A STUDY ON SHEEP FARMING PRACTICES AMONG THE TRIBAL FARMERS IN SRIKAKULAM DISTRICT
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Date
2013-09
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SRI VENKATESWARA VETERINARY UNIVERSITY TIRUPATI - 517 502. (A.P.) INDIA
Abstract
ABSTRACT :
An ex-post-facto research design was adopted for the present study conducted in Srikakulam of Andhra Pradesh. 120 sheep farmers were selected randomly from 12 villages of 3 mandals. A structured interview schedule was used to ascertain the knowledge and adoption levels of sheep farming practice. The data were collected personally with the help of an interview schedule; processed, analyzed and interpreted. The general profile of sheep farmers of the study area indicated that majority (69.17%) of the sheep farmers belonged to middle age group, illiterates (80.00%) and all belonged to Schedule Tribes with joint families (81.67%) having family size upto five members (67.5%). Three fourths (72.50%) of sheep farmers had medium experience in sheep farming with a average of 24.36 years. Agriculture is the major occupation for 68.33 per cent of the respondents and animal husbandry remains a subsidiary occupation among all the respondents of the study. Nearly half of the shepherds lived in Kutcha houses (50.83%) and 70.83 percent had medium material possession and 85% were members of one organization. Majority of tribal sheep farmers had low income (60 percent) and found of rearing local varieties of sheep. Majority (68.33%) of the respondents belonged to low social-economic status. Television was most favored among the mass media sources but majority (70.00%) had low mass media exposure. Medium achievement motivation (51.66%), risk orientation (45.83%) rational decision-making ability (53.33%) and low scientific orientation (65.00%) was found among the respondents. Majority (54.16%) of the sheep farmers had low knowledge level in sheep farming practices and more than half (50.83%) of the respondents were in low level of adoption. Independent variables viz. age, socio-economic status, mass media exposure were positively and significantly correlated with knowledge at 1 percent level of probability while rational decision making ability was correlated at 5 percent level of probability. Age, socio-economic status and mass media exposure had shown positive significant relationship with adoption of sheep farming practices at 1 percent level probability and achievement motivation and scientific orientation were correlated with adoption at 5 percent level of significance. The constraints as perceived by respondents in the order of priority were a) Inadequate knowledge in preparing balanced feed (100.00%), b)Unhygienic maintenance of farm animals (93.33%), c) Lack of awareness on fodder cultivation (92.50), d) High cost of concentrate feeds (90.83), e) Inadequate knowledge in breeding practices (90.00%), f)Negligence in care of pregnant animals (90%), g)Vaccination undertaken only during the out breaks (74.16%), h) High cost veterinary medicines (68.33%), i) Lack of knowledge on weaning of newborn lambs (45.83%), and j) Inadequate supply of veterinary medicines at hospitals (14.16%). Certain suggestions such as a) Distribution of the government lands to the landless farmers for cultivation of pasture grasses, b) Increase educational activities for getting more awareness on scientific knowledge on sheep farming practices, c) Extension agencies should frequently motivate the farmers in adopting the sheep farming, d) Provision for more subsidy for purchase of ewes and rams e) Periodical training programmes should be organized by the extension agencies, f) More technical input supply by the extension agencies, etc were voiced by respondents.
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