Thesis
Public and animal health needs for backyard poultry and small-scale livestock production
Washington State University
Master of Science (MS), Washington State University
05/2016
Handle:
https://hdl.handle.net/2376/101964
Abstract
The access to adequate and competent veterinary care for production species in urban and peri-urban agriculture (UPA) settings is an under-studied field in the burgeoning practice of peridomestic livestock raising. Perceptions about public health risks, zoonotic disease transmission and the role veterinarians have for preventing these diseases are unknown. The willingness, knowledge levels and motivations of practitioners in Washington State to provide veterinary care for production species was a primary research question for this study. This project explored the opinions and perceptions of both producers and veterinarians on the current level of veterinary care available to UPA livestock producers and identified potential barriers to access to veterinary care in Washington State. The project involved a survey of small-scale livestock producers using in-person interviews and an online questionnaire. The results of this pilot study found that overall satisfaction with their current level of veterinary care was high, but there exists a shortage of practitioners willing to care for these animals. Producers who utilized mixed-animal veterinary clinics were more likely to be satisfied. The most commonly raised animal in peri-domestic areas was poultry and most had neighbors with poultry. Finances played an important determinant in pursuing veterinary care. This initial study supported the pursuit of a secondary veterinarian survey. Using a focused sample and a mixed-mode technique, the response rate for the veterinary survey was 47.4%. Over 95% of respondents agreed that veterinarians have an important role in public health. About one-half of the respondents felt that UPA livestock production poses a significant public health risk. Although poultry ownership was increasing in most practice areas, fewer than 25% of urban and peri-urban practitioners had treated poultry in the previous 6-month period. More than 65% of respondents, either did not feel confident, or lacked the interest, to provide production animal medicine. However, almost 65% of respondents reported receiving phone calls concerning production animal species, particularly poultry. Our study shows that some practitioners are interested in providing this care but lack the knowledge and expertise to do so. Continuing veterinary medical education (CVME) could provide a mitigation strategy for this need.
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Details
- Title
- Public and animal health needs for backyard poultry and small-scale livestock production
- Creators
- Amos Kerry Peterson
- Contributors
- Dale A. Moore (Chair)John M. Gay (Committee Member)William Sischo (Committee Member) - Washington State University, UNKNOWNJohn Wenz (Committee Member) - Washington State University, Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Department of
- Awarding Institution
- Washington State University
- Academic Unit
- Veterinary Medicine, College of
- Theses and Dissertations
- Master of Science (MS), Washington State University
- Publisher
- Washington State University; [Pullman, Washington] :
- Number of pages
- 82
- Identifiers
- 99900525038801842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Thesis