Livestock Farming Systems in Tamil Nadu
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Date
2008
Authors
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Publisher
TANUVAS, Chennai
Abstract
This study on livestock farming systems in Tamil Nadu aims at analysing
the profile characteristics of farmers practising livestock based farming systems,
their knowledge level, the extent of adoption various scientific and traditional
management practices / beliefs followed by livestock farmers, the impact generated
through the systems and the factors influencing the farmers to adopt livestock
farming systems. It also attempts to explore the constraints of farmers in livestock
based farming systems and suggest suitable strategies to overcome the constraints.
A multistage sampling procedure has been adopted for the study. Totally,
200 respondents were selected as the sample size which consisted of 50 cattle
farmers identified from three villages in Kandamangalam block of Viluppuram
district, 50 buffalo farmers from three villages in Mohanur block of Namakkal
district, 50 sheep farmers from three villages in Alangulam block of Tirunelveli
district and 50 goat farmers from Gobichettipalayam block of Erode district by
using proportionate random sampling technique. The data were collected through
a well structured, and pre-tested interview schedule by the researcher. The salient
findings of the study are highlighted below:
Majority of the respondents practising livestock based farming systems
were males, belonged to low communication status, sold livestock through
middlemen, grouped under medium annual income group and had low information
seeking behavior, low social participation with high level of economic motivation
and literate.
Around one-half of the respondents had medium livestock farming
experience, low farm and family status, maintained high valued livestock,
exhibited low innovativeness with risk orientation and belonged to old age groups.
Majority of them were found to practise livestock in combination with crop
enterprise. The rest two-fifth belonged to livestock alone category.
Majority of the respondents in cattle farming systems reared animals in
intensive system whereas semi-intensive system of rearing was followed by
majority of the respondents in buffalo, sheep and goat farming systems.
Majority of the respondents had medium level of knowledge about
scientific animal husbandry practices, high level of knowledge on traditional
animal husbandry practices / beliefs and medium level of knowledge on crop
production practices in all the four livestock farming systems.
Scientific animal husbandry practices were adopted at medium level by
majority of the respondents in all the four livestock farming systems. In contrast,
high level of adoption of traditional animal husbandry practices/beliefs was
observed in all the four livestock farming systems. Crop production practices were
adopted at medium to high level by majority of the respondents.
On the overall, majority of the respondents in sheep and goat farming
systems perceived high level of desirable and undesirable impacts whereas
medium level of desirable impact was perceived by majority in cattle and buffalo
farming systems.
The important desirable economic impacts noticed were, higher income,
debt clearance, and improved savings habits. Changes in time utilization and
enable to give better education to their children were the desirable social impacts
identified. Developed self-confidence and higher motivation were the
psychological impacts observed. Effective recycling of manure and reduced cost
of livestock feeding were expressed as the technological impacts.
Unable to attend social functions, spending more on narcotics and no time
to attend personal works were perceived as the undesirable impacts in sheep and
goat farming systems.
The benefit cost ratio was high for goat farming systems either alone or in
combination with crop when compared to other livestock farming systems. The
livestock alone component generated employment ranging from 228.12 to 273.75
man days and the crop component had 64 to 184 man days of employment
generation. Family labour had played a major role in all the livestock farming
systems.
Using agricultural by-products for livestock feeding, utilizing livestock
manure as farm yard manure for crop cultivation and compost making were
considered as the principal areas in which livestock crop interaction existed fully.
In cattle farming system, the independent variable, innovativeness
contributed to adoption of livestock farming system at 5 per cent level of
significance. Occupational status, information seeking behaviour and credit
orientation had negative contribution with adoption of buffalo farming system at
5 per cent level of significance, whereas family status contributed positively. With
regard to sheep farming system, the independent variable, livestock farming
experience, had positively contributed to adoption at 5 per cent level of
significance. In goat farming system, the independent variable, risk orientation
contributed positively to adoption at 5 per cent level of significance.
Factor analysis revealed that out of 19 variables, 13 variables together
constituted seven factors which had association and contribution with the
dependent variable adoption of cattle farming system which explained about 75.84
per cent of variation. In buffalo farming system, out of 19 variables, 9 variables
together constituted three factors which had association and contribution with the
dependent variable adoption of buffalo farming system which explained about
79.58 per cent of variation. With regard to sheep farming system, out of 19
variables, 10 variables together constituted six factors which had association and
contribution with the dependent variable adoption which explained about 85.25 per
cent of variation. Similarly, with regard to goat farming system, out of 19
variables, 13 variables together constituted seven factors which had association and
contribution with the dependent variable adoption which explained about 88.90 per
cent of variation.
Livestock rearing for livelihood option, traditional reasons and selling the
livestock during financial crisis were ranked as the first, second and third major
reasons for rearing of livestock by majority of the respondents in all the four
livestock farming systems.
Labour scarcity, high feed cost, lack of proper extension support, and risk
in livestock rearing, lack of fodder development activities, exploitation by
middlemen and drought conditions were described as the major general constraints
encountered by majority of the respondents in all the livestock farming systems.
Among the species specific constraints, foot and mouth disease, nonremunerative
price for milk, mastitis, and repeat breeding problems were quoted as
the major constraints regarding cattle and buffaloes.
Diminishing grazing area, outbreak of diseases, and mortality in young
ones during rainy season, theft and predator issues were expressed as the major
constraints faced by sheep and goat farmers.
Description
Keywords
Veterinary Science, Veterinary Extension