Differing perceptions - Swedish farmers' views of infectious disease control

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Public Health
• Animal Husbandry
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Farm biosecurity practices are essential for preventing livestock disease spread.
• Knowledge of biosecurity measures is not consistently applied by farmers.
• Factors influencing farmers' adoption of disease prevention strategies require investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate Swedish livestock farmers' perspectives on infectious disease occurrence, control, and communication.
• To identify associations between farmers' views and herd type or demographic factors.

Main Methods:

• A questionnaire study involving nearly 2000 livestock farmers (cattle, pigs, sheep, goats) in Sweden (2012-2013).
• Multivariable regression models were used to analyze associations between responses and herd/demographic factors.
• Data collected on perceptions of disease prevention, knowledge, control, and communication.

Main Results:

• Farmers strongly agree on the importance of disease prevention, but opinions vary.
• Female farmers reported higher perceived knowledge and belief in disease prevention capabilities.
• Dairy farmers were more likely to view repeated infections as beneficial and reported more outbreaks.
• Perceptions of disease occurrence, prevention, and communication are influenced by gender, education, and age.
• Farm veterinarians are key information sources; diverse communication channels are necessary.

Conclusions:

• Farmer demographics (gender, age, education) significantly impact perceptions of disease prevention and occurrence.
• Targeted knowledge enhancement for farmers and veterinary practitioners is recommended.
• Veterinarians should actively motivate farmers to improve farm biosecurity measures.