Determinants of livestock keepers’ primary animal health care practices

ABSTRACT Livestock production remains vulnerable to animal disease, threatening the productivity and food security of smallholder farmers. Application of primary animal health care (PAHC) practices is considered a cost-effective method for farmers to prevent and control livestock diseases. Using data collected on 593 smallholder farmers in five provinces of South Africa, this paper uses partial proportional odds (PPO) modelling to evaluate the determinants of livestock keepers’ choice of PAHC practices. Access to animal handling facilities, contact with animal health practitioners, farmers’ associations, household income and positive perceptions about vaccines had a positive influence on the farmer’s choice of PAHC practices, while negative perceptions about vaccines had a negative influence. Increased timely delivery of animal health services and provision of animal handling facilities is recommended to expedite increased farmers’ uptake of PAHC practices. Development of animal health policies using the “One Health” approach is advised to ensure a collaborative, multisectoral and transdisciplinary effort at local and national level to achieve optimal health outcomes. Use of the PPO model is a departure from the norm in the literature for determining a farmer’s adoption strategies. The model proved to be instrumental as it predicted significant variables extra to those usually applied in multinomial models.