Table 1.
Questionnaire items related to perceptions (6-point Likert-scale) and personal values (9-point Likert-scale), with median values and interquartile range (IQR), using responses from 233 dairy producers (unless indicated otherwise, for non-mandatory questions).
| Itemsa | Median (IQR) |
|---|---|
| Part 1 | |
| 1. (Risks) I feel that feeding waste milk containing antimicrobial residues to calves… a. Is safe with regard to calf health. b. Increases the risk of spread of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria. |
5 (3–6)b 5 (3–6) |
| 1.2 I feel that the main disposal method I use for waste milk containing antimicrobial residues… | |
| [Manure pit or manure pile] (n = 138) | |
| a. Is safe with regard to calf health. b. Increases the risk of spread of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria. |
2 (1–4)b 3 (2–5) |
| [On the ground outside] (n = 15) | |
| a. Is safe with regard to calf health. b. Increases the risk of spread of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria. | 1 (1–5)b 2 (1–4) |
| [With wastewater] (n = 12) | |
| a. Is safe with regard to calf health. b. Increases the risk of spread of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria. | 1 (1–2.75)b 2.5 (1–3) |
| [Other] (n = 8) | |
| a. Is safe with regard to calf health. b. Increases the risk of spread of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria. | 1.5 (1–3.75)b 2 (1–3.75) |
| 2. (Farm-level benefits) Feeding waste milk containing antimicrobial residues to calves… | |
| a. Saves a lot of money. b. Saves a lot of time (labor). c. Spares valuable feed. d. Facilitates the daily routine. e. Solves the problem of waste milk disposal. f. Is a convenient disposal method. |
3 (1–4) 1 (1–2) 3 (1–4) 2 (1–4) 2 (1–5) 4 (1–5) |
| 3. (Calf-level benefits) I believe that the feeding of waste milk containing antimicrobial residues to calves is associated with… | |
| a. Better nutritional value of milk. b. Better calf growth. |
1 (1) 1 (1) |
| 4. I believe that the risk of bacterial resistance caused by feeding waste milk containing antimicrobial residues to calves increases if… | |
| a. A critically important (reserve) drug is used. b. The concentration of residues in the milk is high. c. The calves are young. d. The calves are sick. e. The milk also contains bacteria that could cause disease. |
5 (4–6) 5 (4–6) 4 (2–6) 4 (2–6) 4 (2–5) |
| 5. The opinion of the following groups of people regarding how I dispose of waste milk containing antimicrobial residues is for me: (1 = not important at all to 6 = very important) |
|
| a. My family b. Befriended milk producers c. My veterinarian d. The dairy company that buys my milk e. My dairy association f. Regulatory authorities (e.g., cantonal/federal veterinary office) g. The general public |
5 (4–6; n = 231) 4 (3–5; n = 231) 5 (4–6; n = 230) 5 (2–6; n = 231) 3 (1–5; n = 231) 4 (3–6; n = 231) 5 (3–6; n = 231) |
| 6. People who are important to me believe that feeding waste milk containing antimicrobial residues to calves… | |
| (1 = strongly disagree to 6 = strongly agree; I do not know) | |
| a. Is the best solution for disposing of waste milk. b. Is dangerous. c. Should be avoided. d. Is acceptable at my farm. |
5 (3–6; n = 199)b 4 (2–6; n = 197) 5 (3–6; n = 202) 5 (2–6; n = 204)b |
| 7. How efficacious do you think the following solutions would be to minimize the effects of antimicrobial residues in waste milk? (1 = not efficacious at all to 6 = extremely efficacious) |
|
| a. Pasteurizing the milk before feeding it to the calves b. Composting the milk with manure c. Collecting the milk for disposal at a specialized facility (e.g., incineration, biogas plant) |
2 (1–3) 3 (1–4) 5 (3–6) |
| 8. How costly (i.e., labor and investment) do you think the following solutions would be to minimize the effects of antimicrobial residues in waste milk? | |
| (1 = not costly at all to 6 = extremely costly) | |
| a. Pasteurizing the milk before feeding it to the calves b. Composting the milk with manure c. Collecting the milk for disposal at a specialized facility (e.g., incineration, biogas plant) |
4 (4–5) 2 (1–3) 6 (5–6) |
| 9. To what extent would you be willing to implement the following solutions to minimize the effects of antimicrobial residues in waste milk (provided they were efficacious)? | |
| (1 = not willing at all to 6 = extremely willing) | |
| a. Pasteurizing the milk before feeding it to the calves b. Composting the milk with manure c. Collecting the milk for disposal at a specialized facility (e.g., incineration, biogas plant) |
