title: Producer assessment of dairy extension programming in Kentucky.
abstract: To assess the dairy production issues extension programming should be addressing, a survey was distributed to all licensed milk producers in Kentucky (n=1,074). A total of 236 surveys were returned; 7 were omitted due to incompletion, leaving 229 for subsequent analyses (21% response rate). Mean herd size was 83.0 ± 101.8 cows with a projected increase to 102.1 ± 114.4 cows by 2013. Mean producer age was 50.9 ± 12.9 with a range of 22 to 82. Mean milk production (kg/cow per day) was 23.9 ± 5.4 with a range of 6.8 to 38.6 kg. Mean somatic cell counts (SCC) were 304,824 ± 123,580 with a range of 75,000 to 750,000 cells/mL. When asked about meeting attendance frequency, 25% of producers indicated they attended meetings annually, whereas 29% attended twice yearly, 13% quarterly, 3% monthly, 2% at least twice monthly, and 28% indicated they never attended meetings. Surveyed producers were asked to assess what level of importance should be placed on a predetermined list of management topics. Mean response to each topic was calculated after assigning the following numeric values to producer response categories: not important: 1, important: 3, and very important: 5. Producers indicated mastitis and milk quality was the most important management topic with a response of 4.35 ± 1.05, followed by animal well-being (4.05 ± 1.14), disease prevention and vaccinations (4.01 ± 1.06), cow comfort (3.97±1.09), disease treatment (3.95 ± 1.10), and lameness and hoof health (3.95 ± 1.16). Producers were asked to identify their preferred information delivery method. The most effective delivery methods were printed farm magazines (81.0%), agricultural newspapers (77.4%), printed newsletters from county agricultural agents (75.7%), printed newsletters from university extension (65.0%), and local or regional meetings (55.8%). The least effective delivery methods were university website (11.9%), indirect access through allied industry consultants (11.5%), webinars (2.7%), podcasts (0.4%), and blogs (0.4%). These results provide invaluable insight for future dairy-related Cooperative Extension Service programming efforts.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal and Food Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington 40546, USA.
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Russell
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Bewley
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D003612:Dairying / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007255:Information Services; D007629:Kentucky; D007774:Lactation / Q000502:physiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D008892:Milk / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D055815:Young Adult