Cow/calf producers consider veterinarians

their most important off-farm source of

information on animal health, beef production,

and nutrition, according to a recent study by the

USDAs National Animal Health Monitoring System

(NAHMS). Seven hundred and ninety-nine (799)

randomly selected cow/calf producers were asked

about information sources as part of the NAHMS

Beef Cow/Calf Health and Productivity Audit

(CHAPA). The 18 states involved in this part of

CHAPA data collection represented 70 percent of

the U.S. beef cow/calf operation.

Veterinarians were determined to be the most

important source of animal health information in

the swine and dairy industries in previous NAHMS

studies. This was also found to be true for the

cow/calf industry where 42.7 percent of producers

classified practitioners as extremely important

sources of animal health information (Figure 1).

The next most popular source identified as extremely important was family members (14 percent).

Producers with herd sizes of 100 to 299 placed

more importance on the veterinarian as a source of

information (Figure 2). This trend was also true, for

Cooperative Extension Service/

university personnel and publications; beef and

agricultural journals, family, and other producers.

Regional results in Figure 3 show that producers

in the central U.S. put more importance on

veterinarians as an animal health information source

than producers in other areas.

Information Sources for

Beef Cow/Calf Producers

National Animal Health Monitoring System

United States

Department of

Agriculture

Animal and

Plant Health

Inspection

Service

Veterinary

Services

Figure 3

Figure 1 Figure 2

Target population: beef cow/calf producers with 5 or more beef cows

and with 50 percent or more of 1992 calves born from January through June.

March 1994
Figure 4 shows producers top four sources

of beef production information were

veterinarians (26.8 percent), family (12.5

percent), Cooperative Extension

Service/university (6.6 percent), and beef or

agricultural magazines (6.6 percent). The

larger the herd, the more importance was

placed on nearly all sources of beef production

information with the exception of retail

salespeople. The only significant geographical

variation was with the number of western

region producers who placed higher

importance on beef and agricultural magazines

(12.8 percent identified them as an extremely

important source compared to the next highest

of 7.1 percent in the southeast region).

Personal knowledge and education were first

as beef producers most important source of

nutritional information (Figure 5.) For

off-farm sources, veterinarians were first (23.6

percent) and feed salesmen or retailers were

next (11.5 percent). As herd size grew,

producers placed more value on their own

personal knowledge.

When asked if they had consulted an animal

nutritionist in the last 12 months, 10.6 percent

of the producers indicated that they had.

Consultation with an animal nutritionist was

more prevalent as operations got larger (1-19

head, 7.5 percent; 20-49 head, 8.6 percent;

50-99 head, 16.9 percent; 100-299 head, 16.3

percent; and 300+ head, 28 percent.)

In summary, veterinarians were viewed as

valuable sources of beef production and nutrition

information in addition to their traditional role as

animal health professionals.

NAHMS collaborators included the National

Agricultural Statistics Service (USDA), State and Federal

Veterinary Medical Officers, and the National Veterinary

Services Laboratories (USDA:APH IS:VS).

Other CHAPA information is available on the

following topics: Branding, Injection sites, Facilities,

Calf health, and Reproductive efficiency. For more

information, contact:

Centers for Epidemiology & Animal Health

USDA:APHIS:VS, Attn. NAHMS

2150 Centre Ave., Bldg. B, MS 2E7 

Fort Collins, Colorado 80526-8117

(970) 494-7000

NAHMSweb@aphis.usda.gov

N137.0194

Figure 5

Figure 4