Productive and Reproductive Record Keeping in Low-to-Middle-Income Tropical Livestock Systems: Challenges and...

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Science
• Tropical Agriculture
• Animal Production Systems

Background:

• Tropical animal production systems face challenges in maintaining accurate herd records.
• Low-to-middle-income farmers encounter financial constraints, limited veterinary access, and low technology awareness.
• Barriers hinder adoption of herd management and preventive health measures, impacting production and health outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide an overview of the current status of record-keeping in tropical animal production.
• To highlight the importance and necessity of collecting, maintaining, and interpreting farm records.
• To support the achievement of sustainable animal production systems in tropical regions.

Main Methods:

• Scoping review methodology was employed.
• Literature search focused on record-keeping practices in tropical animal production.
• Data synthesis aimed to identify current challenges and best practices.

Main Results:

• Significant challenges persist in adopting advanced data collection and analysis technologies on tropical farms.
• Inaccurate record-keeping leads to suboptimal decision-making with potential adverse economic and environmental consequences.
• Despite technological advancements, implementation barriers remain substantial for many farmers.

Conclusions:

• Effective record-keeping is essential for optimizing animal production and health in tropical regions.
• Addressing financial, technical, and awareness barriers is critical for improving data management.
• Sustainable animal production hinges on the consistent collection, maintenance, and interpretation of farm data.