A Study of the Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behaviors of French Dairy Farmers Toward the Farm Register

Health organizations worldwide have advocated that treatment records be required to show that antibiotics are used prudently by veterinarians and farmers alike. In 2000, the French government passed legislation making a farm register mandatory for all farms that raise animals for food production. The farm register is a comprehensive record designed to track all animal movements, treatments, and veterinary interventions on the farm. We conducted a survey to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of dairy farmers toward the farm register, with particular emphasis on recording of antibiotic treatments. The 43 farmers interviewed belonged to veterinary health cooperatives. All farmers correctly named an antibiotic or antibiotic preparation, yet only 2 recognized the 5 components of the farm register. Farmer attitudes toward the register were globally positive, even though they named a wide variety of constraints. Nevertheless, 72% of farmers interviewed had a permanent health record, and approximately half had recorded either the last treatment (irrespective of drug class) or the last intramammary tube administered. Results were discussed in the light of health behavior change models that are applied in human medicine. We suggest that programs that seek compliance with the farm register should focus on educational interventions and bonus incentives.