Summary
Reliable
data on the demographics of animal populations are essential for effective
planning and execution of disease control programmes. To document
the spatial distribution of different swine populations in Minnesota,
the authors evaluated four sources of data from separate entities
that maintain data independently and for different purposes. Although
the total numbers of swine sites (aggregated at the county level)
were significantly correlated among datasets, analysis of spatial
clustering patterns demonstrated regional biases among the datasets.
We used current, field verified data of farm locations in two counties
to identify and quantify inaccuracies in two databases recording individual
farm locations. The proportion of omitted or erroneous farm sites
and the magnitude of positional inaccuracies were sufficient to limit
the utility of available data for analytic purposes or for disease
control efforts. There is a clear need for more current and accurate
demographic data to underpin industry or government initiatives to
control swine disease in Minnesota. Current efforts under the National
Animal Identification System may address this concern.
Keywords
Demographics,
Geographic information system, Minnesota, Spatial data, Swine, United
States of America.
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