The DHS Program User Forum
Discussions regarding The DHS Program data and results
Home » Countries » Other countries » Livestock Ownership
Livestock Ownership [message #15246] Tue, 19 June 2018 10:30 Go to next message
rhuang is currently offline  rhuang
Messages: 12
Registered: April 2017
Member
In the 2010 Burkina Faso data set, the variables for household livestock ownership (hv246a-hv246f) which indicate the number of each category of animals that a household owns. I am wondering what the difference between the following variables:

hv246a: cattle
hv246b: cows

What is the definition of 'cattle' and the definition of 'cows'? Does the category of cattle include only oxen? and does the category of cows include bulls and heifers, or something else entirely? What is the main difference between these two variables, and why are they separate variables?

Thanks,

Rachel
Re: Livestock Ownership [message #15283 is a reply to message #15246] Mon, 25 June 2018 07:50 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Bridgette-DHS is currently offline  Bridgette-DHS
Messages: 3017
Registered: February 2013
Senior Member
Following is a response from Senior DHS Specialist, Kia Reinis:

You have the general idea, and we have two categories just to make sure we capture all the large livestock. Some folks think of cattle including meat animals and cows including milk animals. However, note that the BDHS is not an agricultural survey and the intent of having two questions here is not so much to tease out the differences, but rather, to be certain we capture all the livestock the household has. The data are used as input for assessing socioeconomic status (to calculate the wealth index). For example, if a respondent reported they have 10 cattle, one of which is a milk cow and one of which is a bull, the interviewer would record 2 milk cows/bulls and 8 cattle, for a total of 10.

Also note that the question is one that gets amended for country-specific context. If a country has a particular animal that is commonly held, that animal can be added to the list of animals (for example, some countries may add water buffalo). In the case of Burkina Faso, the categories of cattle and cows are asked as betail and vache laiteres or taureaux.

We appreciate your use of DHS data.
Re: Livestock Ownership [message #15620 is a reply to message #15283] Fri, 24 August 2018 11:11 Go to previous messageGo to next message
rhuang is currently offline  rhuang
Messages: 12
Registered: April 2017
Member
Thank you for that clarification! Just to make sure I am getting this correct, based on your definition the category of "cattle" includes milk cows + bulls owned by a household? Then the category of "cows" would just include the number of milk cows owned by a household in the 2010 Burkina Faso DHS?
Re: Livestock Ownership [message #15708 is a reply to message #15620] Tue, 04 September 2018 08:21 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Bridgette-DHS is currently offline  Bridgette-DHS
Messages: 3017
Registered: February 2013
Senior Member
Following is another response from Senior DHS Specialist, Kia Reinis:

I'm glad you asked for further clarification. No, that is not correct. Your example results in a double counting of milk cows, which we do not do. Every animal gets counted in only one category. A milk cow counted in "milk cows/bulls" will not be counted in "cattle". An animal counted in "cattle" will not be counted in "milk cows/bulls".

Re: Livestock Ownership [message #15710 is a reply to message #15708] Tue, 04 September 2018 10:03 Go to previous message
rhuang is currently offline  rhuang
Messages: 12
Registered: April 2017
Member
Thank you for that clarification. I am mainly concerned with the distinction between the two variables for cows/cattle:cattle (hv246a) and cows (hv246b) for the 2010 Burkina Faso DHS. I now understand that hv246a (cattle) + hv246b (cows)= total number of bovine animals (male and female) a household owns but I was wondering if you could tell me the difference between these two variables? Does the variable for cattle just include beef cattle and bulls (i.e. males)? Does the variable for cows only include milk cows (i.e. females)?
Previous Topic: Peru 2000 Height & Weight for women and children
Next Topic: Zambia: Mother and Father Education and source of water
Goto Forum:
  


Current Time: Fri Mar 29 07:48:30 Coordinated Universal Time 2024