Assessment of Determinants for Livestock Holding Pattern in North-Eastern Dry Zone of Karnataka

The study aimed to analyze the determinants of livestock pattern in Bellary district using multistage random sampling consisting of 120 sample size during the year 2010–11. The findings of socio-economic profile revealed that the average size of land holdings of small, medium and large farmers was 3.20, 8.00 and 22.22 acres, respectively; however the cropping intensity was 167.39% in NEK region. The findings also revealed that the total cost incurred in rearing of local cow was found to be 35.33 and a return from local cow was 40.83 per day. Rearing of buffalo incurred total cost 42.84 and total returns from buffalo was 47.54 per day. The findings revealed that the determinants of sheep and goat holding patterns of the farmer depend on decisions to hold sheep and goat are influenced by a number of factors such as Coefficient of age of the farmer was negative (−0.141) and significant at 10% level. Coefficient of total land was negative (−0.008) and significant at 5% level. Overall, the coefficient, multiple determination (R²) revealed that the combined contribution of all the independent variables puts together explained the variation of 30.10% in the sheep and goat holding pattern. The coefficients of age of the farmer, total land were negative and having a significant relationship with sheep and goat holding implied that generally these species holder depends on common property resources for meeting their fodder and feed requirement.