Development and Validation of a Standardized Knowledge Test for Scientific Swine Management Practices

AbstractThis study describes the development and validation of a standardized knowledge test for scientific swine management practices in India. The test addresses the need for a comprehensive assessment tool in a sector characterized by regional variations and evolving farming systems. The methodology involved compiling an initial list of 110 items covering various aspects of swine management. These were evaluated by experts and assigned relevancy scores. Based on mean relevancy scores, 72 items were selected and administered to 36 farmers. Item difficulty and discrimination indices were calculated, resulting in a final set of 44 items. The final test covers key areas including housing, breeding, feeding, healthcare, biosecurity, and general farm management. It comprises multiple-choice questions, short-answer prompts, and yes/no items. The test demonstrated high reliability with a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.832. Content validity was established through expert evaluation, with an overall Scale Content Validity Index of 0.94. The standardized test can effectively assess farmers’ knowledge of scientific swine management practices across different farming systems and regions in India. This tool has significant implications for research, extension work, and policy-making in the swine sector. It can be employed by stakeholders working to enhance management practices and overall sector performance through targeted knowledge dissemination and capacity building. It enables identification of specific knowledge gaps, facilitating targeted training interventions and evaluation of educational program effectiveness.