Dairy Disease Control and Prevention of Chiang Mai Farmers

Abstract

The monthly interviews of 33 dairy farmers in Sankamphaeng, Mae-on and Sansai districts during June 1995-June 1996 were performed. Farmers hold 12.42 cattles per farm; those were 4.21 milking cows and the rest were dry cows, heifers, weaning calves and calves 1.6, 2.62, 1.92 and 2.07 cattles per farm respectively. The highest pregnancy rate (55.7%) found in Mae-on, 48.64% in Sansai and 40.36% in Sankamphaeng.

            Cattle of 100% and 36.36% were vaccinated for FMD and Haemorrhagic septicaemia respectively, and 81.2% of farmers had their cattle Brucellosis and Tuberculosis tested. Whereas, 63.64% of farmers had their cattle vaccinated for Brucellosis prevention, at the time of interview.                        Ninety-seven percent of farmers dewormed, from which 94% dewormed at 1- month precalving dry cows. 63.6% dewormed calves and only 39.4% eradicated external parasites.

            One-hundred percent farmers supplied minerals to dairy cow whereas only 87.88% of farmers also injected their cows with vitamin A, D and E at one month before calving.

            For Mastitis prevention, 24.24% of farmers rubbed cows’  udders before milking and used teat dip after milking. About 48.48% of farmers used Dry Cow Therapy and of those 100% and 50% found in Sansai and Mae-on while 0% found in Sankamphaeng.

            Mastitis and hoof problems were the main cause of sick cattle. Ratio of expenses for dairy disease control and prevention paid by farmer to by government was 1: 1.04.