Adoption of broiler production technology among independent farmers in Chiangmai and Lamphun provinces

Respondents are female more than male with an elementary school education, age average is 42.7 years old and have 6.3 years of broiler production experience. The total net cash farm income (excluding farm expense) earned about 1.98 million baht in 1994. In general, the independent broiler farmers owned a small size farm which was less than 5,000 birds per farm and obtained one-day old commercial stain chicks from Charoen Pokphand Group. The results capture the scenario that the broiler farmers acquired the animal husbandry technology from printed materials. The farmers met the technical service personnel and got the broiler production consultation about 1.72 time per month. The total labor require to take care the farm was 3.12 persons per farm. The addition career beside broiler production was commerce. From the field evaluation, the broiler farmers had the medium level of the adoption of the broiler production technology. The farmer had the high level of adoption for knowing the name of broiler breed, using animal house disinfectants, medication treatment after bird sickness and bird mortality management. The housing design, bird density and air ventilation were received only low level of the adoption. And there was no adoption of the animal feed mixing. Many variables were tested, the relationship of education background, experience, income, farm size and chance of receiving technology transfer and the adoption of the broiler production technology. It was found that the education background and chance of receiving the technology transfer are related to factors of the farmer adoption. There were no other differences due to farmer income, experience and farm size and the technology transfer adoption. From the problems and constraints in broiler production, it was found that 90 percent of the farmers have some problems in production. Most of the problems are disease control although the farmers have received technology in using disinfectant and antibiotic in high level, but the farmers do not have knowledge in diagnosis and using antibiotic. Most of the broiler farmers suggested that the government should put more emphasis on solving problems especially the price of the compound feed.