Knowledge of dairy farmers with regards to improved dairy management practices

Livestock is emerging an important sector in the economy of Jammu and Kashmir. It played an important role in the socioeconomic development in Jammu and Kashmir. The livestock contribution to GDP on a national level is 4.11 per cent while as in J&K livestock sector contributes 5.04 per cent to its GDP. Livestock sector contribution to agricultural GDP in the UT is a healthy (33%). The annual milk production of J&K is 2526 thousand metric tonnes and the per capita on a national level is 337 gram/person/day while as in J&K the same is 554 grams/person/day. In Jammu and Kashmir district Pulwama is the largest producer of milk. The study revealed that majority (72.50%) of the respondents had medium level of knowledge related to feeding of dairy animals, majority 64.17 per cent of the dairy farmers had medium level of knowledge related to breeding, majority 56.67 per cent of the dairy farmers were having medium level of knowledge related to health management, majority 64.17 per cent of the dairy farmers had medium level of knowledge related to general management practices of dairy farming and majority 65.83 per cent of the dairy farmers were having medium level of overall knowledge of dairy farming followed by 22.50 per cent of the dairy farmers who had high and 11.67 per cent of the dairy farmers had low level of overall knowledge of dairy farming.