Masters Theses
Date of Award
6-1988
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science
Major
Agricultural Extension
Major Professor
Cecil E. Carter Jr
Committee Members
Roy R. Lessly, Clyde D. Lane
Abstract
The major purpose of this survey study was to determine the relationships between certain selected factors of beef producers and their use of recommended practices. Another purpose was to determine relationships between whether or not Extension was contacted and the use of recommended practices. Data were obtained through personal interviews with 1,813 beef cattle producers located in 85 counties in Tennessee. The 1985 Beef Cow-Calf Producer Survey was used to collect data from the beef producers. Extension agents used the "nth" number technique on their beef mailing list to identify producers to be surveyed. According to the guidelines of the survey, producers interviewed must have had a minimum of 25 cows of breeding age in their herd. The survey provided general information about the producer and his farm as well as information about the recommended beef cattle production practices that producers used.
The data were coded and processed for computer analysis. Computations were made using the University of Tennessee Computing Center facilities. The chi square statistical test was used to determine the strength of relationships between the dependent and independent variables. Chi square values which achieved the .05 probability level were accepted as significant.
Major findings included the following:
1. Use of artificial insemination was significantly related to 5 of the 6 characteristics of beef producers and their farm operations. Tennessee beef producers who had larger herds (40-over cows), had cattle handling facilities, had row crops as their major source of farm income, were under 50 years of age and had made contacts with Extension agents were more likely than other producers to use artificial insemination.
2. Producers who had larger herds and who had contacts with Extension agents during the past 12-months were more likely than others to use performance tested hulls. Farming status, major source of farm income and producers ages were not significantly related to the use of performance tested hulls.
3. Tennessee beef cattle producers who had larger herds and who were over 50 years of age were more likely than other producers to use cross-hred females. Farming status, major source of farm income or number of contacts producers had with Extension agents were significantly related to use of cross-bred females.
4. Beef cattle producers who had larger herds, had cattle handling facilities, were younger (under 50) and had contacts with Extension agents were more likely than other producers to have their cows and heifers pregnancy checked. Farming status or major source of farm income was not significantly related to pregnancy checking.
5. Producers who had larger herds, sold finished cattle, had cattle handling facilities, had beef cattle as their major source of farm income, were younger (under 50), and those who had contacts with Extension agents were more likely than other producers to have their calves implanted. Farming status was not significantly related to implanting calves.
6. Producers who had larger herds (over 40 cows), sold finished cattle, had cattle handling facilities, were younger (under 50), and those who had Extension contacts were more likely than other producers to deworm their calves. Neither farming status nor major source of farm income was significantly related to deworming calves.
7. Tennessee beef cattle producers who had larger herds, had cattle handling facilities, were under 50 years of age and those who had contacts with Extension agents were more likely than other producers to vaccinate cows and replacement heifers for leptospirosis. Neither farming status nor major source of farm income was significantly related to vaccinating for leptospirosis.
8. Beef cattle producers who had over 40 cows, had cattle handling facilities, had row-crops as their major source of farm income, were younger (under 50) and had contacts with Extension agents were more likely than other producers to have their herd enrolled in the Tennessee beef cattle improvement program. Farming status was not significantly related to whether or not their herd was enrolled in the beef cattle improvement program.
Recommended Citation
Ivy, Victor L., "Relationships between certain Tennessee cow-calf producer characteristics and their use of recommended practices and their contact with extension. " Master's Thesis, University of Tennessee, 1988.
https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_gradthes/7224