Investment Risk and Problems of Beef Cattle Farmers, Mae Khao Tom Subdistrict, Mueang District, Chiang Rai Province

Abstract

This research aims to study the general conditions, as well as the investment risk and problems of beef cattle farmers, Mae Khao Tom Subdistrict, Mueang District, Chiang Rai Province. Sample group of this study consisted of beef cattle farmers in Mae Khao Tom Subdistrict, Mueang District, Chiang Rai Province. Sample size was determined using Taro Yamane’s formula (1973), at 125 samples. Questionnaire was used as a research instrument. Statistical analysis was conducted by calculating mean and standard deviation. Results show that (1) Majority of respondents were male, with education level of primary school, farming as their profession, family members around 4 people, raising 1-5 cattle, having areas for grassland and raising beef cattle for sale. (2) Data on Beef Cattle Management: majority of the farmers raise the Charolais hybrids, having groundwater wells, and grassland area available within their own farm. They collect rice straws, raising by caged and free ranged, feeding naturally grown grass, corns, and pineapples (3) Most farmers have very low risk, return on investment over 21% (4) Problems of the beef cattle farmers ranking from the highest mean score in each aspect can be described as 4.1) Production – difficulties to breed the female cows and lack of good male bull 4.2) Breeding – the female cow doesn’t show clear sign of being in heat, and difficulties to contact artificial insemination officers 4.3) Officers and lack of farmers co-operation promotion, officers lack of experience, services and promotions were not thorough 4.4) Pricing and Marketing – Prices have been pressured low and lack of middle market 4.5) Epidemic and health – lack of epidemic vaccination, and lack of knowledge on epidemic disease prevention 4.6) Beef cattle feed – lack of rice straw collection, scarcity of grass and crop seeds, and 4.7) Areas and labors for beef cattle farming – lack of public farming area and lack of water source for beef cattle farming.