Journal of Animal Research: v.4 n.2, p. 175-186. Dec. 2014

DOI Number: 10.5958/2277-940X.2014.00003.5

Personal, Socio-Economic Characteristics of

Dairy Animal Owners and their Relationship with

Knowledge of Dairy Husbandry Practices in

Surat District of Gujarat

G. P. Sabapara 1 *, A. B. Fulsoundar 1 and V. B. Kharadi 2

1 Department of Livestock Production and Management,

2 Department of Animal Genetics & Breeding, Vanbandhu College of Veterinary Science

and A. H., Navsari Agricultural University, Navsari-396 450, Gujarat, INDIA

*Corresponding author: GP Sabapara; Email: gpsabapara@gmail.com

Received: 03 June, 2014

Accepted: 10 October, 2014

ABSTRACT

To study the knowledge of dairy animal owners in improved dairy husbandry

practices a field survey in Surat district was conducted during March, 2013 to

January, 2014. Data were collected through personal interview from randomly

selected 300 dairy animal owners from randomly selected five talukas out of

nine talukas of Surat district with the help of pre-tested structured schedule. The

present study revealed that majority of the dairy farmers were belonged middle

to old age group, literate, nuclear type of family having more number of children

making big size family. Majority of the respondents were from scheduled tribe

and other backward category having medium level of extension contacts and mass

media exposure with membership in one organization. Majority of the respondents

were falling under marginal to small categories farmers with small herd size and

they possessed agriculture and livestock as their livelihood. The education, caste,

land holding, animal holding size, extension contact and mass media exposure

of the respondents were positively and significantly related, whereas vocational

diversification was negatively related with knowledge of dairy farmers regarding

improved dairy husbandry practices in the study area.

Keywords :Animal Husbandry Practices, Dairy animals, Knowledge, Relationship

Animal husbandry makes a significant contribution in the national economy

and socio-economic development of the country. In rural India, the livestock is

the main source of livelihood to the farmers, where over 15-20 percent families

are landless and about 80 percent of the land holders belong to the category of

small to marginal farmers (Hegde, 2006). Livestock rearing is an integral part

of agriculture in India as well as many developing countries since centuries. The