Considerable research has focused on identifying risk factors for intramammary infections, yet mastitis remains a pervasive disease on dairy farms. Increasingly, researchers are appreciating the role of dairy producer mindset in determining management style and thus udder health status of the herd. The objective of this study was to explore the attitudes and motivations of Ontario dairy farmers toward udder health in herds with varying bulk milk somatic cell count (BMSCC). In December 2011, 5 focus groups were conducted across Ontario, Canada, with independent groups of dairy producers representing low, medium, and high BMSCC herds. Groups were established based on producer's weighted BMSCC levels as recorded over the summer of 2011. A semi-structured interview guide was followed to discuss topics relating to udder health. Thematic analysis was performed on the interview transcripts. Generally, producers noted management techniques (specifically culling infected cows and monitoring BMSCC), a perceived wealth of information on mastitis control, and a proactive whole-herd management approach engender the perception of control over mastitis. Producers in the low BMSCC group were confident in their level of knowledge and control of mastitis in their herds, whereas high BMSCC producers generally felt lower levels of control. Several areas were identified by producers that counteract this perception, contributing to perceived low levels of control over mastitis. Participants identified that at certain times they do not understand the cause of BMSCC on their farm. This attitude was especially prominent in the high BMSCC group. Other times, producers cited improper sample handling, seasonal issues, perceived milk culture shortcomings, and low herd size as factors that limited their control over mastitis in their herds. Though producers generally have high levels of self-efficacy beliefs when it comes to udder health management, the perception still exists that, under certain situations, mastitis is uncontrollable. This highlights the fact that educational and extension efforts need to focus on ensuring that producers employ proven mastitis diagnostic, prevention, and treatment practices in a systematic manner, with realistic expectations.

中文翻译：

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描述安大略省乳制品生产商对乳房健康的态度和动机。

大量研究集中在确定乳内感染的危险因素，但乳腺炎仍然是奶牛场普遍存在的疾病。研究人员越来越意识到乳制品生产商的心态在确定管理方式并因此确定牛群健康状况方面的作用。这项研究的目的是探讨安大略省奶农对不同批量乳体细胞计数（BMSCC）的牛群乳房健康的态度和动机。2011年12月，在加拿大安大略省举行了5个焦点小组会议，由乳制品生产商组成的独立小组代表了低，中和高BMSCC牛群。根据2011年夏季记录的生产者加权BMSCC水平建立了小组。遵循了半结构化访谈指南，以讨论与乳房健康有关的主题。对访谈笔录进行主题分析。一般而言，生产者注意到管理技术（特别是淘汰被感染的母牛和监测BMSCC），感知到的丰富的乳腺炎控制信息，以及积极主动的全群管理方法使人们对乳腺炎有控制感。低BMSCC组的生产者对他们对牛群的乳腺炎的了解和控制水平充满信心，而高BMSCC组的生产者通常感到控制水平较低。生产者确定了几个领域来抵消这种看法，导致人们对乳腺炎的控制程度低。参与者发现在某些时候他们不了解其农场中BMSCC的原因。这种态度在高BMSCC组中尤为突出。其他时候 生产者认为样品处理不当，季节性问题，牛奶培养缺陷以及牛群规模小是限制其对牛群乳腺炎控制的因素。尽管生产者在进行乳房健康管理时通常具有很高的自我效能感信念，但仍然存在这样一种观念，即在某些情况下，乳腺炎是不可控制的。这凸显了这样一个事实，即教育和推广工作应着重于确保生产者以系统的方式并以切合实际的期望采用成熟的乳腺炎诊断，预防和治疗方法。尽管生产者在进行乳房健康管理时通常具有很高的自我效能感信念，但仍然存在这样一种观念，即在某些情况下，乳腺炎是不可控制的。这突出了这样一个事实，即教育和推广工作应着重于确保生产者以系统的方式并以切合实际的期望来采用成熟的乳腺炎诊断，预防和治疗方法。尽管生产者在进行乳房健康管理时通常具有很高的自我效能感信念，但仍然存在这样一种观念，即在某些情况下，乳腺炎是不可控制的。这突出了这样一个事实，即教育和推广工作应着重于确保生产者以系统的方式并以切合实际的期望来采用成熟的乳腺炎诊断，预防和治疗方法。