ABSTRACT


Francisco Fernández M.1 y Rodolfo Reimann H.2
 
Adoption of an Artificial Insemination System (A.I.S.) by 99 dairy farmers of Máfil Country in the province of Valdivia was studied. This study included two consecutive periods, the 1970-1971 reproductive period and the 1971-1972 one. Three groups of farmers were considered according to the practice adopted: (1) Those who used the A.I.S. during the two periods studied (Adopters, 14%); (2) Those who used it once, but quitted (Retractors, 15%), and (3) Those who never used the A.I.S. (Non adopters, 71%). The analysis of some socio-economic characteristics of the three groups, determined that Adopters owned the largest farms, the largest number of cows, had high educational and economic levels and most of them had german background. All of them participated in some formal organization and had high scores in technical agricultural reading and dairy technology adoption indexes.
Non Adopters were clearly different from Adopters. Age and social participation were the only characteristics were differences were not so striking. Retractors were closer to Adopters than to Non Adopters, ranking in an intermediate position in relation to the size of the herd, educational level, ethnic background and age. Retraction phenomenon is discussed because of the importance it may have in the diffusion of agricultural and livestock technology in Chile. The reasons given by Non Adopters and Retractors for not using the A. I.S. are analysed.
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1Licenciado en Sociología, M.A. Profesor de Sociología Rural, Facultad de Filosofía y Ciencias Sociales, Universidad Austral de Chile.
2Médico Veterinario, Divulgador Estación Experimental Carillanca, INIA. Profesor de Estación, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria, Universidad Austral de Chile.