Short communication: Socio-psychological factors influencing dairy farmers' intention to adopt high-grain feeding in Brazil

• Published in: Journal of dairy science Vol. 103; no. 11; pp. 10283 - 10288
• Main Authors: Lima, P.G.L., Damasceno, J.C., Borges, J.A.R., dos Santos, G.T., Bánkuti, F.I.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.11.2020
• Subjects: Animal Feed; Animals; Attitude; Brazil; concentrate; Dairying; Diet - veterinary; Edible Grain; Farmers - psychology; Humans; Intention; milk production; partial least squares; Sociological Factors; structural equation modeling; Surveys and Questionnaires; theory of planned behavior; Brazil; milk production; theory of planned behavior; partial least squares; structural equation modeling; concentrate
• ISSN: 0022-0302; 1525-3198
• DOI: 10.3168/jds.2020-18475

This study aimed to apply the theory of planned behavior to determine the effects of attitude, perceived behavioral control, and subjective norms on the intention of dairy farmers toward high-grain feeding. Quantitative data were collected through interviews with 150 dairy farmers in Paraná, Brazil. Partial least squares structural equation modeling was used to analyze the data. We observed that farmers with a positive perception of grain feeding (attitude) and a positive perception of their ability to increase the use of grains (perceived behavioral control) had higher intention to increase grain feeding. Social pressure (subjective norm) had no effect on the intention to grain feed. These results can contribute to the development of public strategies and policies that encourage the use of high-grain diets in dairy farms.