Management Practices Followed by Dairy Farmers in Rural and Urban Areas of Bathinda District in Punjab

A field study was concluded to note down the various animal husbandry practices followed by the dairy farmers in rural and urban areas in Bathinda district of Punjab. It was found that about 75 per cent of respondents kept the animals in commercial type of housing system whereas 69 per cent animal sheds were nearby to the dwelling of the farmers and 83 per cent of the farmers provided concrete manger. Majority of the respondents (58%) followed the individual feeding system, cultivated fodder crops (68%) for feeding to dairy animals throughout the year and only 25 per cent of farmers produce non-legume fodder. Similarly, while use of mixed fodder (both legume and non-legume) restricted to only 15 per cent. The health status was maintained by using regular vaccination (91%), veterinary facilities (81%) and artificial insemination (65%) by the respondents. Majority of respondents in the study area felt the constraints of lack of capital, high cost of shed construction, high feed costs and occurrence of repeat breeding in cross bred cattle.