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Dairy Farmers (dairy + farmer)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Medical Sciences	77%
Humanities and Social Sciences	22%

Selected Abstracts

Challenges and Strategies Related to Hearing Loss Among Dairy Farmers

THE JOURNAL OF RURAL HEALTH, Issue 4 2005
Louise Hass-Slavin MSc
ABSTRACT: Context: Farming is often imagined to be a serene and idyllic business based on historical images of a man, a horse, and a plow. However, machinery and equipment on farms, such as older tractors, grain dryers, and vacuum pumps, can have noise levels, which may be dangerous to hearing with prolonged, unprotected exposure. Purpose: This qualitative study in Ontario, Canada, explored the challenges and coping strategies experienced by dairy farmers with self-reported hearing loss and communication difficulties. Through in-depth interviews, 13 farmers who experience significant hearing loss were questioned about the challenges they face as a result of hearing loss and the strategies they use to overcome or compensate for problems. Findings: The 2 major challenges encountered by dairy farmers with a hearing loss were: (1) obtaining information from individuals, within groups, and through electronic media; and (2) working with animals, machinery, and noise. To cope with these challenges, participants used strategies identified as problem and emotion focused. Conclusions: Four themes arose from analysis of the challenges encountered and strategies used: 1Hearing loss is experienced as a "familiar," but "private," problem for dairy farmers. 2Communication difficulties can negatively affect the quality of relationships on the farm. 3Safety and risk management are issues when farming with a hearing loss. 4The management or control of excessive noise is a complex problem, because there are no completely reliable yet practical solutions. [source]

Joint estimation of information acquisition and adoption of new technologies under uncertainty,

JOURNAL OF INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT, Issue 4 2008
Awudu Abdulai
Abstract This article develops a framework to examine households' joint decision to acquire information on new technologies and the adoption of the technology in the presence of uncertainty. The empirical application involved a sample of 406 dairy farmers in Tanzania. Education, scale of production, household size, age, and liquidity constraints are hypothesized to be the determinants of information acquisition and adoption decisions. The empirical evidence indicates that information acquisition and adoption decisions are made jointly. The findings also show that human capital and scale of operation positively and significantly affect the decision to acquire information and to adopt the technology, while liquidity constraints negatively impact on the decision to adopt, as well as the extent of adoption. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

Remnants of the Waikato: Native forest survival in a production landscape

NEW ZEALAND GEOGRAPHER, Issue 1 2005
Mairi Jay
Abstract:, This paper addresses the issue of conservation of native biodiversity on privately owned farmland in New Zealand. Based on surveys of Waikato dairy farmers as exemplars of intensive agricultural practice, it examines factors that influence the survival of native forest on land with potential for commercial production. Results suggest that a significant proportion of Waikato dairy farmers regard native forest favourably, although the proportion of farmers who actively conserve their forest is small. Factors that assist the persistence of native forest on dairy farms include personal characteristics of the farmer, past accidents of history which have left forest remnants in place, and physical characteristics of the farm such as topography. While the conservation of native biodiversity within this intensively farmed landscape is strongly influenced by political economy pressures that encourage production, non-utilitarian motives such as aesthetic enjoyment and family heritage can serve to counter the production ethic. [source]

Livestock-handling injuries in agriculture: An analysis of Colorado workers' compensation data,

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE, Issue 5 2009
David I. Douphrate PhD
Abstract Background Previous studies have reported that livestock-handling injuries are among the most severe of agricultural injuries. This study identifies the costs, characteristics, and contributing factors associated with livestock-handling injuries among Colorado dairy farmers, cattle/livestock raisers, and cattle dealers. Methods A 10-year (1997,2006) history of Colorado's workers' compensation claims data was used for analysis. Descriptive analyses of livestock-handling injury claims were performed. Claim cost analysis was also conducted. The agent,host,environment epidemiological model was used to analyze injury event descriptions. Results A total of 1,114 livestock-handling claims were analyzed. Claims associated with milking parlor tasks represented nearly 50% of injuries among dairy workers. Claims associated with riding horseback, sorting/penning cattle, and livestock-handling equipment represented high proportions of livestock-handling injuries among cattle/livestock raisers and cattle dealers. Claims associated with livestock-handling represented the highest percentage of high-cost and high-severity injuries in all three sectors. Conclusions Livestock-handling injuries are a significant problem, more costly, and result in more time off work than other causes of agricultural injuries. There is a strong and compelling need to develop cost-effective interventions to reduce the number of livestock-handling injuries in agriculture. Am. J. Ind. Med. 52:391,407, 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]

