A study on knowledge and technology transfer in the livestock industrial clusters and resilience of cattle-raising regions

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K01183
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 04020:Human geography-related
• Research Institution: Utsunomiya University
• Principal Investigator: Matsumura Keiko 宇都宮大学, 共同教育学部, 教授 (60291291)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 栃木県 / 和牛子牛 / 集団的学習 / 受精卵移植 / レジリエンス / 福島県 / 原子力災害 / 経営再開

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study investigates the relationship between the knowledge and technology　transfer based on strategic collaboration among actors and regional resilience in beef cattle farming in Tochigi and Fukushima Prefectures. Japanese black cattle breeding in Tochigi is characterized by a higher ratio of calves born through embryo transfer. “The study meeting of Tochigi Wagyu” has taken the lead in promoting the dissemination of embryo transfer technology and strengthening calf reproduction through collaboration with dairy farming. In recent years, the market share of ET calves produced in large-scale corporate farming has been increasing.
On the other hand, in Iitate Village, affected by the nuclear disaster, beef cattle farming has resumed since 2017. While collaborative efforts regarding forage procurement between beef cattle farmers and cultivating farmers have been promoted, there have been no collaborative initiatives focusing on the quality development of calves and fattening cattle.

Free Research Field

農業地理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

和牛肉はアジア諸国の富裕層向けの輸出拡大が期待される。一方で経営者の高齢化や、突発的な災害という阻害要因に対し、世代間の技術継承が適切になされなければ、家族経営にもとづく和牛肉生産は衰退の一途をたどる。本研究が取り上げた、多様なアクターを結びつける集団的学習は、世代を超えた自己研鑽と経営改善のための情報収集の場として機能し、産地のレベルアップと後継者育成に有効であることを示している。また、本研究で明らかにした、家族経営農家の子牛の血統構成および繁殖方法に関する選択は、今後の大規模企業経営に対する研究結果と合わせて、生産効率化と商品性実現の両立についての有用な示唆を与えている。