Concentrate feeding to dairy cattle in India: Practices and implications for Indian dairy industry

PRAKASH KUMAR RATHOD; MAHESH CHANDER

doi:10.56093/ijans.v86i2.55842

Authors

PRAKASH KUMAR RATHOD Veterinary College, Bidar, Karnataka
MAHESH CHANDER ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar, Uttar Pradesh 243 122 India

https://doi.org/10.56093/ijans.v86i2.55842

Keywords:

Concentrate feed, Multi-stakeholders, Profitability, Relevance, Sustainability

Abstract

The shaping of agriculture and allied sectors is possible as a result of research and development (R&D) efforts by offering new ideas, innovations, products and technologies. However, it is also observed that majority of the technologies developed by scientists are irrelevant and inappropriate for field conditions leading to poor diffusion and adoption. This issue is also aggravated by the fact that there is poor linkage of research-extension and farmers. With this theoretical background, the present study has focused on the ground realities or practices, perception of multi-stakeholders viz. dairy farmers, scientists and extensionists about concentrate feeds and has proposed certain policy implications for Indian dairy industry. The study included 360 dairy farmers, 80 research scientists and 40 extensionists in India. The primary data was collected by both qualitative and quantitative method using interview schedule, questionnaire, focus group discussion and observation method. The study revealed that scientists and extension experts were more favourable towards relevance, profitability and sustainability of concentrate feeds, while the perception of farmers was less favourable towards concentrate feeds. The study also observed that there was a wide gap (higher per cent gap) among farmers-scientists and farmers-extensionists with regards to relevance, profitability and sustainability of concentrate feeds, while the gap was very narrow among scientists and extensionists. Hence, the study concluded that scientists have to generate and transfer field relevant, profitable and sustainable dairy innovations for higher diffusion and adoption at field conditions. The study also recommends to involve farmers as the partners of research and extension for effective generation and transfer of dairy innovations leading
to higher productivity in Indian dairy sector.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

ADB (Asian Development Bank). 1993. Policies and Strategies for Livestock Development: Regional Seminar on Policies and Strategies for Livestock Development, 18–22 January 1993. Manila, Philippines.

Beintema N and Stads G. 2008. Measuring Agricultural Research Investments: A Revised Global Picture. Background note of Agricultural Science and Technology Indicator, IFPRI, Washington D C.

Boyazoglu J. 1998. Livestock farming as a factor of environmental, social and economic stability with special reference to research. Livestock Production Science 57: 1–14. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0301-6226(98)00193-6

Chambers R and Ghildyal R. 1985. Agricultural research for resource-poor farmers: The farmer first and last model. Agricultural Administration 20: 1–30. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/0309-586X(85)90063-9

Chander M, Dutt T, Ravikumar R and Subrahmanyeswari B. 2010. Livestock technology transfer service in India: A review. Indian Journal of Animal Sciences 80: 1115–25.

Dev S M. 2012. A Note on Trends in Public Investment in India. IGIDR Proceedings/Projects Series, PP-069-SMD2 of Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research, Mumbai.

FAOSTAT. 2014. Retrieved from http://faostat.fao.org/ {20-July- 2014}

Glendenning C J, Babu S and Asenso-Okyere K. 2010. Review of agricultural extension in India - Are farmers’ information needs being met? IFPRI Discussion Paper 01048, Washington, D.C.

GOI (Government of India). 2010. Report of the advisory committee on animal husbandry and dairying. Volume 1, Planning Commission Report, Government of India, New Delhi.

GOI. 2012 a. Nineteenth Livestock Census, Department of Animal Husbandry Dairying and Fisheries, Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India, New Delhi, India.

GOI. 2012 b. Report of the Working Group on Animal Husbandry and Dairying. 12th Five year plan, 2012-2017. Planning Commission, New Delhi.

Heffernan C and Misturelli F. 2011. Is demand the answer? An exploration of pro-poor, demand-led research. Livestock Science 138: 109–17. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.livsci.2010.12.011

IVRI. 2014. http://ivri.nic.in/news/Workshop% 20IVRI%20News.pdf

James C. 1996. Agricultural research and development: The need for public-private sector partnerships. Issues in Agriculture-9. The Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGLAR) Report.

Moran J. 2014. The feeding of by-products on small holder dairy farms in Asia and other tropical regions. In: John Moran (eds), Final report of FAO E-Conference held in November- December, 2013.

Moreddu C. 2013. Agricultural Innovation Systems: A Framework for Analyzing the Role of The Government. Working Party on Agricultural Policies and Markets.

National Commission on Agriculture. 1976. Report of the National Commission on Agriculture. Government of India, New Delhi. Prasad C S. 2011. Dairy production, quality control and marketing system in India. Dairy Production, Quality Control and Marketing System in SAARC Countries. pp: 53–122. (Eds) PalS K and Siddiky N A.

Rao S V N, Rangnekar D V, Dey R and Van Den Ban A W. 1995. Farmers’ perception of innovations. Handbook for Straw Feeding System, 107–16.

Rathod P and Chander M. 2014. Identification of socio- economically important dairy innovations in India: A perspective of scientists. (Ed.) Karamidehkordi E. Proceedings of the First International Conference of the Asia and Pacific Islands Rural Advisory Services (APIRAS) and the Fifth Congress of Extension and Education in Agriculture and Natural Resources Management: Facilitating Information and Innovations for Empowering Family Farmers. 2-4 September, 2014, University of Zanjan, Iran. pp-101.

Smith O, Avila M. and Abdi N. 2004. Strengthening linkages between farmers’ organizations and agricultural research institutions. Proceedings of 36th World Farmers Congress IFAP. pp 1-11. Washington, D. C.

Sunding D and Zilberman D. 2001. The agricultural innovation process: research and technology adoption in a changing agricultural sector. Handbook of Agricultural Economics. (Eds) Gardner A B and Rausser G. Vol. 1, Elsevier Science, Amsterdam. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S1574-0072(01)10007-1

Swaminathan M S. 1991. Toward sustainable agriculture: Dimensions and components. Employment News, New Delhi, 20 (34): 32. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/003072709102000406

Thomas B. 2012. An Assessment of the role of research and extension services for small-scale crop farmers in North- Central Namibia. Journal of Agricultural Biodiversity Research 1: 122–26.

Thornton P K, Kruska R L, Henninger N, Kristjanson P M, Reid R S, Atieno F, Odero A N and Ndegwa T. 2003. Mapping Poverty and Livestock in the Developing World. ILRI (International Livestock Research Institute), Nairobi, Kenya,124 pp.

Torsten H, Otto Garcia and Amit Saha. 2003. A Review of Milk Production in India with Particular Emphasis on Small Scale Producers. PPLPI working paper 2.

Walli T K. 2014. The Feeding of By-products on Smallholder Dairy Farms in Asia and Other Tropical Regions. (Ed.) John Moran. Final report of E-Conference held in November- December 2013, FAO, Rome.

Zamani G H. 2000. Knowledge and technology transfer, a case study: Linkage between college and agriculture of Shiraz University and extension services in Farse province. Journal of Science and Technology of Agriculture and Natural Resources 4: 58.