ADOPTION OF CATTLE REARING PRACTICES BY DAIRY CATTLE OWNERS IN LATUR DISTRICT.

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1 J. Dairying, Foods & H.S., 28 (3/4) : , 2009 AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH COMMUNICATION CENTRE / indianjournals.com ADOPTION OF CATTLE REARING PRACTICES BY DAIRY CATTLE OWNERS IN LATUR DISTRICT. J.V. Mande and B.M. Thombre Department of Extension Education, College of Agriculture, Latur , India. ABSTRACT The present investigation was undertaken to study the adoption of cattle rearing practices by dairy cattle owners. The sample of 60 respondents was selected for present study per cent of the respondents were between 36 and 50 years with per cent had primary school education and per cent of the respondents were having nuclear type of family per cent of the respondents were semi medium farmers (2.01 to 4.0 hectares land) and per cent of the respondents depend on agriculture. It was noticed from the study that per cent of the respondents were having annual income ranging from Rs. 36,001 to 60,000/-. Regarding breed wise livestock population is concerned that per cent respondents possessed Deoni breed followed by Red Khandari (43.33 %), non descriptive cattle (33.33 %) and Marathwadi buffalo (10.00 %). It was observed from study that, maximum score was obtained for adoption of cattle breeds of the region (90) followed by rearing of improved cattle breeds (65), adoption of types of cattle breeding (64), appropriate age of cow for breeding (53) and selection of bull for breeding (45) as adoption of breeding practices by the dairy cattle owners. It was also observed that the category wise adoption index was presented in which feeding practices for cow possessed more adoption index (57.36) followed by feeding practices for newly born calf (54.83), breeding practices (52.83) and health care practices (40.20). The overall adoption index was Key words : Adoption, Cattle rearing. INTRODUCTION Maharashtra State ranks fifth in milk production per annum. The present production of milk in Maharashtra State is around million tonnes per year, while the per capita availability is 171 grams per day. The milk production is increasing at a faster rate in the state. This increase is the result of extensive cross-breeding and grading up programmes undertaken in dairy animals. Animal husbandry plays a very important part in agriculture in Maharashtra. Cattle rearing for milk and milk products, leather and flesh are important occupations for most of the people living in the state. Since animal husbandry is included in the state list, the responsibility of taking care of the cattle is of the staate. The Department of Animal Husbandry has taken the responsibility of advising the people about taking care and treatment of the sick cattle. Apart from that there are cattle breeding farms in the ditricts and the talukas under the districts. Considering the important role of livestock in the economy of the nation, the preservation and improvement of the germplasm of dairy cattle have been taken-up by the government as livestock development activity. Therefore, the present investigation was undertaken to study the adoption of cattle rearing practices by dairy cattle owners with following specific objectives. 1. To know the socio-personal and economic characteristics of dairy cattle owners. 2. To study the extent of adoption of cattle rearing practices by the dairy cattle owners. 3. To identify the problems of dairy cattle owners in rearing the cattle.

2 MATERIAL AND METHODS Two talukas namely Renapur and Udgir were selected from Latur district of Marathwada region. From each taluka three villages namely Patharwadi, Saigaon and Vhatti from Renapur and Dawangaon, Lohara and Sekhapur from Udgir were selected. Ten dairy cattle owners were randomly selected from each of the village. Thus a sample of 60 respondents was selected for present study. The data were collected personally with the help of structured schedule in which 20 practices related to adoption of dairy cattle were filled up. Two score were given to full adoption, one score given to partial adoption and zero score were given to nil adoption. Thus total score for each practice were calculated. Accordingly the category wise adoption index were calculated and finally overall adoption index was drawn. Adoption index was drawn on the basis of obtained score divided by maximum possible score and multiplied by hundred. The problems in adoption of cattle rearing practices by dairy cattle owner were observed for the study. The data were analysed with the help of frequency, percentage and rank orders. Table 1. Distribution of the respondents according to their socio-personal characteristics Sr. Characteristics Number Percent No. A) Age 1. Young (up to 35 years) Middle (36 to 50 years) Old (above 50 years) B) Education 1. Illiterate Primary schools Secondary schools High schools Collegiate C) Family members 1. Small family (up to 5) Medium family (6-10) Big family (more than 10) D) Family type 1. Nuclear family Joint family Vol. 28, No. 3/4, RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 1. Socio-personal charcteristics of the cattle owners : It is observed from Table1 that per cent of the respondents were between 36 and 50 years of age. While per cent had primary school education. As far as family members were concerned per cent, had medium family (6 to 10 members) with per cent of the respondents were having nuclear type of family. 2. Economic characteristics of the cattle owners : It was noted from Table 2, that per cent of the respondents were semi medium farmers Table 2. Distribution of the respondents according to their economic characteristics Sr. Characteristics Number Percent No. A) Land Holding 1. Marginal (up to 1 hectare) Small (1.01 to 2 hectares) Semi medium (2.01 to 4 hectares) 4. Medium (4.01 to 10 hectares) Big (above 10 hectares) B) Occupation 1. Agriculture + Labour Agriculture Agriculture + Business C) Annual Income 1. Low income (up to Rs. 36,000/-) 2. Medium income (Rs /- to 60000/-) 3. High income (above Rs /-) D) Size of herd 1. Small (up to 4) Medium (5 to 10) Big (above 10) E) Breed wise livestock population 1. Deoni Red Khandari Cross breed Non descriptive Marathwadi buffalo Non descriptive buffalo

