Assessment of Dairy Cattle Management System and Uses of Antimicrobials Among Smallholder Farmers in Korogwe District, Tanzania.

Good livestock husbandry practices associated with disease preventive measures contribute to improved production of quality and safe livestock products. Poor livestock management, climatic conditions, and diseases are among the catalysts to inappropriate use of veterinary drugs, particularly antimicrobials, which have significant public health risk. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to evaluate cattle management systems, livestock diseases and preventive measures, and the use of antimicrobials among smallholder dairy cattle farmers (n = 82) and other stakeholders (n = 9). Data were collected using structured questionnaires. Descriptive statistics summarized the data, and analysis was done using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences Version 25.0. Almost 55% of farmers managed their cattle under an intensive/semi-intensive production system and practiced disease control measures by good husbandry practices (63%), vaccination (62%), and applied acaricides (49%). Nine cattle diseases were reported, dominated by vector-borne diseases, particularly trypanosomiasis (59%) and tick-borne diseases (49%). All farmers admitted using antimicrobials that were self-administered (73.2%), and awareness of withdrawal periods was low (45.1%). Significant predictors of antimicrobial use (AMU) included sex of the farmer, production system, and access to training (p < 0.05). AMU was significantly higher among female farmers (odds ratio [OR] = 9.71) and those with access to training (OR = 8.66). Conversely, farmers utilizing extensive grazing systems had 92.1% lower odds of AMU compared to those under intensive/semi-intensive systems (OR = 0.08). Antimicrobial misuse in Korogwe District is driven by socio-demographic factors, production systems, and limited access to training, with low awareness of withdrawal periods increasing the risk of drug residues in milk. Strengthened extension services, improved disease prevention practices, and stricter compliance with withdrawal periods are essential to reduce these risks.