In general, fattening farms repeat the same routines daily, but some produce better quality beef than others do. This study specifically examined the behavior and ideas of these farmers and investigated details of their farm work and activities other than farming. Results show the following. Technology develops from a combination of the daily routine and irregular work. Important effects of cleaning tasks were evident as part of daily work management and litter replacement as part of irregular work management. Whether or not these tasks are emphasized can engender differences in product quality. Among the environmental factors, cattle physical management and breeding conditions strongly affect product quality. Significant factors affecting the independence of farmers include motivation for farming, voluntary acts of administering medications independently of a veterinarian, and appetite for knowledge, as evidenced by activities such as reading technical journals. These findings suggest that, in fattening farm management, higher product quality can be achieved by raising motivation for farming and by the active acquisition of technical knowledge, and by improving cattle environments through better cowsheds, breeding, and other conditions.
View full abstract