Adoption of Improved Animal Husbandry Practices by Dairy Farmers

Transcription

1 INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ANIMAL AND VETERINARY SCIENCES Journal homepage: Adoption of by Dairy Farmers Narendra V. Khode 1, Sudhakar P. Awandkar and Deepali Chauhan 3 1, Assistant Professor, Department of Veterinary, A.H. Extension Education, COVAS, Udgir, India. 3 Scientist, KVK, CSAUAT, Kanpur, India. ORIGINAL ARTICLE *Corresponding Author: Narendra V. Khode khodenarendra@gmail.com Received: 09/01/017 Accepted: 6/01/017 Abstract The present study was conducted in low milk producing area of Maharashtra compared to the western region of the state with the objectives of study personal and socio-economic characteristics of dairy farmers and their impact on Data were collected through personal interview of 160 dairy farmers those possessing at least one dairy animal from randomly selected six villages of Udgir block. Study reported that majority of the respondents (38.13%) has medium level of The statistical analysis of the data revealed that the adoption of improved animal husbandry practices were significantly influenced by education, land holding size, land use pattern, dairy herd size, utilization of communication sources and knowledge level of dairy farmers. Keywords: Adoption, Improved animal husbandry practices, Dairy farmers. 1. Introduction Dairying is well known to agriculture system and forms an integral part of rural economy. It is a potential source of gainful employment creating additional income to rural poor, particularly landless farm laborers, small and marginal farmers who are resource deficit. Dairying has provided a strong support to Indian farmers (Shinde et al., 1996). Milk production contributes a major share of livestock production and is only next to rice with regard to contribution to agriculture production (Das et al., 004). India rank first in milk production with about 11.8 million tones in 011 with per capita availability of 81 gms per day. However, the productivity of Indian cattle (995 kg per annum) is very meager as compared to Netherlands (68 kg), U.K. (5308 kg), U.S.A. (795 kg) and 4947 kg in Australia (Dairy India, 1997). In India low animal productivity results due to climatic, social, economical factors. India possess enormous bovine wealth, but their per capita production is one of lowest in world due to the reasons that the farmers do not adopt the improved dairy management practices at the desired level (Sharma, 004). Extensive cross breeding and grading up programme resulted in increasing milk yield of the Maharashtra state. Rise in milk yield is reported in few pockets of this state. The area under present study comes under Marathwada region of the Maharashtra state, which is far behind in milk production as compared to the western region of the state. Considering the need of adoption of improved animal husbandry practices the present investigation was undertaken to assess personal, socio-economic attributes of dairy farmers and correlation between personal and socio-economic characteristics with the. Methodology The present study was conducted in randomly selected six villages viz. Dongarshelki, Kodali, Devarjan, Karadkhel, Awalkonda and Kaulkhed from Udgir block of Latur district of Maharashtra state. A total of 160 dairy farmers those possess at least one dairy animal were selected for study by random sampling method. The personal and socio-economic profile of the respondents were categorized based on independent variables viz. age, education, family size, major occupation, land holding, land use pattern, annual income, dairy herd size, daily milk production, social participation, utilization of communication sources, knowledge level, while adoption level as dependent variable. According to working objectives of the study, the structured interview schedule was developed and pre-tested, and data were collected through personal interview method. The data obtained were analyzed as per statistical methods. The significance of relationship

2 Khode et al Adoption of by Dairy Farmers between dependent and independent variables was calculated by t test. 3. Results and Discussion 3.1 Adoption Level of Respondents for The data revealed that majority of the respondents (38.13%) had medium level of adoption of improved animal husbandry practices followed by high (33.1%) and low (8.75%). These finding correlates with the finding of Nataraju and Chennegowda (1984), Singh et al. (1991) and Palanisamy et al. (003). 3. Impact of Personal Characteristics of 3..1 Impact of the Age of Respondents on their Adoption Level of Improved Animal Husbandry Practices Study indicates that age of the dairy farmers in study area has non-significant relationship with their adoption level for improved animal husbandry practices. The results of the present investigation revealed that the maximum respondents (51.5%) were middle aged (31 to 50 years) followed by old (41.5%) and young (7.5%). Non-significant relationship might be due to non-availability of resources and infrastructural facilities to adopt improved animal husbandry practices at local level. In addition to this traditional dairy management practices also might be dominant over the laborious nature of improved animal husbandry practices. These finding are in line with the finding of Saini et al. (1977) and Shrivastava et al. (1985). 3.. Impact of the Education of Respondents on Education of the dairy farmers indicates highly significant relationship with their adoption of improved animal husbandry practices. Majority of the respondents (40%) studied up-to the 5 th to 10 th standard followed by higher secondary or above (6.87%), illiterate (4.38%) and primary education (8.75%). It is seen that the educational status of dairy farmers is increasing; the adoption of improved animal husbandry practices is also increased. It might be due to better understanding of dairy farmers about the importance of improved animal husbandry practices in dairy farming for increasing production. Similar finding was reported by Sheoran (000) and Shinde (1998) Impact of the Family Size of Respondents on It indicates non-significant relationship between family size of the dairy farmers and their adoption level for improved animal husbandry practices. Majority of the respondents (51.87%) had medium family size followed by small (40.00%) and large (8.13%). It might be due to low educational status of family members of most of the dairy farmers, which restricted them to adopt improved animal husbandry practices at high level. This finding is in line with the finding of Nataraju and Chennegowda (1987). 3.3 Impact of Socio-Economic Characteristics of Impact of the Social Participation of It indicates non-significant relationship between social participation of dairy farmers in study area and the adoption level of improved animal husbandry practices. The majority of respondents (63.75%) had no social participation followed by participation in one organization (7.50%) and 8.75 percent dairy farmers participated in more than one organization. Nonsignificant relationship might be due to the organization may not emphasize or provide learning about dairy farming to the participant dairy farmers. This finding is supported by the finding of Sohi and Kherde (1980) Impact of the Occupation of Respondents on The major occupation of dairy farmers under study area indicates non-significant relationship with Majority of the respondents (87.50%) had agriculture as major occupation followed by daily wages (10.00%), dairy farming (1.5%) and government service (1.5%). Non-significant relationship might be due to non economic orientation of respondents towards dairy farming Impact of the Land Holding of Respondents on Land holding of the respondents shows highly significant relationship with adoption of improved animal husbandry practices. Most of the respondents

