Existing calf rearing and milking management practices followed by dairy farmers in Uttarakhand

A field survey was conducted to acquire the first hand information on existing calf rearing and milking management practices. The present study was conducted in Chamba, Narendra nagar and Fakot blocks of Tehri Garhwal district in Uttarakhand. Data collected by using structured schedule from 240 households of 12 villages and compiled for study. It was observed that all the respondents attended their dairy animals as well as calf at the time of calving, Majority (90.83%) of the respondents were following the practices of cleaning the calf and trim hooves immediately after birth and allowed the dam to lick their calf. The practice of cut and disinfect naval cord and put disinfectant on cut portion of naval cord were follow by only15% cattle keepers. The results indicated that majority (77.92%) of the respondents followed knuckling method of milking. Almost all (94.17%) the farmers follows stripping at the end of milking. The respondents rarely (13.33%) changed milker. None of the respondent used scientific milking pail for milking. Majority (90.84%) of the cattle keepers clean their utensils by detergent and water. None of the respondent wiped the udder and teats just after milking. Majority (98.75%) of the respondents followed intermittent milking method for drying of late pregnancy. A large percentage (78.75%) of dairy owners allowed calf for suckling before and after milking. All the respondents practiced let down of milk through calf suckling. The practices of dry hand milking and scaling of teat canal at the end of lactation where not followed by any of the respondent.