Masters Theses
Date of Award
12-1982
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science
Major
Agricultural Extension
Major Professor
Cecil E. Carter Jr
Committee Members
Robert S. Dotson, David Kirckpatrick
Abstract
The major purpose of this survey study was to determine the relationship between characteristics of beef producers, their production operation, their use of recommended beef production practices and the number of contacts they had with the Agricultural Extension Service. Another purpose of the study was to determine the relationships between beef producers' participation in the Tennessee Beef Cattle Improvement Program and the number of Extension contacts, and the use of recommended practices the TBCIP producers had with Extension. Data were obtained through personal interviews with 1047 beef producers located in 58 Tennessee counties. The 1977 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 and interviews were conducted in 1977. Producers interviewed had 15 or more beef females (12-15 months of age or older) in their herd the previous year to the survey. Information was obtained about their general production characteristics, their use of recommended beef production practices and the number of contacts they had with Extension Agents over a 12-month period.
Data were coded and punched on computer cards and computations were made by The University of Tennessee Computing Center. The analysis of variance F test and chi square were used to determine probability levels and the strength of the relationship between dependent and independent variables. F values and chi square values which achieved the .05 probability level were accepted as significant.
Major findings included the following:
1. Almost 50 percent of the beef producers in Tennessee were part-time operators and about 50 percent receive their major source of income from the farm.
2. The average age of beef producers was 51 years of age, had 48 breeding cows in the herd, fanned 130 acres of pasture, weaned 44 calves and used two herd bulls.
3. The majority of beef producers were following 13 of the 24 recommended beef production practices studied.
4. The average number of contacts producers had per year with Extension agents was 16.7. Beef producers averaged attending 2.8 Extension meetings, 1.1 Beef Extension meetings, 4.0 visits to the Extension office, 5.5 telephone calls to Extension, and 3.5 farm visits by Extension agents.
5. The number of farm visits producers received from Extension agents related to the farm status (part-time versus full-time) and the producers' major source of income (farm versus non-farm).
6. There was a significant relationship between the use of 13 recommended beef production practices by beef producers and the total number of contacts producers had per year with Extension agents.
7. There was a significant relationship between the producers' use of 15 recommended beef production practices and their participation in the Tennessee Beef Cattle Improvement Program.
8. There was a significant relationship between participation in the TBCIP and the number of beef Extension meetings attended, the number of office visits, the number of telephone calls and the number of farm visits. Also there was a significant relationship between the total number of contacts beef producers had with Extension agents and their participation in the Tennessee Beef Cattle Improvement Program.
Recommended Citation
Rutter, Floyd David, "Relationships between characteristics of beef producers, their production operations and their use of management practices and the number of contacts they had with extension. " Master's Thesis, University of Tennessee, 1982.
https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_gradthes/7614