and cattle production has to be re-examined in terms of performance characteristics and roles of livestock for farm households in order to initiate suitable development programmes. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the present characteristics of beef buffalo and beef cattle farms in Northeast Thailand. Using a semi-structured questionnaire, 121 randomly selected beef buffalo and beef cattle farms were interviewed in Nakhon Ratchasima province between October 2007 and May 2008. Both buffaloes and cattle were mostly integrated in mixed crop-livestock systems with medium to large farm sizes (7.9 ha), whereof less than half of the area was used for livestock. Family members were mainly responsible for the different activities of livestock farming and salaried labourers were only found on large-scale farms. The dominant roles of livestock were income generation to build up wealth or savings, the coverage of expected and unexpected expenses and earning of regular and additional income. Another important issue was the improvement of the social status, which increased with herd size. In order to improve farmers’ livelihoods and develop sustainable farming systems in Northeast Thailand the changing economic circumstances of cattle and especially buffalo production should receive more attention of researchers, governmental institutions and stakeholders.http://www.jarts.info/index.php/jarts/article/view/2012092441833/195agricultural activitiesfarm labourhousehold characteristicsNakhon Ratchasima provinceplanned and unplanned expensesroles of livestocksemi-structured questionnaire |
| spellingShingle | Eva Schlecht Jan Maxa Chakrapong Chaikong Christian Lambertz Matthias Gauly Characteristics, socioeconomic benefits and household livelihoods of beef buffalo and beef cattle farming in Northeast Thailand Journal of Agriculture and Rural Development in the Tropics and Subtropics agricultural activities farm labour household characteristics Nakhon Ratchasima province planned and unplanned expenses roles of livestock semi-structured questionnaire |
| title | Characteristics, socioeconomic benefits and household livelihoods of beef buffalo and beef cattle farming in Northeast Thailand |
| title_full | Characteristics, socioeconomic benefits and household livelihoods of beef buffalo and beef cattle farming in Northeast Thailand |
| title_fullStr | Characteristics, socioeconomic benefits and household livelihoods of beef buffalo and beef cattle farming in Northeast Thailand |
| title_full_unstemmed | Characteristics, socioeconomic benefits and household livelihoods of beef buffalo and beef cattle farming in Northeast Thailand |
| title_short | Characteristics, socioeconomic benefits and household livelihoods of beef buffalo and beef cattle farming in Northeast Thailand |
| title_sort | characteristics socioeconomic benefits and household livelihoods of beef buffalo and beef cattle farming in northeast thailand |
| topic | agricultural activities farm labour household characteristics Nakhon Ratchasima province planned and unplanned expenses roles of livestock semi-structured questionnaire |
| url | http://www.jarts.info/index.php/jarts/article/view/2012092441833/195 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT evaschlecht characteristicssocioeconomicbenefitsandhouseholdlivelihoodsofbeefbuffaloandbeefcattlefarminginnortheastthailand AT janmaxa characteristicssocioeconomicbenefitsandhouseholdlivelihoodsofbeefbuffaloandbeefcattlefarminginnortheastthailand AT chakrapongchaikong characteristicssocioeconomicbenefitsandhouseholdlivelihoodsofbeefbuffaloandbeefcattlefarminginnortheastthailand AT christianlambertz characteristicssocioeconomicbenefitsandhouseholdlivelihoodsofbeefbuffaloandbeefcattlefarminginnortheastthailand AT matthiasgauly characteristicssocioeconomicbenefitsandhouseholdlivelihoodsofbeefbuffaloandbeefcattlefarminginnortheastthailand |