Knowledge and Attitudes of Farmers Towards Thermal Stress Management in Cattle

Abstract

The study aimed to examine farmers’ knowledge and attitudes towards thermal stress management in cattle. The study was conducted in the cattle corridor of Uganda using a cross-sectional, simultaneous mixed design. Questionnaires and key informant interviews were used. Veterinary officers, purposively sampled, and 481 cattle farmers, randomly sampled, participated in the study. STATA/SE Version 18 and thematic analysis were used to analyse data. Descriptive statistics were used to present findings. A multivariable logistic regression indicated that district of origin, being an internet user, having a positive attitude, and good knowledge of thermal stress had a significant influence (p < 0.001) on thermal stress management. Veterinarians noted that thermal stress management was not given priority during the farmers’ training. The study findings should support the development of targeted extension initiatives, policy changes, and climate-resilient management techniques. The study sought to enhance farm systems theory by providing evidence that human behavioural components are central sub-systems that determine animal welfare outcomes. This study is distinct because it shifts attention to the human dimension of adaptation, which remains empirically understudied in many developing countries.