SKUAST Journal of Research

A comprehensive survey was carried in the three Animal husbandry blocks (Ganderbal, Kangan and Lar) of the Ganderbal district to assess the socioeconomic status of dairy farmers, livestock inventories, feeding practices and production status of dairy animals in district. Total irrigated land availability (kanal/ family) with dairy owners of District Ganderbal is 3.11±0.45 whereas total unirrigated land availability is 1.48±0.51. The average family size (members/ family) was 5.70±0.05 with average percent literacy rate per family of 45.26±0.08. Among different income sources, horticulture/agriculture contributed maximum to their income. The average number of lactating cows, dry cows, bulls, heifers and calves per family of dairy farmers was found to be 2.05±0.20, 0.40±0.03, 0.38±0.03, 0.53±0.05 and 0.65±0.07 respectively. The average body weight of lactating cows in district Ganderbal are 194.71±3.45 kg with body condition score of 1.92±0.05. Regarding feeding practices followed by dairy farmers of district Ganderbal, 45.32% were using mixed system of stall feeding and pasture grazing where as 48.90% of the farmers fed cultivated fodder to their dairy animals. During winters, animals are mostly stallfed on hay and straw whereas during summers, green fodders were fed with small quantities of concentrates. Maximum number of the surveyed cattle of the district Ganderbal were in milking stage with average milk yield of 4.58±0.32L/day.