Browsing by Author "Ritter, Caroline Manuela Nancy"

Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
  • Thumbnail Image
    ItemOpen Access
    Disease Control on Dairy Farms with a Focus on Johne's Disease and Veterinary Communication
    (2018-04-19) Ritter, Caroline Manuela Nancy; Barkema, Herman W.; Adams, Cindy L.; Jansen, Jolanda; De Buck, Jeroen M.; Kelton, David F.; Mason, Steve
    Motivating dairy farmers to implement disease prevention and control strategies can be challenging. The first objective of this thesis was to assess factors that influence farmers’ management decisions. A literature review was conducted focusing on socio-psychological influences and farmers’ preferred information sources. Additionally, surveys and qualitative interviews with Alberta dairy farmers contributed to the current knowledge by assessing farmers’ attitudes, beliefs, and perceptions in regard to the prevention and control of Johne’s disease, an infectious enteritis that is caused by Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) and is endemic in Canadian dairy cows. Environmental fecal samples were analyzed for MAP to assess whether farm infection status influenced farmers’ decision to enroll in the voluntary Alberta Johne’s Disease Initiative (AJDI). Observed herd prevalence of MAP (i.e., 51%) was similar between AJDI participants and nonparticipants. Results further indicated that farmers have to believe in the importance of the disease and in recommended prevention and control strategies to make changes. In Alberta, the reasons why farmers did not participate in the AJDI or implemented recommended measures included skepticism of the threat and negative effects of Johne’s disease, critique of test sensitivity, required time, and costs. Farmers used a variety of information channels, but herd veterinarians had a major influence on their management. Veterinarians are in an ideal position to communicate and motivate recommended strategies targeted to each farm, and it is well established that effective communication skills can improve adherence with advice and health outcomes. Therefore, the second objective was to assess veterinary communication patterns. First, the suitability of on-farm video recordings for comprehensive communication analysis using the Roter Interaction Analysis System was demonstrated. Then, veterinary communication during 70 dairy farm visits was assessed. Veterinarians spent most of their talk on farmer education and relationship building. Demographics such as gender and length of the professional veterinarian-farmer relationship affected the use of some communication variables, whereas the effect of previous communication training was minimal. Identification of influences on farmers’ management decisions and of veterinary communication patterns can reveal opportunities to enhance communication, thus improving the uptake of prevention and control measures.
  • Thumbnail Image
    ItemOpen Access
    Parasite Control Strategies on Cow-Calf Operations: A Systematic Review of Pharmaceutical Interventions against Gastrointestinal Nematodes in Pre-weaned Beef Calves and Qualitative Exploration of Producers' Perspectives
    (2023-07) Agbese, Samuel Peter; Windeyer, Claire M.K.; Gilleard, John S.; Ritter, Caroline Manuela Nancy; Uehlinger, Fabienne D.
    Parasitism poses a significant threat to the health and productivity of grazing livestock globally and is a primary contributor to diseases in these animals. To ensure the long-term viability of cow-calf operations, it is imperative to adopt and implement strategies for controlling parasites. In Alberta, Canada, one of the most common parasite control strategies is the use of pharmaceutical interventions (i.e., anthelmintics). However, the summarized information on the existing evidence on the effectiveness of pharmaceutical interventions in controlling gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN) in pre-weaned beef calves, as well as how parasite control strategies are perceived by cow-calf producers in Alberta, are unknown. The objective of the first study was to assess the current scientific literature on the effectiveness of pharmaceutical interventions on cow-calf operations to treat or control GIN in pre-weaned beef calves as measured by a reduction in fecal egg count. The review found that, of the 29 included articles, only 5 used the fecal egg count reduction test (FECRT) to evaluate the effectiveness of pharmaceutical interventions for treating GIN. The drugs assessed in the 5 articles included albendazole, fenbendazole, doramectin, eprinomectin, and ivermectin. Studies focusing on benzimidazole drugs consistently reported FECRT values above 96% with evidence of greater effectiveness than the macrocyclic lactone drugs, which reported a range of FECRT from 15% to 93%. This was the first study to assess and compile the existing literature on the effectiveness of pharmaceutical interventions in controlling GIN in pre-weaned beef calves. In the second study, the objective was to explore cow-calf producers’ perceptions about on-farm parasite control strategies and to describe the on-farm parasite control practices implemented by these respondents. Cow-calf producers in Alberta, Canada were sent a questionnaire to recruit interview participants and to identify their current parasite control strategies. Fifteen respondents were interviewed via telephone to explore their perceptions of parasite control strategies and rationale for the acceptance or rejection of parasite control practices. The study revealed that the majority of cow-calf producers rely on pharmaceutical parasite control products, and price was not the main factor in product selection. A lack of familiarity with some parasite control strategies was noted, such as pasture management, where producers often viewed parasite control as secondary or not at all when it came to pasture management, with the management of the grass being the main factor they emphasized. Additionally, veterinarians had influence over parasite control decisions but were not a major source of information on fecal sampling procedures, suggesting a need for improved communication.