CONSTRAINTS OF DAIRY FARMING IN COASTAL AREAS OF SOUTHERN GUJARAT

Abstract

A field survey was conducted during the years 2010-2012 in Jalalpore taluka of Navsari district to identify
various constraints perceived by dairy animal owners in dairy husbandry practices and data were collected
from randomly selected 150 dairy animal owners through personal interview with the help of pre-tested
structured schedule. The study revealed that constraints related to adoption of feeding practices ranked
first (58.33%) followed by constraints in adoption of health care practices (52.45%), milking practices
(50.99%), housing practices (49.6%) and breeding practices (43.05%). High construction cost (66%), lack
of own capital (74.67%), high cost of feed (76%), non-availability of green fodder round the year (62%),
lack of awareness about treatment of poor quality straw to improve its nutritive value (74.67%), lack of
knowledge about silage preparation (76%), lack of knowledge of balanced ration (46.67%), repeat breeding
problems in dairy animals (75.33%), low conception rate through A.I. (58.67%), non-remunerative price
for milk (80%), high production cost of milk (68%), lack of knowledge in clean milk production (65.33%),
high cost of veterinary medicine (70%), problem of mastitis in dairy animals (77.33%) and inadequate
knowledge of diseases and their control (68.67%) were major constraints in adoption of improved dairy
husbandry practices.