Profile of milk vendors of namakkal district

The study was conducted at Sendamangalam and Erumaipatti blocks of Namakkal district in Tamil Nadu. A sample of thirty respondents from each block was selected by using simple random sampling technique. A well-structured, pre-tested interview schedule was prepared and data were collected. Majority of the milkvendors were middle aged and had middle school level of education. They were mostly in joint families and had milk vending + dairy farming + other occupations. Majority of the milkvendors belonged to landless, low level of income, low herd size category and high level of experience in milk vending. Most of the milkvendors had medium level of extension agency contact, availed credit from private finance institutions and not attended any training programmes. Milkvendors involved in the roles like, milking, collection and selling of milk, information about the sources of feed and fodder, detection of oestrus, identification of sick animals, advise in the treatment aspect and help available in purchase or sale of animal and providing credit facilities to the dairy farmers. More than half of the respondents had high level of performance in overall role.