The impact of best practice health and husbandry interventions on smallholder cattle productivity in southern Cambodia

Abstract

Future food security has become a major global concern and is particularly important in the Greater Mekong Subregion where several countries have seen rapid urban economic development and increasing demand for red meat. In Cambodia, the majority of livestock producers are subsistence or semi-subsistence rural smallholder farmers using cattle as a source of protein, fertiliser, draught power, and asset storage. Potential income from smallholder cattle is limited by a range of factors that compromise productivity, including endemic diseases, poor nutrition, and lack of knowledge of husbandry techniques and marketing practices. To address the developing opportunities to improve rural incomes from cattle production in Cambodia, a 4-year longitudinal study was conducted to examine ‘best practice’ interventions that could improve productivity and profitability of cattle within smallholder farming systems. The study involved six villages from three provinces, with two villages in each of the provinces of Takeo, Kandal and Kampong Cham paired and designated as either high intervention (HI) or low intervention (LI). A best practice intervention program was introduced to the HI villages to develop the husbandry skills of farmers, including implementation of forage technology, disease prevention through vaccination for foot-and-mouth disease and haemorrhagic septicaemia, deworming, and education in nutrition, biosecurity, disease control, and marketing. Between April 2008 and February 2012, eight repeat-measures capturing data on animal health and production, including cattle weights used to evaluate the impact of interventions on average daily gains, were completed. Cattle in HI villages had significantly (P < 0.01) higher mean liveweight during the last three sampling periods, and average daily gains were 2.4 times higher than in cattle of the LI villages. This study provides evidence that best practice interventions resulted in improved cattle productivity, farmer knowledge and positive impacts on household income over time, offering a pathway that can address food security concerns and more rapidly alleviate rural poverty in the GMS.

The Socioeconomic Impacts of Clinically Diagnosed Haemorrhagic Septicaemia on Smallholder Large Ruminant Farmers in Cambodia

“…The average daily gain (kilograms) as used in a similar study (Young et al., ) was included and represents the low growth rate achieved in traditional smallholder systems. However, variations in live weight gain by different age groups, seasonal impacts on feed availability and quality and environmental stress such as heat were not accounted for in this study (Young et al., ,b). It was assumed that ‘all’ smallholder farmers with secondary employment will lose 1 day of employment (‘returns foregone’) and that all farmers will rent 1 day of alternative draught per vaccination (‘extra cost’).…”

Improving Smallholder Farmer Biosecurity in the Mekong Region Through Change Management

“…It is widely recognized that livestock movement is probably the single most important method of transmission of FMD virus in those countries where FMD is endemic (Rosenberg et al., ; Rweyemamu, ; Fonnan, ; Ferris et al., ; Windsor, ). Recent research has indicated that smallholder farmers within villages sell 17% of cattle per annum; however, this is considered to be an underestimation (Young et al., ). Considering that 85% of smallholders own three or fewer cattle (Young et al., ), this high annual sale rate, combined with other mobility uses (draught and transport) and communal grazing, would likely provide multiple opportunities for direct contact and opportunity for disease transmission.…”

“…Recent research has indicated that smallholder farmers within villages sell 17% of cattle per annum; however, this is considered to be an underestimation (Young et al., ). Considering that 85% of smallholders own three or fewer cattle (Young et al., ), this high annual sale rate, combined with other mobility uses (draught and transport) and communal grazing, would likely provide multiple opportunities for direct contact and opportunity for disease transmission. Cleland et al.…”

Benefit-Cost Analysis of Foot and Mouth Disease Control in Large Ruminants in Cambodia

“…While rice production remains the major contributor to the agricultural sector, livestock play an important role in smallholder farm systems. Livestock often serve multiple purposes including a source of draught power for transport and tillage, manure for biodigester fuel and fertilizer, sale for beef, and importantly as a cash asset store which can be sold when money is needed (Shankar et al., ; Young et al., ).…”

“…However, the national large ruminant herd declined 3.1% between 2009 and 2010 and a further 2.0% between 2010 and 2011 (Suon et al., ). In 2011, the national herd comprised 3 406 972 cattle and 692 611 buffalo with over 99% of large ruminants owned by smallholder farmers, typically owning 3 or fewer animals (Young et al., ). Production levels are low, with mean average daily weight gains of ~50 g per day, poor body condition year round and poor reproductive performance (Young et al., ).…”