A study of the comprehension of beef cattle terms and concepts by Tennessee cow-calf producers

The purpose of this study was to collect descriptive data which would indicate the knowledge levels of Tennessee cow calf producers about terms and concepts related to beef cattle production. The study was designed also to determine what relationship certain personal and experience factors had to knowledge levels. Thirty eight terms were selected from two University of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service publications, and a multiple choice test was constructed for the terms. Accompanying questions covered personal and experience factors. Tennessee beef cattle producers who were enrolled in the Tennessee Beef Cattle Improvement Program were tested. Survey forms were completed by mail and by personal interview, and 78 usable forms were returned. There were significant relationships between test scores and years of formal education, whether the farmer had received any college of agriculture training, and the frequency with which farmers read Extension news articles. The mean percentage of correct answers for all questions was 86.6, indicating a high level of understanding. Correct answers ranged from a low of 42.3 percent for a term concerning cattle feeding to a high of 100 per cent for three terms concerning cattle breeding and physiology.