Loading...
Thumbnail Image

Thesis

Browse

Search Results

Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
  • ThesisItemOpen Access
    ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF SHEEP BASED FARMING SYSTEMS IN NELLORE DISTRICT OF ANDHRA PRADESH
    (SRI VENKATESWARA VETERINARY UNIVERSITY TIRUPATI - 517 502. (A.P.) INDIA, 2016-06) LAVANYA, A; SURESH, J(MAJOR); RAVINDRA REDDY, Y; RAVI, A; SHARMA, G.R.K; BHAVANI DEVI, I
    ABSTRACT: The present study entitled “Economic analysis of sheep based farming systems in Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh” was undertaken to study the socioeconomic status of the farmers, managemental practices of sheep rearing and performance of sheep in all the sheep based farming systems prevailing in Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh. Estimation of costs, returns, resource productivity, resource use efficiency and technical efficiency were the main objectives in the study area. Six mandals were identified for the study covering 150 farmers. The relevant data were collected from both primary and secondary resources. Data for the year 2014-15 were collected through a pre-tested schedule by survey method. Constraints if any, perceived by the farmers were listed and ranked using Garrett’s ranking technique. The average size of the family of the pooled sample farmers was 5.84. Majority (48%) of the farmers belonged to medium sized families preferring nuclear families (58%). Majority (58.7%) of the shepherds in the study area were old age people. The overall literacy rate was 56 per cent. Pooled data also revealed that majority (50.7%) of sheep farmers belonged to backward community. Mean land holding was significantly higher (P<0.01) with sheep + horticulture farmers (2.486 ± 0.19 acres) followed by sheep + agriculture (2.3 ± 0.18 acres) and exclusive sheep farmers (0.2 ± 0.06 acres). Average flock size was 99.42 ± 5.44 in exclusive sheep farming which was highly significant (P<0.01) followed by 77.84 ± 4.53 (sheep + agriculture) and 66.14 ± 2.79 (sheep + horticulture). About 80 per cent of farmers adopted stationary system of sheep production in all farming systems while 20 per cent of the sheep farmers followed semi migratory production system. The study on housing practices such as housing type, flooring, roof, soil replacement and provision of lamb enclosure revealed that 65.3, 83.3, 58.7 per cent of the shepherds provided kutcha type of sheds, flooring and thatched roofing, respectively. Lamb enclosures were provided by 38, 66 and 56 per cent of the exclusive sheep, sheep + agriculture and sheep + horticulture farmers, respectively. Majority (94%) of the farmers in all the three farming systems practiced extensive type of sheep rearing. The pooled data with respect to mean sex ratio of ram:ewe indicated that the shepherds used one breeding ram for every 37.6 ewes to carry out their breeding requirements with a mean retention time of 4.38 to 4.8 years for crossing the ewes. Absolute majority (100%) of shepherds practiced flock mating and culling. Weaning was practiced by 50 per cent of the farmers. Sheep + horticulture farmers did not allow their sheep for penning whereas 42 per cent of exclusive sheep farmers and 70 per cent sheep + agriculture farmers, penned their sheep. With regard to health care management, cent per cent of the farmers dewormed and vaccinated their sheep while 72.66% shepherds practiced deticking. Absolute majority (100%) of sheep + horticulture farmers used manure in their own lands while exclusive sheep rearers and sheep + agriculture farmers not only used the manure in their own fields but also sold the remaining. The overall mean birth weight of ram lambs and ewe lambs was 2.92 ± 0.15 and 2.8 ± 0.14 kg, respectively. Weight at 6 months of age in males differed significantly (P<0.01) among the three farming systems. The mean weight was higher in sheep + horticulture system (16.21 ± 0.65 kg) followed by exclusive sheep rearing (15.84 ± 0.57 kg) and sheep + agriculture system (15.76 ± 0.55 kg). Age of ewes at first mating, age at first lambing and lambing interval of pooled data was 17.43 ± 0.74, 24.57 ± 0.83 and 12.37 ± 1.44 months, respectively. Total costs per unit (20 ewes + 1 ram) on sheep farms worked out to Rs.27,763 on exclusive sheep farming and Rs.33,968 in case of sheep reared in combination with agriculture and Rs.34,533 in sheep rearing combined with horticulture enterprises. Net returns per unit were Rs.27,110, Rs.21,285 and Rs.25,179 for the aforesaid enterprises, respectively. Returns per rupee of expenditure was Rs.1.98, 1.63 and 1.73 in exclusive sheep rearing, sheep + agriculture and sheep + horticulture farming systems, respectively. On an average the total cost of cultivation per hectare of paddy was Rs.76,192 out of which the share of total variable costs and fixed costs was 80.48 and 19.52 per cent, respectively. Productivity of paddy was 7.26 tonnes per hectare. A net income of Rs.41,533 was generated and returns per rupee of expenditure stood at Rs.1.54. With regard to horticulture (acid lime) farming, gross returns during the prebearing period (1-3 years) were zero as there was no yield. The gross returns from sale of acid lime started from 4th year onwards when the orchards bore fruit. The gross returns per hectare increased from Rs.2,24,175 to Rs.7,65,971 during 4th to 7th years. After that, gross returns decreased gradually from 8th to10th year i.e. Rs.7,46,805 to Rs. 4,05,883. Net present worth (NPW) at 12 per cent rate was Rs.7,85,613 while the Benefit-cost ratio was 1.89. Internal rate of return was worked out and was found to be 37.3. The sensitivity analysis indicated that the enterprise was economically viable even at 24% discount rate. When farming systems