A Study of Spatial Distribution and an Assessment of the Utilization of Livestock Producer Units from Veterinary Services, in Karaj County

Development along with improvement of sanitary and veterinary services are needed for production of protein acious food substances and reducing of domestic loss. This is important in food security in a society. This needs systematic planning for delivering proper services to livestock producer units as well as proper spatial distribution of veterinary services. The purposes of this study were a realization of spatial distribution of industrialized and semi-industrialized animal husbandries and a cognition of spatial distribution of private and public veterinary services that provide the possibility of utilization of livestock producer units from these veterinary services. The population for this study consisted of 83 villages, 50 semi-industrialized animal husbandries along with 43 industrialized animal husbandries in Karaj County. By use of Arc View GIS 3/2a software, the spatial distribution maps of livestock producer units with their number of sheep and cow diagrams, veterinary unit as well as other veterinaries in the basic map were pinpointed. Distribution of veterinary units showed that 55% of the units were located in villages and 45% of them were in industrialized and in semi industrialized animal husbandry vicinities. Also for private veterinary livestock units – veterinarian to cattle ratio was 743 (world standard: 12500). This ratio shows that there is a surplus of private veterinarians in the county of Karaj. The tool used in the study was a questionnaire. The samples of the study were defined by Cochran formula related to 30 villages, 20 semi-industrialized, and 20 industrialized animal husbandries in the Karaj County. Cumulated data were analyzed through SPSS software. The findings revealed that traditional animal husbandries are significantly (5% and 1%) different from both industrialized & semi-industrialized animal husbandries in access to public and private services. Also there is a significant and negative correlation between the utilization of veterinary services and distance of animal husbandry to private veterinaries. Also there exists a significant and positive correlation between animal loss and distance of animal husbandries from public & private veterinary centers (5% level).