Profile of dairy cattle farmers in the Northwest of Minas Gerais and the perception about the use of artificial insemination

ABSTRACT This study aimed to characterize the profile of milk cattle farmers of the Northwest region of Minas Gerais State regarding the use of artificial insemination (AI) and see the most relevant factors in the perception of farmers for the adoption process of AI. From January to April 2014, 97 milk cattle farmers associated to milk cooperatives of the municipalities of northeastern Minas Gerais were interviewed. Of those interviewed farmers, 61.3% did not use artificial insemination. The majority (92.48%) of respondents were male and 48.88% were over 53 years of age, with low schooling, incomplete primary education (28.57%), or complete primary education (25.97%). Among the respondents, 66.67% had over 20 years experience in dairy farming. The average breeders by property were 99, and the average size of properties was 73 hectares (ha). In general, it was found that personal motivation is the main driver for the adoption of AI, and it is more linked to positive expectations generated by the phenotype of the animals than to economic factors. The prerequisites for adoption of AI are in the background and, among them, manpower, infrastructure, and animal handling are prominent, followed by social influence, evidenced by entities and persons involved in AI and in the daily life of farmers. Little emphasis on human resource management and use of scientific knowledge may have affected the adoption of biotechnology, resulting in low utilization. It is also possible to associate the advanced age of farmers to the resistance to the use of reproductive biotechnologies.摘要 本研究旨在刻画米纳斯吉拉斯州西北部乳牛养殖户的群体特征，并探究养殖户认知中影响人工授精（Artificial Insemination，以下简称AI）采纳应用的核心因素。2014年1月至4月期间，研究人员对米纳斯吉拉斯州东北部各市县牛奶合作社旗下的97名乳牛养殖户开展了访谈。受访养殖户中，61.3%未使用人工授精。绝大多数受访者（92.48%）为男性，48.88%的年龄超过53岁，受教育水平普遍偏低：未完成初等教育者占28.57%，完成初等教育者占25.97%。66.67%的受访者拥有20年以上的奶牛养殖经验。受访养殖户的平均存栏乳牛数量为99头，牧场平均占地面积为73公顷（ha）。总体而言，研究发现个人动机是AI采纳应用的主要驱动因素，且相较于经济因素，该动机更多与牲畜表型带来的积极预期相关。AI采纳应用的前置条件涉及多维度因素，其中人力配置、基础设施建设与畜禽管护最为突出，其次是由参与AI相关工作的主体与个体，以及养殖户日常社交圈层所体现的社会影响。对人力资源管理与科学知识应用的重视不足，可能制约了该生物技术的推广应用，导致其使用率偏低。此外，养殖户年龄偏高也可能与其对生殖生物技术的使用存在抵触情绪相关。