Adaptation of climate-smart livestock practices on dairy cows farmers in Thailand

Abstract

This study examines the adaptation of dairy farmers in Thailand in five aspects according to the latest climate change guidelines: 1) efficient energy management 2) grazing management 3) feed management 4) manure and waste management 5) animal health and disease management. A questionnaire was used to collect data from 400 medium-sized dairy cows in Saraburi, Nakhon Ratchasima, and Ratchaburi Provinces using order logit regression analysis. The study found that dairy farmers in the sample group were moderately adapted to the overall climate change in livestock farming practices. The factor that contributed the most to the higher level of practice was the personal factor, i.e., individual adaptability. If farmers have more forms of adaptation, it will affect the likelihood of complying with the Climate-smart livestock (CSL) at a large level, significantly increasing by 1.16 percentage, followed by economic factors such as access to funding sources in the system, social factors comprised of joining a cooperative group or a milk collection center, assistance or support from the government and access to information sources. Farmers who complete all five aspects will be able to mitigate the effects of climate change in the area and be in line with the climate. Government agencies and related agencies, including provincial and district livestock extension officers from cooperatives or raw milk receiving centers where farmers are members, should be provided with knowledge to raise awareness of the risks and impacts of climate change as well as promote adaptation models based on livestock farming practices that are abreast of climate change to mitigate and reduce yield losses from climate change impacts that will increase in the future.