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20101
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Subject: Livestock Production and Management × Author: ANANDA RAO, K × End date: 2010 × Start date: 2010 ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    ANALYSIS OF SHEEP PRODUCTION SYSTEMS OF NORTH COASTAL ZONE OF ANDHRA PRADESH
    (Sri Venkateswara Veterinary University, TIRUPATI – 517 502,A.P, 2010-05) ANANDA RAO, K; SARJAN RAO, K (Major); JAGADEESWARA RAO, S; VENUGOPAL NAIDU, K; RAVI, A
    ABSTRACT : In the present study a detailed survey was conducted to analyse the sheep production systems of North Coastal Zone of Andhra Pradesh. The study was conducted on 960 sheep farmers, 320 each from Srikakulam, Vizianagaram and Visakhapatnam districts using stratified random sampling techniques (3 districts x 2 divisions x 4 mandals x 4 villages x 10 farmers = 960). The socio economic status of sheep farmers revealed that agriculture (69.06%) was main occupation supported by animal husbandry (23.23%), Hindus (95.33%) were the main religion followed by Christians (4.67%) and most of them belongs to backward community (75.31%), followed by scheduled castes (8.96%) other castes (8.65%) and scheduled tribes (7.08%). Majority of the farmers were illiterates belongs to nuclear family type (78.44%) and were in middle age group (53.23%), followed by old age (31.15%). Significant (P<0.01) difference was observed among the above parameters within the districts except for religion, literacy level and age groups. Among the total farmers 31.14 per cent reared cattle, goat and poultry along with sheep flocks whereas 9.37 per cent reared sheep alone. Majority (71.04%) of the farmers had annual income of Rs.1878.92 in the North Coastal Zone. About half (47.29%) of the shepherd 11-10 years of experience in sheep farming. Majority (60.10%) shepherds were marginal farmers and landless farmers were also taken up the sheep farming as main occupation. The mean total land holding (acres) was 1.88±0.08 in the zone. Significant (P<0.01) differences were observed among the above parameters and within districts. The majority of sheep farmers (72.81%) followed stationary along with migratory system. The mean sheep flock size was 67.46±1.07 with a mean sex ratios ram : ewe of 43.81±0.52 and ewe lambs to ram lambs of 1.38:1. The main (33.33%) sources of addition in the flock was farm bred. Significant differences were observed among the above parameters and within the districts. Religion events were ranked first for disposal of breeding rams whereas old age was ranked first for disposal of breeding ewes. Monetary requirements were ranked last for disposal of breeding rams and ewes. The housing practices revealed that sheep were provided penning only during night time (88.75%), and the major housing pattern was penning (79.37%) in kutcha houses (76.14%). Kutcha flooring (84.27%) is prevalent with poor ventilation (93.22%) and sheep manure was stored by open method (88.02%). The manure was used for own farms (55.72%) whereas 13.95 per cent had sold the manure. The frequency of manure sale was yearly once (94.79%). The mean grazing time (hrs) and grazing distance (km) of sheep was 8.48±0.06 and 6.02±0.17 in summer and 6.08±0.05 and 3.78±0.03 in other seasonal period of the year respectively. The water sources for the sheep were tanks / small ponds (57.08%), streams (21.87%) and canals (19.89%). Almost half of the farmers (47.39%) dewormed sheep at every 6 months interval. The sheep were dewormed due to the insistence of Veterinarian (76.35%) and the mean deworming cost (Rs.) per sheep / annum was 5.69±0.18. The sheep flocks were vaccinated mainly against Enterotoxaemia (87.60%) and foot and mouth disease (71.87%). The sheep were marketed by himself and middlemen and the price fixation for live sheep was based on age, sex and physical appearance. The sheep were transported to the marketing point mainly by foot (44.47%) and the mean distance (km) to the marketing point was 12.95±0.05. The mean cost (Rs) of mutton per kg live weight was 107.58±3.20. Significant (P<0.01) differences were observed to above parameters within the districts except manure sale pattern. The major cause of mortality due to specific disease was Blue tongue (52.7%) and non specific disease was respiratory disorder syndrome (51.17%). About half (53.22%) of the sheep farmers sold the carcass for consumption. The major constraints as was perceived by the sheep farmers were in the order of disease attacks followed by shrinkage of grazing lands. The major factors that favoured sheep farming were in the order of revenue from penning, traditional occupation, demand for manure, meat and easy marketability. The values of reproductive performance of the sheep in the North Coastal zone showed the per cent lambing, twinning and weaning were 81.33±0.26, 0.48±0.04 and 85.53±0.16, respectively. The mean age at first mating was 12.85±0.10 and 21.17±0.07 in ewes and rams respectively. The main lambing season was winter (61.97%). The productive performance of the sheep showed that the mean body weight (kg) of ewes and rams at birth was 2.46±0.05 and 2.84±0.06, respectively. The values of mean body weight (kg) at weaning, 6 months, one year and above one year age were 8.96±0.14, 16.05±0.12, 20.39±0.16 and 26.31±0.15 for ewe lambs and 10.10±0.11, 15.48±0.09, 26.01±0.30 and 40.43±0.26, respectively for ram lambs. Significant (P<0.01) differences were observed among the above parameters except lambing seasons and body weight of the rams at one year age group within the districts. The study on the migratory tracts of sheep flocks in the North Coastal zone revealed that are XVI traditional migratory tracts were identified and there were 698 migratory sheep flocks. The major reasons for migration were, lack of feed resources (92.70%), income from penning (89.06%), traditional practice (87.50%), successive drought (84.37%) and lack of water resources (83.33%). The mean duration (days) and distance (km) of migration of the sixteen migratory sheep flocks were 181.25±0.63 and 75.87±0.78 respectively. The major problems during migration included disease outbreaks (85.95%) and lack of veterinary facilities (83.81%). The mean flock size of the stationary flocks was 67.46±1.07 and the mean man days spent per year was 297.87±3.91. The mean flock size of the migratory flocks was 297.87±3.91 and the mean man day spent per year for the migratory flocks was 116.31±0.38. Observations were made on various ethno veterinary medicments and practices being used by the sheep rearing farmers to cure various ailments.