Dr. A. SARAT CHANDRACHIMALA ASHOK BABU2023-11-082023-11-082020-01-29CHIMALA ASHOK BABUhttps://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810200818Dairy farming plays an important role in social and economic livelihood of the farmers of Telangana state. An investigation was carried out to study the socio-economic characteristics, dairy herd structure, management practices followed, knowledge level of the farmers on dairy management practices, constraints perceived by the farmers in dairying in Karimnagar, Kamareddy, Jagitial, and Peddapalli districts of Northern Telangana. Data were collected from 240 farmers from 24 villages of 8 mandals belonging to the above 4 districts. The 240 respondents were interviewed as per the questionnaire. Majority of the dairy farmers had small herd size (1-5 animals) and belonged to middle-aged group, medium-size family and had membership in one organization. The educational status of the farmers was mostly primary level and were from backward class community. Most of the respondents (45.0%) were found to be marginal whereas (82.5%) of respondents had agriculture and dairy as the main occupation. Majority (32.92%) of respondents had extension contact with gopala mitra, para veterinarians, VAS/AD (AH) and 59.58% had mass media exposure with newspaper. Majority of the farmer provided kutcha type of housing (59.58%) and they provide shelter nearby their dwelling. Majority of the respondents had animal housing in the east-west direction. Most of the farmers had single line housing system, provided optimum size of houses, adequate floor space, good lighting, ventilation and other minor housing facilities. Majority of the farmers were practicing grazing, group feeding and did not cultivate green fodder. Paddy straw was mostly used as dry fodder. Majority of respondents fed homemade and compound cattle feed as concentrates to their milking animals based on the milk production. Majority of respondents were offering soaked concentrates during milking. Feeding mineral mixture and salt to their dairy animals was observed among majority farmers. Studies revealed that majority of the farmers were able to recognize the animals in heat by observing the symptoms, followed artificial insemination and bred their animals in mid-heat after heat detection. Most of the respondents preferred crossbreeding and bred their animals after 2 to 3 months of calving. Majority of the respondents practiced pregnancy diagnosis. Most of the respondents followed the treatment for anoestrus and repeat breeders. Only few (4.17%) kept breeding records of their animals. All the respondents milked their animals twice in a day and followed most of the good milking practices. All the farmers allowed the calf to suckle at both the times, 33.75% of the respondents offered concentrate feed and practiced teat manipulation for milk letdown. Most of the farmers milked the animals at the same place by using scientific milking pails and adopted the practice of drying off their dairy animals two months before calving. Most of the respondents didn‟t follow teat dipping. Majority (99.17%) respondents followed cleaning of milking utensils with tap water. Most of respondents sold their milk to village dairy co-operative society and none of the respondents followed testing for mastitis and sealing of teat canal at the end of lactation in their dairy animals. All the respondents in four districts practiced regular vaccination however deworming was not done regularly. Majority farmers followed ecto-parasite control methods and paid attention towards sanitary condition of animal sheds. Majority of the respondents informed that they go their sick dairy animals treated by a qualified vet or para veterinarians as per availability, but only few isolated the sick animals from healthy animals. Majority of the respondents attended calving and took care of the calves soon after parturition but 88.33 % of respondents did not practice ligation and disinfection of the navel cord and left to fall off itself naturally. Most of the respondents were feeding colostrum to the newborn calves within one hour of birth and allowed one teat for suckling. Majority of the respondent weaned the calves at the age of three months. Green fodder was fed to the calves from the age of two months. Majority of the respondents (87.92%) did not follow the disbudding of calves and practiced deworming regularly. Majority farmers (98.8%) sold the male calves. The knowledge levels of farmers in the study area showed that majority of the respondents had high knowledge on the colostrum, balanced feeding and the process of silage making but most of the farmers did not have awareness on advantage of chaffing of fodders. It was found that majority of the respondentshad high knowledge on the oestrous cycle period and correct time of conceiving cow/ buffalo after coming into heat. Majority of the respondents had knowledge on artificial insemination and following it however if the animal failed to conceive even after three inseminations the farmers got the animal served by a desi/improved bull. Most of the farmers followed full hand milking method and had complete knowledge about washing of teat and udder before milking ajority of the respondents had complete knowledge regarding the vaccination, deworming of animals. Constraints faced by the dairy farmers in the study area in the order of rankings were non-remunerative price for milk, repeat breeding problems in dairy cattle, distant location of veterinary hospital, lack of own capital, non-availability of green fodders round the year, lack of irrigation facilities high construction cost, high cost of veterinary medicine, non-availability of veterinarian / paravet and lack of knowledge in clean milk production. It can be concluded that the majority of the respondents in the study area were marginal farmers of middle aged, belonging to backward caste, educated upto primary level but had high knowledge on the oestrous cycle period, artificial insemination, vaccination, deworming of animals, cleanliness of animal houses and had extension contact with gopala mitra, para veterinarians, VAS/AD (AH) but to overcome the constraints faced by the farmers trainings at local institutions and exposure visits at organized dairy farms should be organized. Knowledge levels of farmers with regard to feeding, breeding and health care should be improved making them knowledgeable with regard to animal husbandry activities, green fodder in sufficient quantity round the year should be made available to at a cheaper rate, frequent infertility treatment camp should be organized at village and crossbred animals should be made available from government farms at a reasonable price, milk chilling facility should be provided at village level and round the year remunerative price for milk should be assured.EnglishThesis