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Purchase Influence. Animal welfare is a stronger driver of purchase influence than other issues, particularly for ethical . Influence of ethical factors on customer behaviour (Based on respondents stating attribute is important to them) .
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Purchase Influence Animal welfare is a stronger driver of purchase influence than other issues, particularly for ethical Influence of ethical factors on customer behaviour (Based on respondents stating attribute is important to them) • Importance of ethical attributes is generally related to purchase influence • i.e. if something is important, it is also likely to drive purchase decision-making • However, there are some interesting outliers: • Banning live exports, although comparatively unimportant for customers, is a key influence of purchasing • Fair price paid to farmer, although important, has a weaker effect on purchasing • Supporting local farmers is also weaker • It should be noted that all of these, play some role in customers purchasing decisions, with customers claiming to be much more likely to chose a given retailer as a result • Particularly for animal welfare issues • Ethical customers are significantly more likely to base their purchasing decision on these factors n Rank based on ‘importance’ to respondents Source: Q8: To what extent would you be more likely to choose a particular retailer for your milk if it met the following criteria? [Each attribute is reported ONLY for those respondents who say it is in their top 5 MOST IMPORTANT ethical attributes]
Why a University Vet School? • Ivory Tower? • Provide high quality evidence • Knowledge vs Opinion • Anecdotal “evidence” • What is important to Tesco and TSDG Farmers? • Identify “best practice” • Horizon Scan
Wood Park Farm - Performance “Closed herd” Free of many endemic infectious diseases. All farm staff paid from farm income
Big problems with cow fertility % Stand-to-be-mounted (STBM) P=0.000 % or litres/100 P=0.007 P=0.002 % First insemination pregnancy rate Milk yield Dobson et al 2008 Year
Heat Detection Study Neck activity meter Vs Pedometer Vs Mount detector Vs Farmer Prof Hilary Dobson and Dr Robert Smith, Masters students Link to other problems such as lameness and mastitis Report results to TSDG via Fertility Workshops
Control of Digital Dermatitis • Major cause of lameness and pain in dairy cows • University of Liverpool (Prof Stuart Carter) has eminent position in field • Tesco funded staff time • Schering-Plough Animal Health donated treatment • Checked faeces for antibiotic resistant organisms • All 360 animals re-examined again 2, 6 and 14 weeks later • Failed to eradicate! but, • No increase in antibiotic resistant organisms in faeces • Genetic comparison of resistant and recurrently infected animals – BBSRC funding obtained
Re-evaluation of Calf Rearing • Knowledge Transfer Partnership • Flagship government program 50% funding • Part funded by BBSRC • First by Tesco • Drs Caroline Argo and Dai Grove-White • Two milk feeding regimes • Restricted or all you can drink! • Follow to adulthood and milk production • In depth physiological studies
Animal Location Monitoring – Faire Solutions • Location tag - position within 30 cm • Speed of tag movement – mobility score • Time lying – cow comfort / welfare • Tag not moved in X hours – early illness detection • Proximity to others - disease transmission • One tag above another – reproductive behaviour! • TSB funding call for Animal Monitoring systems
On-farm methane measurement • Laser methane measurement • Trial measurement of methane release on TSDG farms • With similar purchased feed usage and high (A), medium (B) and low (C) production • With similar production and high (E), medium (B) and low (D) purchased feed usage A D B E C
On farm methane monitoringVariation - Time of day Parts per million of methane per metre Late Morning – after feeding Time in seconds
Challenges • Tesco commercial staff have a commercial imperative! • Not all good ideas will be supported or pursued • Staff turnover – challenge of corporate memory • Financial systems – on both sides • Who do we represent? • Trusted independence • Attracts other KE • Commercial verses Academic worth?