Workers' compensation experience of Colorado agriculture workers, 2000,2004,

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE, Issue 11 2006
David I. Douphrate MPT
Abstract Background Agriculture is among the most hazardous of occupations. The lack of information regarding agriculture injuries or fatalities has been recognized as an obstacle for effective injury prevention. Workers' compensation claims data for non-fatal injuries among agriculture and agri-business workers in the State of Colorado between the years of 2000 and 2004. Methods Workers' compensation claims are utilized to estimate injury claim incidence rates, determine the distributions of sources, causes, types and body locations of injuries, and estimate the costs of these injuries. Results Colorado agriculture and agri-business workers (e.g., cattle dealers, cattle or livestock raisers, dairy farmers) have high rates of injury claims, especially in sectors that involve interaction with animals or livestock. Grain milling operations had a high rate of injury claims among agri-business operations. Injuries related to animals, strains, machinery, and falls or slips were the most frequent among all occupations analyzed. Conclusions Understanding the occurrence of injuries among Colorado agriculture and agri-business workers is critical to implementing and evaluating effective intervention programs for specific agriculture-related occupations. The development of safety interventions that address the worker,animal interface, fall protection systems, machinery usage, and overexertion prevention strategies is recommended. Am. J. Ind. Med. 49:900,910, 2006. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]

Influence of occupational factors on lung function in french dairy farmers.

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE, Issue 4 2006
A 5-year longitudinal study
Abstract Background Dairy farming is associated with a high prevalence of respiratory disorders but the respective influence of occupational exposures, environmental, and individual factors on lung function remain unclear. Methods In 1994 and 1999, dairy farmers were examined in the Doubs province, France. Spirometric measures and allergological tests were performed. Medical and professional data were obtained by questionnaires. A multiple linear regression analysis was performed. Results An accelerated decline in lung function parameters was associated with age, male sex, traditional farm (as opposed to modern farms), and a high rate of total IgE (P,<,10,2). Blood oxygen saturation (SpO2) was significantly positively linked with the modernization of the farm and negatively with age, smoking status, and log IgE (P,<,10,2). Geographical factors (altitude and climatic conditions) had no significant effect. Conclusions The modernization of the farm has an important and beneficial impact on lung functiony. Am. J. Ind. Med. 49:231,237, 2006. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]

Chronic disease risk in central New York dairy farmers: Results from a large health survey 1989,1999

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE, Issue 1 2005
Paul L. Jenkins PhD
Abstract Background The agricultural workplace presents a variety of health and safety hazards; it is unknown whether farm work may be a risk factor for certain chronic diseases. Methods The health survey data from a large rural population in central New York were used from two studies (1989, 1999) to assess both 1999 prevalence and 10-year incidence of self-reported diabetes, heart disease, hypercholesterolemia, and hypertension among farm (predominantly dairy) and non-farm residents. The 1999 asthma prevalence was also assessed. Results Multiple logistic regression models for 1999 prevalence found statistically significant protective effects of farming for hypertension (OR,=,0.83, P,=,0.0105) and hypercholesterolemia (OR,=,0.853, P,=,0.0522). Non-significant results were seen for heart disease (OR,=,0.67, P,=,0.128) and diabetes (OR,=,0.856, P,=,0.1358). The model for 1999 asthma prevalence showed a significantly elevated risk for farming (OR,=,1.542, P,=,0.0004). Logistic models created for the 10-year incidence of hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, diabetes, and heart disease did not show a significant effect for farming. Conclusions The protective effect of farming observed for the 1999 prevalence of hypertension and hypercholesterolemia was not seen for the 10-year incidence of these diseases. Am. J. Ind. Med. 47:20,26, 2005. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]