Source material

The data set for the Hhohho Region, from which data have been selected for analysis for this case study, is held in Breedsurv - a computer data capture and storage system designed and written in Microsoft Access 2000 by ILRI specifically for SADC Livestock Breed Surveys (Rowlands et al. 2003). The system was designed so that data entry screens match as closely as possible the formats of the questionnaires. It also contains a number of data validation checks to limit entry of erroneous data.

Data were collected on the homestead, on the production system, on the different breeds of animals kept, their ages and sex, on aspects of animal health, animal movements, and so on. 

For the purpose of this case study, however, only a proportion of the data recorded in relation to cattle production systems is used to demonstrate methods of analysis. These are those recorded on Page 2c of the questionnaire CS11Quest2; the remaining data are recorded on Page 3c CS11Quest3. Cattle production system data are stored in a Breedsurv table called PRODCAT. This table is linked to the HOUSEHOLD table, which contains data from the title page of the questionnaire and from Page 1c CS11Quest1 which gives general information recorded on the household (homestead).

Sub-region, dip-tank area and homestead number appear in the data base as Ward, Village and Hhold, respectively. This was to provide 'generic' names that could be used across the majority of SADC countries. These are defined as index or key variables to provide the link between the Microsoft Access HOUSEHOLD and the PRODCAT tables.