Knowledge, attitude and practice of farmers towards goat mastitis through item response theory approaches

Goat production, which is largely managed by resource-poor farmers, is hindered by limited infrastructure, education, and low awareness of prevalent diseases, management, and cultural perceptions. Goat mastitis is often overlooked due to poor routine diagnostic culture, low farmer awareness, and management-related risk factors. The objectives of the study were to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) levels of herders on mastitis in goats. A cross-sectional study with simple random sampling was conducted in selected districts of northeastern Amhara region, Ethiopia, from September 2024 to May 2025. Data was collected from 275 participants using a semi-structured questionnaire. Among the 275 survey participants, 30.7% reported mastitis incidents. The average scores for knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to mastitis were 47.8%, 69.4%, and 46.2%, respectively. The majority of the respondents did not attend school, and their knowledge about the causes of mastitis, zoonotic diseases, and subclinical mastitis was significantly associated with district and age demographics. In conclusion, herders lacked desirable knowledge and practices, and zoonotic risks related to mastitis. Tailored training on the causes, and the zoonotic risk, control and prevention mastitis was suggested for goat farmers. Furthermore, research on bacterial species and resistance factors identification are recommended.