# Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of Smallholder Dairy Cattle Farmers in Tanzania: A Cross-Sectional Survey on Cattle Infertility

## TL;DR

This study explores how smallholder dairy farmers in Tanzania understand and manage cattle infertility, finding that while they recognize it, their management practices are often inadequate.

## Contribution

The study provides new insights into farmers' knowledge and practices regarding infertility in dairy cattle in Tanzania.

## Key findings

- 95% of farmers reported experiencing infertility in their herds.
- Common causes identified include poor nutrition, diseases, and poor heat detection.
- Farmers often seek veterinary help or cull affected cattle, but gaps in effective management persist.

## Abstract

Dairy cattle infertility is among the major challenges to smallholder dairy farming in Tanzania, yet it remains poorly understood by farmers. The current study investigated 301 farmers from the six key dairy-producing regions to explore their knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding dairy cattle infertility. Almost all farmers reported experiencing infertility in their herds and identified common infertility signs correctly, e.g., return to oestrus after breeding. Also, farmers reported poor feeding and housing, diseases and poor heat detection as important infertility causes, which were managed in various ways, including seeking assistance from veterinarians/livestock officers or culling. Our findings highlight that there is a wide recognition of dairy cattle infertility, but sometimes it is wrongly managed. Therefore, there is a need for the provision of better education to the farmers to reduce losses and improve herd productivity.

Infertility is one of the major farming constraints facing smallholder dairy cattle farming in Tanzania. Despite its impact, there is limited information on how farmers understand and manage it. The present study aimed to assess farmers’ knowledge, attitudes and practices related to dairy cattle infertility. A cross-sectional survey was conducted using a structured questionnaire involving 301 farmers across six major dairy-farming regions: Tanga, Arusha, Kilimanjaro, Mbeya, Morogoro and Njombe. Overall, 95% of respondents reported encountering infertility on their farms. Farmers were asked to identify signs of infertility from the list of 10 (8 correct and 2 distractors); the median score for correct identification was 7 (range 2–10). The most recognised sign was return to oestrus after insemination (94%). Most farmers correctly identified low milk yield and mastitis as not being signs of infertility. The main reported causes included poor nutrition/housing (93%), livestock diseases (89%), poor record keeping (85%), and poor oestrus detection (83%). Nearly all (98%) viewed infertility as a serious issue, predominantly naming repeat breeding (95%) and failure to produce a calf/year (90%). Management strategies included seeking veterinary services (94%), slaughter (69%), sell to other farmers (23%) and self-treatment (16%). Our findings highlight widespread awareness of infertility while pointing out gaps in management, which reinforces the need for improved farmer education and support services.