3 (1–4) 5 (2–6) 2 (1–4) |
| 10. If a solution were to be proposed, how would the following aspects influence your willingness to adopt this method? (1 = very negatively to 6 = very positively) |
|
| a. Increased time/labor b. Compensation premium c. Fitting into the daily routine d. Easy to perform e. Impossibility to use the milk as feed f. Benefit to animal health g. Benefit to public health h. Benefit to the environment |
5 (4–6)b 4 (3–5) 5 (4–6) 5 (4–6) 2 (1–4)b 6 (5–6) 5 (4–6) 5 (4–6) |
| 11. (Trust) To what extent do you trust the following actors and information sources regarding information about the disposal of waste milk containing antimicrobial residues? | |
| (1 = do not trust at all to 6 = fully trust) | |
| a. My veterinarian b. My agricultural/breeding/dairy association c. My dairy company d. Cantonal veterinary authorities e. Federal food safety and veterinary office/Strategy on antibiotic resistance f. Local/national news media |
5 (5–6) 4 (3–5; n = 230) 4 (3–5; n = 232) 4 (3–5; n = 232) 4 (3–5; n = 232) 2 (1–3) |
| 12. (Support) To what extent do you think that the following actors can support producers, to foster a safer disposal of waste milk containing antimicrobial residues? | |
| (1 = no support at all to 6 = full support) | |
| a. My veterinarian b. My agricultural/breeding/dairy association c. My dairy company d. Cantonal veterinary authorities e. Federal food safety and veterinary office/Strategy on antibiotic resistance |
5 (3–5) 4 (3–5) 4 (2–5) 4 (3–5) 4 (2–5) |
| Part 2 | |
| 13. (Causes of AR) Antimicrobial resistance may develop in a dairy herd because of… | |
| a. Too frequent use of antimicrobials. b. Poor selection of antimicrobial treatment for the condition to treat. c. Contact between cattle treated with antimicrobials and other cattle on the farm. d. Introduction of cattle carrying resistant bacteria from other herds. e. Introduction of resistant bacteria from humans visiting or working on the farm. f. Global emergence of resistance, no matter what I do. |
5 (4–6) 5 (5–6) 2 (1–4) 5 (4–6) 3 (2–4) 4 (2–5) |
| 14. (Threat of AR) The development of antimicrobial resistance in my herd would represent a threat… | |
| a. To the health of my cows and calves. b. To animal health in herds of my region. c. To the health of people in contact with my herd (family, workers). d. To human health in the general population. e. To the profitability of my farm. f. To the environment. |
6 (5–6) 4 (2–5) 4 (2–5) 4 (2–5) 5 (4–6) 5 (3–6) |
| 15. (Benefit of AU) Please indicate your agreement to each of the following statements. | |
| a. Antibiotics are easy to apply. b. Antibiotics have a good cost-benefit ratio. |
4 (4–6) 4 (3–5) |
| 16. Keeping to a minimum the use of antimicrobial drugs on my farm… | |
| a. Is desirable. b. Is necessary. c. Is one of my major goals in the short term. d. Is a goal I have been trying to achieve over the past year. e. Is out of my control. f. Is a goal I know how to achieve. g. Is a goal I would need help to achieve. h. Is something I feel responsible for. i. Is an objective that should first be handled by the authorities. |
6 (6) 5 (4–6) 5 (4–6) 5 (4–6) 5 (4–6)b 4 (3–5) 3 (2–5)b 6 (5–6) 5 (4–6)b |
| 17. People who are important to me… | |
| (1 = strongly disagree to 6 = strongly agree; I do not know) | |
| a. Expect me to use antimicrobials prudently. b. Believe antimicrobials should only be applied if absolutely necessary. c. See antimicrobials as an ordinary, unproblematic medicine. |
6 (5–6; n = 213) 6 (5–6; n = 217) 5 (4–6; n = 223)b |
| 18.How important are the following values as guiding principles in your life? (−1 = opposed to my principles; 0 = not important at all to 7 = extremely important) | |
| a. Self-discipline: self-restraint, resistance to temptation b. Respect for tradition: preservation of time-honored customs c. Humility: modest, self-effacing d. Respect for the Earth: harmony with other species e. Unity with nature: fitting into nature f. Protection of the environment: preserving nature g. Equality: equal opportunities for all h. Helpfulness: working for the welfare of others i. Family security: safety for loved ones j. Cleanliness: neat and tidy |
5 (4–6) 4 (2–5) 5 (4–6) 6 (4–7) 5 (4–6) 6 (5–7) 5 (3–6) 6 (5–6) 7 (6–7) 6 (5–6) |
a
Unless indicated otherwise, the scales were: 1 = strongly disagree to 6 = strongly agree.
b
Responses were reverse-coded before analyses.