Dairy 2002 Production Evaluation Report

NAHMS Dairy 2002
Producer Evaluation Results
March 2003
The National Animal Health Monitoring System
conducted the third national dairy study, NAHMS
Dairy 2002, on operations in 21 major dairy States
with one or more cows. Data were collected from
December 31, 2001, to February 12, 2002, by
NASS enumerators; subsequent data were collected on operations with 30 or more dairy
cows from February 25 to April 30, 2002, by Veterinary Medical Officers (VMOs).
Following the Dairy 2002 study, evaluation forms were sent to 1,013 producers, those
who completed the VMO portion of the study. As of February 26, 2003, 300 producers
had completed and returned a study evaluation (30 percent response rate). The number
responding to each question varied slightly. Evaluations were received from 19 of the 21
States participating in the study. The following text and charts summarize the results
from the producers.
The two main reasons producers gave for participating in the dairy study were to help the
dairy industry (87 percent) and to benefit personally from the study (62 percent).
To help dairy industry
To benefit personally
Encouraged by industry
Other

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Reason for
participating in study
(Check all that apply.)
To help dairy industry
To benefit personally
Encouraged by
industry
Other

#
responses

%
response

261
186

87%
62%

30
17

10%
6%

% response

Before participation in the study, only 31 percent of the respondents had heard of the
Dairy 2002 study.
Previously
heard of the
study

Yes

No

0%

20%

40%
% response

60%

# responses

% response

Yes
No

91
204

31%
69%

Total

295

100%

80%

Blood testing was a significant reason for 55 percent of the respondents to participate in
the study.
Importance of blood
testing

High

#
responses

%
response

Medium

Low

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

High

159

55%

Medium

106

36%

Low

26

9%

Total

291

100%

60%

% response

Nearly half (48 percent) rated fecal testing as an important factor in their decision to
participate, and 53 percent rated milk testing as highly important. Producers were also
interested in obtaining information on diseases, specifically Johne’s disease, through the
study.
Eighty-nine percent of respondents said they would participate in another NAHMS study.
Willingness to
participate in another
study

Yes

No

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

#
responses

%
response

Yes

243

89%

No

31

11%

274

100%

100%

% response

Total

Additionally, 93 percent would recommend participation to other producers.
Overall, satisfaction with the NAHMS Data Collectors was very high; 69 percent rated
them excellent and 29 percent rated them good.
Satisfaction with
Data Collector

Excellent

#
responses

%
response

Good

Excellent
Fair

Good

Poor
0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

198

69%

83

29%

Fair

6

2%

Poor

2

1%

Total

289

100%

% response

Some producers noted that they were slow to receive the results of testing. Many
producers, however, would recommend participation in a national study to others, noting
industry benefit and information about diseases, as important factors.