as a whole were considered, the returns per rupee of expenditure were highest (2.52) in sheep + horticulture farming system followed by 1.98 and 1.57 in exclusive sheep farming and sheep + agriculture farming system, respectively. The analysis of resource productivity on sheep farms under different farming systems has indicated one point in common i.e., the increase in flock size has significantly impacted the sheep production in a positive manner. It was revealed that an increase in acreage by 1 per cent keeping other inputs constant would increase paddy production by 0.46 per cent while similar increase in human labour, farm yard manure and fertilizers would increase the output in paddy production by 0.5, 0.1 and 0.9 per cent, respectively. The resource use efficiency analysis of sheep farming under all the 3 systems has amply demonstrated that there is ample scope to increase the flock size since any further increase in the flock size had the potential to further increase the income in sheep farming. However, efficiency of labour use can be further enhanced in the case of exclusive sheep rearing as well as sheep combined with agriculture. Any increase in veterinary expenditure on the whole didn’t indicate possibilities of further increase in the productivity. Results revealed that MVP/OC ratios for human labour (X2) and fertilizers (X4) were 2.24 and 6.13, respectively which imply that one more rupee of additional spending on human labour and fertilizers would add Rs. 2.24 and Rs. 6.13 to the gross income in paddy production. Technical efficiency was estimated using frontier production function. Rearing sheep alone as an individual enterprise was found to have the highest mean technical efficiency of 96 per cent followed by 94, 91.3 and 90 per cent in sheep + horticulture, paddy cultivation and sheep + agriculture farming systems, respectively indicating efficient managemental practices by the farmers. An attempt was also made to bring out the constraints faced by the shepherds in all the sheep based farming systems by employing Garrett’s ranking technique which revealed that shrinkage of grazing lands, poor credit facilities, disease incidence, high lamb mortality, limited availability of quality breeding stock etc., were the major constraints encountered.
  • ThesisItemOpen Access
    A STUDY ON IMPACT OF RASHTRIYA KRISHI VIKAS YOJANA (RKVY) PROJECT ON THE LIVELIHOODS OF BENEFICIARIES OF PIGGERY UNITS
    (SRI VENKATESWARA VETERINARY UNIVERSITY , TIRUPATI – 517502. (A.P.) INDIA, 2013-07) LAVANYA, A; GANGARAJU, G; SURESH, J; SAKUNTHALA DEVI, K
    ABSTRACT : A study was undertaken to assess the economic impact of Rastriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) project run by AICRP on pigs at Tirupati on the livelihoods of beneficiaries of piggery units. The study was carried out in Chittoor, Nellore, Kadapa and Kurnool districts of Andhra Pradesh state. A structured interview schedule was designed keeping in view of the objectives of the study. Data were collected from 30 beneficiaries, who were supplied germplasm under RKVY project. These beneficiaries were purposively selected for impact studies since they have completed a minimum period of 3 years of pig rearing and were personally interviewed for collection of data. The data collected from the beneficiaries were subjected to tabular and investment analysis to find out the costs and returns of the enterprise. Capital budgeting techniques such as Net Present Worth (NPW), Benefit-cost ratio (BCR), Internal Rate of Return (IRR) and Gini concentration ratio (GCR) were employed for the study. Garrett’s ranking technique was employed to bring out the intensity of constraints faced by the beneficiaries. Few success stories were also brought out. The nature of sample families of the present study revealed that the average size of the family was 6.4; literacy was 56.07% while 63.33% of the farmers opted piggery as main occupation. Irrespective of caste status, the enterprise attracted all categories of farmers. On an average, farmers owned 0.77 ha of land and all the farmers possessed assests like sheds, transport vehicles and equipment depending on their farm requirements. Evaluation of productive and reproductive parameters revealed that the overall farrowing frequency, litter size, number of piglets born per year and farrowing rates were 1.53, 6.86, 10.57 and 67.28, respectively. On an average there was a mortality of 21.23% over 3 years . The overall costs were divided into variable and fixed costs among which variable costs occupied maximum share of 84.5%. Returns were obtained by the sale of live animals, pork and manure. On an average, sale of pork contributed 55% of the total gross returns. The GCR values were 0.6989, 0.5353 and 0.4454 in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd years, respectively which showed a decrease in the inequality of incomes with the years. The Net Present worth and Benefit-cost ratio at 12% discount factor were found to be Rs.2,15,247 and 1.27, respectively which indicated that the profitable nature of the enterprise. The internal rate of return from the enterprise was 99.36%. The project was found to be economically feasible even under 18% and 24% discount rates as revealed by the NPV and B-C ratios. Net income and savings have increased with the passage of time. An attempt was made to bring out the constraints faced by the beneficiaries by employing Garrets’ ranking technique. The study revealed that non availability of garbage was the major constraint. In addition poor access to credit, lack of veterinary care, lack of demand for dressed pork in rural areas, limited availiability of breeding stock and lack of organized market facilities were the other major constraints encountered.