ADOPTION OF GOOD AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES FOR BEEF CATTLE FARMING OF BEEF CATTLE - RAISING FARMERS IN TAMBON HINDARD, DAN KHUNTHOD DISTRCT, NAKHON RATCHASINA PROVINCE, THALAND

The objectives of this study were to find out the current conditions of beef cattle – raising farmers, the level of good agricultural practices (GAPs) for beef cattle farming, and the factors related to GAPs for beef cattle farming, in order to recommend some ways to improve the practices and develop them. A questionnaire was employed to collect the data from 100 beef cattle – raising farmers in Tambon Hindard, Dan Khunthod District, Nakhon Ratchasima Province, Thailand. These farmers had at least three years of experience in raising beef cattle and owned at least 20 heads of cattle during June – October, 2005. The descriptive statistics, i.e., percentage, mean and standard deviation, were used to describe the data, and the inferential statistics that were used to test the hypothesis were t – test, F – test, and correlation. It was found that most of the beef cattle raisers employed GAPs at a moderate level. Education, household income, income from beef cattle raising, farm size, number of information source that gave advice about beef cattle raising, and opportunity to get advice were the factors found that significantly related to the practice of the beef cattle raisers at 0.05 level. It was recommended that the farmers be supported on the more correct practices of raising beef cattle which is in line with GAPs for beef cattle farming. The agency concerned should set a long – term plan on beef cattle raising extension. It should find markets and impose a standard price for beef cattle. Besides, there should be more coordination between the public and the private sectors and beef cattle – raising farmers.

Keywords: beef cattle, beef cattle farming, cattle – raising farmer, Dankhunthod District, good agricultural practices, Nakhon Ratchasima Province, Tambon Hindard

Corresponding author: E-mail: tawatc.s@nida.nida.ac.th, stawadchai@yahoo.com