The Asian Journal of Animal Science

Rachna ¹, Gautam ², Anika Malik ², S. S. Sangwan ², Kamaldeep ³, Richa Khirbat ⁴

Affiliations
1 Department of Dairy Business Management, College of Dairy Science and Technology, Lala Lajput Rai University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Hisar (Haryana), IN
2 Department of Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Extension Education, College of Veterinary Sciences, Lala Lajput Rai University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Hisar (Haryana), IN
3 Department of Animal Genetics and Breeding, College of Veterinary Sciences, Lala Lajput Rai University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Hisar (Haryana), IN
4 Institute of Para Veterinary Sciences, Lala Lajput Rai University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Hisar (Haryana), IN

Abstract

The success story of Indian milk production has been written primarily by millions of rural producers and perhaps the major share of credit goes to women dairy farmers. Women are major contributors in the agricultural economy, but face various constraints that limit them from achieving optimal livestock production and agricultural development. The study was conducted in Hisar district of Haryana state to document the constraints affecting the growth of mixed dairy farming systems. The respondents for the study comprised of 60 women engaged in mixed dairy farming. The constraints perceived by the respondents were divided into six main areas viz., general, feeding, economic, management, health care and breeding. Management and feeding constraints were perceived as most serious. Constraints like, ‘high cost of animal feeds and fodders’ ‘fragmentation of land holdings’, ‘high losses due to animal diseases’ were rated as most serious by the respondents. On the other hand they were least bothered about constraints like ‘non- availability of veterinary hospital in the village’, ‘vaccination facilities are not timely available’, ‘ far away location of veterinary hospital is a problem’, non- availability of veterinary surgeons’ and ‘lack of storage facility for dairy products’. Age, social participation, extension contact and mass media exposure were significantly and positively associated with constraint perception. Education, land holding, and risk orientation were negatively but insignificantly related to the constraint perception. Further studies in areas of market incentives and opportunities, diseases and animals, extension services and quality delivery, gender role and information seeking behaviour are advised.

Keywords

Mixed Dairy Farming System, Women, Constraints, Livestock, Dairying.

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Rachna ¹, Gautam ², Anika Malik ², S. S. Sangwan ², Richa Khirbat ³, Kamaldeep ⁴

Affiliations
1 Department of Dairy Business Management, College of Dairy Science and Technology, Lala Lajput Rai University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Hisar (Haryana), IN
2 Department of Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Extension Education, College of Veterinary Sciences, Lala Lajput Rai University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Hisar (Haryana), IN
3 Institute of Para Veterinary Sciences, Lala Lajput Rai University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Hisar (Haryana), IN
4 Department of Animal Genetics and Breeding, College of Veterinary Sciences, Lala Lajput Rai University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Hisar (Haryana), IN

Abstract

Among the different forms of livestock farming, dairying is considered as a “treasure” of the Indian rural economy. For the design and implementation of support programmes to promote dairy farming for rural development and for adoption of new technologies in dairy, profile of the dairy farmers is an important factor in developing countries like India. By considering this aspect the study was undertaken in Hisar district of Haryana. Among the 60 dairy farmers 73.3 per cent of respondents were middle aged with mean age of about 43 years. The respondents had fairly good formal education with mean value of 4.23 which indicates that majority (96.6%) of dairy farmers were literate. Family structure of dairy farmers was 65.0 per cent of the respondents belonged to joint families and 35.0 per cent to nuclear families. The family land holding ranged from 1 to 6 acres with a mean 2.60 acres. 43.3 per cent of the respondents preferred to have a herd size of 3-5 dairy animals. The respondents in general had poor social participation with mean value as low as 0.16. Further, majority of the respondents had low level of extension contact with mean value of 2.23. Mass media exposure of dairy farmers was also low with mean value of 2.65 which indicates majority (73.3%) of dairy farmers had low level of mass media exposure. However, economic motivation of dairy farmer was fairly high with mean value of 22.56. The dairy farmers in general had medium risk orientation with mean value 18.28.

