Adoption of Multi-Nutrient Block Technology under Field Conditions: Pathway of Success for Livestock Farmers in Kashmir Himalayas

Agriculture in Jammu and Kashmir is mainly rain fed and non-mechanized with limited scope for diversification due to typical land topography (mostly terrains) and restricted to a specific period (4-5 months of long harsh winter), thus animal husbandry is widely adopted in the region. However, the current low level of productivity of livestock remains an area of concern due to which the sector continues to be a non-vibrant economy even though having huge prospects. In order to address the problem of low productivity under field conditions, Scientists from Division of Animal Nutrition, FVSc and AH, Shuhama, SKUAST-Kashmir under DAHD-NLM, GoI sponsored project conducted awareness programmes and distributed value-added multi-nutrient blocks to the identified beneficiary dairy and sheep farmers in three district of Kashmir valley. As a result, the farmers got motivated and the impact of the technology adoption by the farmers led to significant improvement in the performance of animals in terms of enhancement of milk yield and composition, improvement in health and reproductive status, increased body weight gain and better economic returns to the farmers.