@conference {3672,
	title = {Analysing hidden patterns of farmers{\textquoteright} preferences for farm performance characteristics that may be related to tail-docking practice decisions},
	booktitle = {Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	volume = {75},
	year = {2015},
	month = {07/2015},
	pages = {205-209},
	address = {Dunedin},
	abstract = { We investigated how multivariate statistics can be used to determine the different patterns of preferences that may exist within a
farmer population. As a case study, we used adaptive conjoint analysis to analyse farmers{\textquoteright} preferences for nine farm performance
characteristics that may be related to tail docking practice decisions. As expected, at the whole population level, farmers{\textquoteright}
preferences for these traits were found to be highly heterogeneous, with only the most important issues and least important issues
being able to be statistically differentiated. Using Cluster Analysis and Principal Components Analysis we found some hidden
relationships and identified the existence of four groups of farmers that had greater preferences for different characteristics; group
one preferred having less dags and less costs associated with dagging and crutching, group two preferred to reduce euthanasia
from uterine prolapse and rectal prolapse, group three preferred to avoid stressing lambs at the time of docking and group four
preferred to have less fly-strike and greater weaning weights. We discuss how the use of multivariate statistics allowed a deeper
interpretation of preference studies in a context of importance to NZ farmers.},
	issn = {1176-5283},
	author = {Martin-Collado D and Byrne TK and Amer PR and Behrent MJ and Maclennan G and Kerslake JI}
}
@conference {3672,
	title = {The reasons farmers choose to dock lamb tails to certain lengths, or leave them intact},
	booktitle = {Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	volume = {75},
	year = {2015},
	month = {07/2015},
	pages = {210-214},
	address = {Dunedin},
	abstract = { Compared to a survey carried out in 2005, New Zealand farmers appear to be docking fewer lamb tails flush (6\% vs. 22\%) and
docking a greater number of lamb tails at 4-7 cm length (32\% vs. 16\%). The main reasons for docking were to minimize fly strike
risk, reduce accumulation of dags and keep the crutching costs down. Farmers who docked lamb tails to a shorter length (3-4
cm) gave significantly (P<0.05) more importance to minimizing fly-strike, reducing the likelihood of dags and reducing the cost
of crutching than any other reason. Farmers who docked lamb tails at a longer length (4-7 cm) gave significantly (P<0.05) more
importance to meeting the processor requirements, minimizing euthanasia from uterine prolapse and minimizing fly-strike risk
than any other reason. When farm performance characteristics, that may influence decisions relating to tail docking practices, were
prioritised by farmers, preferences for minimizing deaths from fly-strike, improving weaning weight and making more money
from the processor were greater than having fewer dag events, less euthanasia from rectal prolapses and less stress for the lamb at
docking. These preferences did not differ among farmers that dock tails at different lengths or leave them intact.},
	issn = {1176-5283},
	author = {Kerslake JI and Bryne TJ and Behrent MJ and Maclennan G and Martin-Collado D}
}
