SUBRAHMANYESWARI .B (MAJOR)SIREESHA .PSUDHAKAR .KSIRISHA BORA2024-07-012024-07-012023-04https://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810211268The present research work “A STUDY ON PERCEPTION OF DAIRY FARMERS ABOUT ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE IN DAIRY ANIMALS” was focused on assessment of awareness and perception of dairy farmers about AMR in dairy animals. The veterinarians’ challenges and suggestions in combating AMR in dairy animals also studied. An ex-post-facto and exploratory research designs were followed in the present investigation. Andhra Pradesh state was selected purposively covering the three administrative zones and a total of 120 farmers from small dairy farms and 30 farmers from large dairy farms were selected through simple random and snowball sampling methods. The data from veterinarians was collected through questionnaire (google form) and the responses of dairy farmers through a structured interview schedule. Appropriate statistical procedures were employed to analyse and interpret the data. Majority of the dairy farmers from small and large dairy farmers were middle and young aged, respectively were male and belonged to backward caste and open categories, respectively. Nearly half of the farmers from small dairy farms were illiterate and more than one-third of farmers from large dairy were graduates. Majority of the farmers from small dairy farms had marginal land holding and equal per cent of the farmers from large dairy farms had marginal and large land holdings. Majority of the farmers from small and large dairy farms had small herd size, with cross-bred cattle, with medium levels of dairy farming experience and milk production and with low level of milk consumption. Majority of them marketing their milk to dairy cooperatives and had medium level of dairy income. Majority of the farmers from small and large dairy farms had medium level of social participation and cent per cent of farmers from both the groups didn’t attend any training in the areas of antibiotic usage and AMR. Among personal cosmopolite sources extension worker/veterinarians and para-veterinarians were the frequently used by farmers from both small and large dairy farms. Whereas, among impersonal cosmopolite sources the frequently used information sources were internet and mobile telephony by majority of farmers from large dairy farms. Majority of the farmers from small and large dairy farms utilised services of veterinarians like vaccination, disease treatment, AI, PD and availability on-call services. Majority of the farmers from small and large dairy farms had medium level of awareness and perception about AMR in dairy animals. The farmers from large dairy farms were having high level of awareness and perception than the famers from small dairy farms. Nearly half of the field veterinarians were old aged and more than three-fourth were male. Nearly two third of veterinarians were working as Veterinary Assistant Surgeons and majority had high level of work experience. Whereas, nearly half of the veterinarians from scientific community of SVVU were young, female and working as Assistant Professors and had low level of work experience as VAS in the field. The major challenges perceived by veterinarians in combating AMR were misuse and overuse of antimicrobials by unqualified practitioners and reliance of farmers on them, farmer not approaching veterinarians in early stages of the disease, not following milk withdrawal period during antibiotic usage, ignorance of farmer about the effects of antibiotics in animals, lack of public awareness about antibiotic usage and AMR, lack of data on regional antibiogram, lack of Continuing Veterinary Education (CVE) to field veterinarians, lack of focused research and studies on the effects of antibiotic usage and AMR, lack of stringent rules and monitoring in usage of antibiotics and production of antibiotic residue free products. Timely vaccination, better dairy management practices, following of milk withdrawal period during antibiotic usage, proper disposal of residual antibiotics by hospitals and farms, judicious use of antibiotics, appropriate dosage and diagnosis-based prescription by veterinarians, usage of alternative therapies, periodical screening for antibiotic residues in dairy products, Continuing Veterinary Education (CVE) on AMR and creating awareness to all the stakeholders of dairy industry about AMR and its subsequent effects, strengthening of EASs among field veterinarians for wider awareness on effects of antibiotics like AMR, establishment of quality control wing and implementation of antimicrobial stewardship programmes were the major suggestions expressed by veterinarians working in the field as well as in the university.EnglishThesis