Keywords

Dairy Farmers, Socio-Economic Profile, Dairying, Rural Development, Livestock Farming.

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Rakesh Ahuja ¹, S. P. Singh ¹, S. S. Sangwan ¹, Gautam ¹, Anika Malik ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Extension Education, College of Veterinary Sciences, Lala Lajput Rai University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Hisar (Haryana), IN

Abstract

Dairy enterprise could play a more constructive role in promoting rural welfare and reducing poverty by generating employment at farm level is increasingly being recognized. The present study was conducted on 160 dairy farmers selected from 12 villages of Hisar and Jind districts of Haryana to assess the self-confidence among dairy entrepreneurs about animal husbandry practices. Self-confidence was measured by using innovative scale which consisted of five practices in respect of the dairy management. The respondents were grouped into three categories namely low, medium and high level of self-confidence using mean and one standard deviation. The data were collected through pre-tested structured interview schedule by holding personal interview with the dairy farmers during 2014-15. The overall analysis revealed that 36.88 per cent of dairy farmers had medium level of self-confidence while 33.1 per cent and 30 per cent of dairy farmers were having low and high level of self-confidence, respectively. It is evident from the correlation analysis that educational qualification, size of land holding, annual income, caste, dairy farming experience, extension contact, social participation, mass media exposure, economic motivation, scientific orientation, attitude towards dairy farming and market orientation showed positive and significant relationship (P<1) with self-confidence of dairy farmers while age also having significant but negative correlation with self-confidence of dairy farmers. The negative correlation of age with self-confidence of dairy farmers may be attributed to the reason that with the advancing age farmers become more inclined towards traditional practices due to lack of energy, change proneness, decision making ability and progressive attitude. Almost similar results were also seen in case of small, medium and large categories of farmers. Further, regression analysis revealed that two independent variables namely, caste and economic motivation were found to have positive and significant values of ‘t’ for ‘b’. The multiple co-efficient determinant (R²) further implies that all the thirteen variables had together explained 91.25 per cent of variation towards self-confidence of dairy farmers.

Keywords

Self-Confidence, Economic Motivation, Scientific Orientation, Dairy Farmers.

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Rachna ¹, Gautam ², Anika Malik ², S. S. Sangwan ²

Affiliations
1 Department of Dairy Business Management, College of Dairy Science anf Technology, Lala Lajput Rai University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Hisar (Haryana), IN
2 Department of Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Extension Education, College of Veterinary Sciences, Lala Lajput Rai University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Hisar (Haryana), IN

Abstract

The future growth of agricultural production systems (including dairy) is likely to be knowledge intensive. Therefore, a continued support in the form of increasingly improved production technology will prove crucial to achieve higher productivity. Such support is possible only if sustained and focused efforts are made on research and development front. It is only logical to suggest here that a realistic appreciation of the constraints affecting the production systems on part of scientists will be vital to the development of improved technology. Ascertaining the constraint perception of the scientists about the factors affecting the growth of mixed dairy farming systems will be helpful in streamlining the research and development efforts. The study was conducted in Hisar district of Haryana state to document the constraints affecting the growth of mixed dairy farming systems. Thirty scientists working in the College of Veterinary Sciences, Lala Lajpat Rai University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Hisar were selected randomly by simple random sampling. Constraints like ‘young generation does not like animal husbandry related work’, ‘non-availability of pasture and fellow land’, ‘non-availability of green fodder’, ‘farmers lack of knowledge about improved animal husbandry practices’, ‘high cost of animal feeds’, etc were perceived as most serious by the scientists. On the other hand, items like ‘there is perception that animals cause diseases’, ‘changing milk consumption patterns’, ‘more time is required for agriculture leaving less for animal husbandry’, ‘lack of market for dairy products’ etc. were perceived as least serious.

Keywords

Constraints Affecting Growth, Dairying under Mixed Farming Systems.

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