Livestock Keepers’ Attitudes: Keystone of Effective Community-Based Breeding Programs

Bienvenue Zoma-Traoré, Lorenz Probst, Salifou Ouédraogo-Koné, Albert Soudré, Dominique Ouédraogo, Bernadette Yougbaré, Amadou Traoré, Negar Khayatzadeh, Gábor Mészáros, Pamela Anna Burger, Okeyo Ally Mwai, Johann Sölkner, Maria Wurzinger and Daniel Martin-Collado
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Bienvenue Zoma-Traoré: Division of Livestock Sciences, Department of Sustainable Agricultural Systems, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, 1180 Vienna, Austria
Lorenz Probst: Department of Sustainable Agricultural Systems, Institute for Development Research, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, 1190 Vienna, Austria
Salifou Ouédraogo-Koné: Institute of Rural Development, Nazi BONI University, 1091 Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso
Albert Soudré: Department of Life and Earth Sciences, Norbert ZONGO University of Koudougou, 376 Koudougou, Burkina Faso
Dominique Ouédraogo: Division of Livestock Sciences, Department of Sustainable Agricultural Systems, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, 1180 Vienna, Austria
Bernadette Yougbaré: Division of Livestock Sciences, Department of Sustainable Agricultural Systems, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, 1180 Vienna, Austria
Amadou Traoré: Department of Animal Production, Environmental and Agricultural Research Institute, 7047 Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
Negar Khayatzadeh: Division of Livestock Sciences, Department of Sustainable Agricultural Systems, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, 1180 Vienna, Austria
Gábor Mészáros: Division of Livestock Sciences, Department of Sustainable Agricultural Systems, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, 1180 Vienna, Austria
Pamela Anna Burger: Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Population Genetics, University of Veterinary Medicine, 1220 Vienna, Austria
Okeyo Ally Mwai: International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), 30709 Nairobi, Kenya
Johann Sölkner: Division of Livestock Sciences, Department of Sustainable Agricultural Systems, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, 1180 Vienna, Austria
Maria Wurzinger: Division of Livestock Sciences, Department of Sustainable Agricultural Systems, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, 1180 Vienna, Austria
Daniel Martin-Collado: Animal Production and Health Unit, Agrifood Research and Technology Centre of Aragon (CITA), 50059 Zaragoza, Spain

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 5, 1-14

Abstract: Livestock keepers in southwestern Burkina Faso hold the local Lobi taurine breed, local Zebu cattle, and their crosses. Some communities in the region have begun to implement community-based cattle breeding programs (CBBPs), which involve animal tagging and recording and, potentially, also bull sharing. Based on the hypothesis that the participation of livestock keepers in CBBPs depends on their attitudes towards these programs, we used questionnaires to survey the attitudes of 125 farmers towards cattle breeding strategies and tools. Results were analyzed using principal component analysis. Farmers showed a highly positive attitude towards maintaining the features of their preferred cattle breed, but their attitudes varied substantially towards crossbreeding for breed improvement. Farmers generally agreed that performance was more important than animal appearance, and most of them were willing to cooperate with breeders’ associations but were skeptical about sharing their bulls with other farmers. The majority was reluctant to record performance data, which may be due to a capacity deficit and their confidence in being able to select the best animals based purely on phenotype. Our analysis suggests that breeders’ associations, as a key component of CBBPs, should lay down clear rules and obligations for their members from the outset. Timely consideration of farmers’ attitudes towards different breeding tools may improve their uptake and guarantee the sustainability of CBBPs.

Keywords: breeding strategies; farmer attitudes; Burkina Faso (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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