A STUDY ON PERCEPTION OF DAIRY FARMERS ABOUT ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE IN DAIRY ANIMALS
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Date
2023-04
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SRI VENKATESWARA VETERINARY UNIVERSITY TIRUPATI - 517 502. (A.P.) INDIA
Abstract
The present research work “A STUDY ON PERCEPTION OF DAIRY
FARMERS ABOUT ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE IN DAIRY ANIMALS”
was focused on assessment of awareness and perception of dairy farmers about AMR in
dairy animals. The veterinarians’ challenges and suggestions in combating AMR in dairy
animals also studied. An ex-post-facto and exploratory research designs were followed in
the present investigation. Andhra Pradesh state was selected purposively covering the
three administrative zones and a total of 120 farmers from small dairy farms and 30
farmers from large dairy farms were selected through simple random and snowball
sampling methods. The data from veterinarians was collected through questionnaire
(google form) and the responses of dairy farmers through a structured interview schedule.
Appropriate statistical procedures were employed to analyse and interpret the data.
Majority of the dairy farmers from small and large dairy farmers were middle and
young aged, respectively were male and belonged to backward caste and open categories,
respectively. Nearly half of the farmers from small dairy farms were illiterate and more
than one-third of farmers from large dairy were graduates. Majority of the farmers from
small dairy farms had marginal land holding and equal per cent of the farmers from large
dairy farms had marginal and large land holdings. Majority of the farmers from small and
large dairy farms had small herd size, with cross-bred cattle, with medium levels of dairy
farming experience and milk production and with low level of milk consumption.
Majority of them marketing their milk to dairy cooperatives and had medium level of
dairy income. Majority of the farmers from small and large dairy farms had medium level
of social participation and cent per cent of farmers from both the groups didn’t attend any
training in the areas of antibiotic usage and AMR. Among personal cosmopolite sources
extension worker/veterinarians and para-veterinarians were the frequently used by
farmers from both small and large dairy farms. Whereas, among impersonal cosmopolite
sources the frequently used information sources were internet and mobile telephony by
majority of farmers from large dairy farms. Majority of the farmers from small and large
dairy farms utilised services of veterinarians like vaccination, disease treatment, AI, PD
and availability on-call services.
Majority of the farmers from small and large dairy farms had medium level of
awareness and perception about AMR in dairy animals. The farmers from large dairy
farms were having high level of awareness and perception than the famers from small
dairy farms.
Nearly half of the field veterinarians were old aged and more than three-fourth
were male. Nearly two third of veterinarians were working as Veterinary Assistant
Surgeons and majority had high level of work experience. Whereas, nearly half of the
veterinarians from scientific community of SVVU were young, female and working as
Assistant Professors and had low level of work experience as VAS in the field.
The major challenges perceived by veterinarians in combating AMR were misuse
and overuse of antimicrobials by unqualified practitioners and reliance of farmers on
them, farmer not approaching veterinarians in early stages of the disease, not following
milk withdrawal period during antibiotic usage, ignorance of farmer about the effects of
antibiotics in animals, lack of public awareness about antibiotic usage and AMR, lack of
data on regional antibiogram, lack of Continuing Veterinary Education (CVE) to field
veterinarians, lack of focused research and studies on the effects of antibiotic usage and
AMR, lack of stringent rules and monitoring in usage of antibiotics and production of
antibiotic residue free products.
Timely vaccination, better dairy management practices, following of milk
withdrawal period during antibiotic usage, proper disposal of residual antibiotics by
hospitals and farms, judicious use of antibiotics, appropriate dosage and diagnosis-based
prescription by veterinarians, usage of alternative therapies, periodical screening for
antibiotic residues in dairy products, Continuing Veterinary Education (CVE) on AMR
and creating awareness to all the stakeholders of dairy industry about AMR and its
subsequent effects, strengthening of EASs among field veterinarians for wider awareness
on effects of antibiotics like AMR, establishment of quality control wing and
implementation of antimicrobial stewardship programmes were the major suggestions
expressed by veterinarians working in the field as well as in the university.