FARMERS PREPAREDNESS TOWARDS SHEEP HEALTH CARE WITH SPECIFIC REFERENCE TO VACCINATION IN ANDHRA PRADESH
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Date
2015-12
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SRI VENKATESWARA VETERINARY UNIVERSITY TIRUPATI - 517 502. (A.P.) INDIA
Abstract
ABSTRACT :
Sustainability of the farm depends upon efficient management of sheep by the farmer which ultimately depends on the farmers’ socio-economic situation along with knowledge and attitude towards the recommended practices. Which has obvious implications for shepherds to raise the need for improved diagnosis and early detection of diseases along with greatly increased awareness and preparedness to deal with disease patterns and vaccination programmes that are manifestly changing. Keeping this in view, the present study entitled “FARMERS PREPAREDNESS TOWARDS SHEEP HEALTH CARE WITH SPECIFIC REFERENCE TO VACCINATION IN ANDHRA PRADESH” has been taken up. Exploratory research design was followed in the present investigation. Prakasam and Nellore districts of Andhra Pradesh were purposively selected for carrying out the study, as they were having more sheep population. From each district, three mandals were selected purposively in which there were relatively more number of sheep farmers and three villages from each mandal were selected randomly, amounting a total of eight villages and from each village 10 sheep farmers were selected randomly, thus a total of 180 respondents were selected for the study. Fifteen Veterinary Officials were selected randomly from each district resulting in a total of 30 Veterinary Officials. The data were collected personally with the help of an interview schedule, processed, analysed and interpreted. Majority of the respondents were middle aged and illiterates and possessed medium family size with nuclear family system and belonged to Backward Caste category. Sheep farming was the main occupation, while dairy farming was taken up as subsidiary occupation. Most of the respondents had medium experience in sheep farming with small flock size (66-231) having low annual income (Rs.50,000-1,66,670). Majority of the respondents were land less farmers and possessed medium extension contact, medium decision-making ability.
All the sheep farmers expressed that the sheep were reared for their livelihood and vaccines and veterinary services should be provided at free of cost by the Government. Majority of sheep farmers opined that access to vaccines and veterinary services is always available and more than three fourth of the sheep farmers did not have social participation and had no training in sheep farming. The medium level of preparedness of sheep farmers can be attributed from the seven constituting components i.e. awareness about sheep diseases, knowledge about sheep diseases, perception on the probability of occurrence of sheep diseases, attitude towards sheep health care practices, information seeking behaviour, risk management behaviour and scientific orientation which found at medium level. Correlation analysis was carried out to assess the relationship between independent and dependent variables. Out of all the selected independent variables of sheep farmers studied, socio-economic status, purpose of rearing sheep, social participation, extension contact, availability and accessibility of vaccines and veterinary services, affordability of vaccines and veterinary services and decision-making ability were positively and significantly related with preparedness towards health care practices with specific reference to vaccination. Whereas, age, gender and training received did not have any significant relationship with preparedness towards health care practices with specific reference to vaccination.
Regression analysis revealed that all the independent variables put together explained about 39.2 per cent variation in the preparedness towards health care practices. Extension contact, availability and accessibility of vaccines and veterinary services, affordability of vaccines and veterinary services were positively and significantly contributed to most of the variation in the preparedness towards health care practices. Majority of the veterinarians belonged to young age and were males. More than three fourth of the veterinarians had B.V.Sc&AH qualification and working as Veterinary Assistant Surgeons (VAS) with medium level of working experience. Regular contact with the veterinarian and active participation of farmers in vaccination programmes were among the major characteristics of shepherds required to prevent disease out-break as perceived by the veterinarians. Lack of required staff to carry out vaccination, illiteracy among shepherds, lack of vaccine supply as per the sheep population, lack of cooperation from shepherds especially during migratory season were the major constraints faced by the veterinary officials in carrying out vaccination programme and sheep health camps. Intensifying awareness and training programmes regarding sheep health care practices, allocation of more number of fodder plots to sheep societies to lessen the migratory period and strengthening of veterinary man power to carry out vaccination were the suggestions given by the veterinary officials for effective implementation of sheep health care programmes.
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