3 Khode et al Adoption of by Dairy Farmers Table 1: Correlation between adoption level of respondents with personal and socio-economic characteristics Sr. No. Personal and Socio-economic characteristics M 1 Age Young (30 years and below) Middle (31 years to 50 years) Old (51 years and above) Education Illiterate Primary 5 th to 10 th std. 11 th and above 3 Family size Small (5 and below members) Medium (6 to 13 members) Big (14 and above members) 4 Social participation Low (No membership in organization) Medium (Member in one organization) High (Member in more than one organization) 5 Occupation Agriculture Dairy farming Daily wages Govt. service 6 Land holding size Landless Marginal (.5 acres and below) Small (Above.5 to 5 acres) Medium (5.1 to 10 acres) Big (Above 10 acres) 7 Land use pattern Irrigated land Rainfed land Landless 8 Annual income Low (Up to Rs. 40,000) Medium (Rs. 40,001 to 1,0,000) High (Above Rs. 1,0,000) 9 Dairy herd size Very small (1 dairy animals) Small ( dairy animals) Lower medium (3-5 dairy animals) Upper medium (6-10dairy animals) Large (Above 10 dairy animals) 10 Daily milk production Low (Up to litres) Medium (.1 to 5 litres) High (5.1 and above) 11 Utilization of communication sources Low (8 and below) Medium (9 to 15) High (16 and above) 1 Knowledge level Low (Up to 9 score) Medium (10 to 13 score) High (14 and above) *Correlation is significant at the 0.05 level of probability. No. of respondents Percent N= Correlation (t value) * *.156* * * 6.098* 3

4 Khode et al Adoption of by Dairy Farmers (35.00%) were hold land above 10 acres followed by small (.50%), medium (0.6%) and marginal (11.5%) farmer. The number of land less dairy farmers (10.63%) was also found significant in study area. Significant relationship might be because of availability resources viz. fodder, labour, capital etc. backed by input services which supports their risk bearing abilities. This finding is in line with the finding of Verma and Tyagi (1993) Impact of the Land use Pattern of Land use pattern indicates highly significant relationship with adoption of improved animal husbandry practices by dairy farmers under study area. It revealed that the agricultural crops of majority of the respondents (59.37%) dependent upon rainfall. However 30 percent respondents had artificial irrigation facilities and percent dairy farmers did not possess agricultural land. Significant relationship might be because of assurance of income from agricultural crop, availability of crop residues, and other resources, which encourage dairy farmers for Impact of the Annual Income of Respondents on Annual income from all sources indicates nonsignificant relation with adoption of improved animal husbandry practices. Majority of the respondents (46.87%) belonged to low income (below Rs ) followed by medium (34.37 %) and high (18.75 %) income. It might be due to dairy farmers unfavorable attitude and value towards dairy enterprise. They might be rearing dairy herd traditionally without economic orientation Impact of the Dairy Herd Size of Respondents on Study shows significant relationship between dairy herd size and adoption of improved animal husbandry practices by dairy farmers. Majority of the respondents (35.63%) had lower medium herd size followed by small (34.37%), very small (18.75%), upper medium (8.13%), and large (3.1%). Significant relationship might be due to economic motivation ascribed due to sizeable quantum of milk yield by rearing of large dairy herd. This findings correlate with the finding of Shinde et al. (1998) Impact of the Daily Milk Production of Daily milk production indicates non-significant relation with adoption of improved animal husbandry practices by dairy farmers. Majority of the respondents (51.5%) had low milk production followed by medium (7.5%), whereas 1.5 percent respondents produces daily milk production more than 5 litres. Non-significant relationship might be due to traditional approach of respondents towards dairy farming. Similar finding were reported by Shirsat et al. (1993) Impact of the Utilization of Communication Sources of Respondents on their Adoption Level of Study reveals highly significant relationship between utilization of communication sources by respondents with adoption of improved animal husbandry practices. Most of the respondents (35.6%) belonged to medium category followed by low (3.50%) and high (31.88%). Significant relationship might be due to regular contact of dairy farmers with extension agencies and other communication sources. The finding correlates with the finding of Shinde et al. (1998) Impact of the Knowledge Level of Knowledge level of respondents about animal husbandry practices indicates highly significant relationship with adoption of improved animal husbandry practices. Majority of the respondents had medium (56.5%) knowledge level followed by high (30.00%) and low (13.75%). It might because of respondents possess good knowledge about animal husbandry practices, which result in increased level of adoption. Similar finding were reported by Nataraju and Chennegowda (1987), Singh et al. (1993), Palanisamy et al. (003). 4. Conclusion It can be concluded that majority of the respondents (38.13%) has medium level of adoption of improved animal husbandry practices. The statistical analysis of the data revealed that the adoption of improved animal husbandry practices were significantly influenced by education, land holding size, land use pattern, dairy herd size, utilization of communication sources and knowledge level of dairy farmers. Thus, extension agencies needs to intensively organize trainings, method demonstrations, exhibitions, group discussions, field tour etc. to increase adoption of improved animal husbandry 4

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