Housing and feeding management practices of dairy animals in the tribal area of South Gujarat

Abstract

A field survey was conducted to collect the first hand information on dairy animal management practices followed by the tribal dairy animal owners of Vansada taluka of Navsari district of South Gujarat. Existing housing and feeding management practices were studied through pre designed and pre tested questionnaire from 200 dairy animal owners. Close type of animal house was provided by 98% of the farmers. Kaccha type of floor was observed in 87% of the houses. Earthen plates with thatched roof were present in 94% of the animal sheds and wooden poles were used to support roof in 85.5% of the houses. Pucca drainage facility of urine was found in only 6% of animal shed. Paddy straw was used as dry fodder by 98% of farmers. All the farmers provided green natural border grasses of cultivated plots and grasses from fellow land. In addition to this 75% of farmers grew fodder crops. None of the farmers practiced silage making. Concentrates was fed to the animals after milking by 91% of the farmers. Mineral supplements were provided by only 30.5% of farmers to their milch animals.