JWSS - Journal of Water and Soil Science

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To improve livestock production and to modernize dairy husbandry in Iran, it is essential to disseminate the most recent information on dairy husbandry technologies and management practices through various means among farmers. An understanding of farmers’ communication behaviour is essential in formulating effective communication strategies for livestock development. For the purposes of this study, East Azarbaijan Province was selected. The study will examine how farmers obtain information on dairy husbandry technologies and management practices and how they communicate with agents of technology transfer (extensionists). The major channels and sources used in obtaining information and inter-system communication by farmers are discussed. To study the farmers’ communication behaviour, a sample of 154 farmers from a total of eight villages (four villages from high level plain areas and four villages from low level plain areas) were selected using “Stratified two-stage random sampling” method. Data were gathered by filling out questionnaires that had been tested before. The criteria like frequencies in terms of number and percentage, mean and product moment correlation were calculated. In addition, multiple regression analysis was used for the analysis of the data. According to the findings of this study, most farmers in the two groups (98%) had low information input score. The independent variables such as information output, farmer inter-system communication, farmer-researcher communication, farmer-extensionist communication, education, family education status and availability of input facilities had positive and highly significant relationships (P<0.01) with information input.