3 178 J. DAIRYING, FOODS & H.S. (2.01 to 4.0 hectares land). As far as occupation is concerned, it was observed that about per cent of the respondents depend on agriculture. It was noticed from the same table that per cent of the respondents were having annual income ranging from Rs. 36,001 to 60,000/-. As far as heard size per cent of the respondents possess small heard size (up to 4 cattle). Regarding breed wise livestock population was concerned that per cent respondents possessed Deoni breed followed by Red Khandari (43.33%), non descriptive cattle (33.33%) and Marathwadi buffalo (10.00%). Findings are matching with Shreeshailja and Veerbhadra (1993). 3. Information sources used by the cattle owners : It was noticed from Table 3, that television possessed higher score (103) followed by progressive farmer (83), cattle chows (76), publications (56), Radio (43) and Live stock development officer (36) as the use of sources of information by dairy cattle owners. 4. Adoption of breeding practices by cattle owners : It was observed from Table 4 that, adoption of cattle breeds of the region (90) followed by rearing of improved cattle breeds (65), adoption of types of cattle breeding methods (64), appropriate age of cow for breeding (53) and selection of bull for breeding (45) were the major breeding practices adopted by the dairy cattle owners. These results are similar to that of Shinde (2002). 5. Adoption of feeding practices for cow by cattle owners : The adoption of feeding practices for cow was calculated and is presented in Table 5. The results revealed that care of cow after parturition Table 3. Use of sources of information by dairy cattle owners. Source of information Use Total score Rank order Always Sometime Never T.V I Radio VI Publications IV Cattle shows III Progressive farmer II L.D.O V Gramsevak VII Table 4. Adoption of breeding practices for dairy cattle. Breeding practice Adoption Total score Rank order Rearing of improved cattle breed II Adoption of cattle breeds of the region I Appropriate age of cow for breeding IV Types of cattle breeding adopted III Selection of bull for breeding V Table 5. Adoption of feeding practices for cow. Feeding practice Adoption Total score Rank order Adoption of improved practices during pregnancy II Care of cow after parturition I Quantity of green fodder daily given to cow IV Quantity of dry fodder daily given to cow III Balanced diet given to cow V Nutritious feed daily given to cow VI

4 Vol. 28, No. 3/4, Table 6. Adoption of feeding practices for newly born calf. Feeding practice Adoption Total score Rank order Feeding of colestrum to newly born calf I Time of colestrum feeding after birth of calf IV Quantity of colestrum feeding II Colestrum feeding up to 5 days III Feeding of fodder to calf V Table 7. Adoption of health care practices by dairy cattle owners. Health care practice Adoption Total score Rank order Naval cord treatment III Adoption for prevention from parasites I Disease management in cattle IV Prevention of different cattle diseases II possess higher score (95) followed by adoption of improved practices during pregnancy (84), quantity of dry fodder daily given to cow (63), quantity of green fodder daily given to cow (63), balanced diet given to cow (56) and nutritious feed daily given to cow (52). 6. Adoption of feeding practices for newly born calf by cattle owners : It was observed from Table 6 that higher score (97) possessed by the practice i.e. feeding of colestrum to newly born calf followed by quantity of colestrum feeding (75), colestrum feeding to calf after 5 days (73), time of colestrum feeding after birth of calf (45), feeding of fodder to calf (39) in order of total score. 7. Adoption of healthcare practices dairy cattle owners : Data related to health care practices adopted by the dairy cattle owners are presented in Table 7. This data showed that adoption of practices for prevention from parasites posses higher score (62) followed by prevention of different cattle diseases (49), Naval cord treatment (45) and disease management in cattle (37). 8. Adoption of management practices dairy cattle owners : Category wise adoption index was presented in Table 8. It is evident from Table that feeding practices for cow possessed more adoption index. Table 8. Category wise adoption of management practices. Management Maximum Obtained Adoption practice possible score index score Breeding practices Feeding practices for cow Feeding practices for newly born calf Health care practices Overall Adoption Problems of the cattle owners in rearing dairy cattle : It was observed from Table 9 that high prices of concentrates (85.00%), inadequate and untimely loan availability from the bank (68.33%), low rate of milk in the market (65.00%), lack of green fodder (61.67%), unavailability of veterinary services in the village (48.33%), defunctioning of milk co-operative societies (43.33%), lack of scientific knowledge about rearing of dairy cattle (38.33%), costly veterinary services (30.00%) were some of the problems expressed by the respondents in adoption of dairy cattle rearing practices. Findings are similar to Patil, U. N. (2003). CONCLUSIONS 1. Majority of respondents were middle aged, have a primary school education, nuclear

5 180 J. DAIRYING, FOODS & H.S. Table 9. Problems of the cattle owners in rearing dairy cattle. Problem No. Per cent Rank High prices of concentrate I Lack of green fodder IV Defunctioning of milk co-operative societies VI Low market price of milk III Inadequate and untimely loan supply from the bank II Non availability veterinary services in the village VII Costly Veterinary services VIII Lack of Scientific knowledge about rearing of dairy cattle V Inadequacy of labour X Non-availability of government schemes for dairy cattle IX type of family with medium family size, medium land holders and having agriculture as main occupation. 2. Majority of cattle owners having Deoni breed and followed adoption of cattle breeds of the region as a breeding practice. 3. Feeding practices for cow possessed maximum adoption index followed by feeding practicesl for newly born calf. 4. High prices of concentrate, inadequate and untimely loan supply from bank and low market price to milk were the top three problems expressed by the respondents. REFERENCES Patil, U.N. (2003). M.Sc. (Agri.) Thesis, Marathwada Agricultural University Parbhani. Shinde, G.B. (2002). M.Sc. (Agri.) Thesis, Marathwada Agricultural University Parbhani. Shreeshailja, K.T. and Veerbhadra, V. (1993). Dairy Guide, 15(10-12):28.