First study on assessments of farmers' benefits under a payment program based on dairy milk quality in Thailand

Veerasak Punyapornwithaya; Katechan Jampachaisri; Orapun Arjkumpa; Methanon Moonpho; Kunnanut Klaharn; Naovarat Kampoosiri; Chalutwan Sansamur

doi:10.14202/vetworld.2022.1051-1057

First study on assessments of farmers' benefits under a payment program based on dairy milk quality in Thailand

Vet World. 2022 Apr;15(4):1051-1057. doi: 10.14202/vetworld.2022.1051-1057. Epub 2022 Apr 24.

Authors

Veerasak Punyapornwithaya^{1

2}, Katechan Jampachaisri³, Orapun Arjkumpa⁴, Methanon Moonpho⁵, Kunnanut Klaharn⁶, Naovarat Kampoosiri⁷, Chalutwan Sansamur⁸

Affiliations

¹ Veterinary Public Health and Food Safety Centre for Asia Pacific, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50100, Thailand.
² Research Group for Veterinary Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50100, Thailand.
³ Department of Mathematics, Faculty of Science, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok 65000, Thailand.
⁴ Department of Livestock Development, Animal Health Section, The 4 Regional Livestock Office, Khon Kaen, Thailand.
⁵ Veterinary Research and Development Center, Upper Northern Region, Lampang 52190, Thailand.
⁶ Bureau of Livestock Standards and Certification, Department of Livestock Development, Bangkok 10400; Thailand.
⁷ Bureau of Quality Control of Livestock Products, Department of Livestock Development, Mueang Pathum Thani District, Pathumthani 12000, Thailand.
⁸ Akkhararatchakumari Veterinary College, Walailak University, Nakhon Si Thammarat, 80160, Thailand.

Abstract

Background and aim: To improve overall milk quality in Thailand, dairy farmers and milk collection centers employ a payment program based on milk quality (PPBMQ) for milk trade. This study aimed to determine and compare the proportion of dairy farmers receiving benefits from the PPBMQ using data from selected dairy cooperatives located in northern and central regions in Thailand.

Materials and methods: Monthly data on milk components (n=37,077), including fat, solids not fat (SNF), and somatic cell counts (SCC) were collected from the two regions in 2018 and 2019. Based on the PPBMQ, farmers were classified into benefit-gain, benefit-loss, and no-benefit groups. A mixed-effects logistic regression model was used to compare the number of farmers in northern and central regions who received monthly benefits from the PPBMQ.

Results: More than 70% of dairy farmers benefited from the PPBMQ. The proportion of dairy farmers in the benefit-gain group was higher in the northern region (88.7%) than in the central region (57.1%). A high percentage of dairy farmers in the central region lost their benefits mainly due to SCC (40%) and SNF (44%).

Conclusion: The PPBMQ benefited the vast majority of dairy producers in the northern region and approximately two-thirds of those in the central region. Thus, the efforts of authorities and stakeholders should be enhanced to support dairy farmers in the central region in improving milk quality.

Keywords: benefits; bulk tank milk; milk compositions; milk quality; payment program; somatic cell counts.