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Indian Journal of Animal Sciences 80 (5): 483–85, May 2010
Comparative studies of calf rearing and milking management practices in rural,
semi-urban and urban areas of Bareilly district of Uttar Pradesh
R R K SINHA1, TRIVENI DUTT2, BHARAT BHUSHAN3, R R SINGH4, M SINGH5 and SANJAY KUMAR6
Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar, Uttar Pradesh 243 122 India
Received: 6 June 2009; Accepted: 26 November 2009
Key words: Calf rearing, Milking management practices
The self sufficiency in milk production is possible only
through the adoption of improved management practices.
Calves form the future dairy herd and they require good
management skills and constant attention. Keeping these
things in mind the present study was designed to gather
information on different aspects of calf rearing and milking
management practices under field conditions of Bareilly
District.
A multistage stratified random sampling procedure
was used for the selection of 3 village panchayats and 12
wards from Bithrichainpur, Bhojipura and Kiyara blocks
of Bareilly district of Uttar Pradesh. A total of 270 cattle
and buffalo rearers were selected from rural, semi-urban,
and urban areas (90 cattle and buffalo rearers from each
area). From rural area 30 cattle and buffalo rearers
were selected from each village panchayat and 15 from
each ward from semi-urban and urban areas. Cattle and
buffalo rearers were categorized on the basis of land holding
as landless (0 ha), marginal (0–<1 ha), small (1–2 ha),
medium (2–<4 ha) and large (4 ha and above). The data were
collected through personal interviews, using the structured
schedule.
Calf rearing practices: The findings regarding calf rearing
practices indicated that all farmers (100%), either from rural
or semi-urban areas attended calving and took care of the
calves after parturition, but it was less (95.6%) in urban areas.
In rural areas only 5.6% of the farmers practised ligation/
cutting and disinfection of the navel cord, this was higher in
semi-urban and urban areas, where it was 14.4 and 11.1%
respectively. This low percentage was probably due to lack
of awareness of above mentioned practices.
It was found that 90, 96.7 and 95.6% farmers from
rural, semi-urban and urban areas were feeding colostrum
to their animals after falling of placenta, which was similar
to the observations of Dhiman et al. (1990) in Hisar district
of Haryana. Only 7.8% of farmers from rural areas, 1.1%
from semi-urban and 3.3% from urban areas followed the
practice correctly, which is to feed colostrum within 2 h of
birth.
In rural areas majority of the farmers (77.8%) fed
milk to their calf till lactation ceased whereas, only 11.1%
in semi-urban and 5.6% of the farmers in urban areas
followed this practice. However, 62% of urban farmers did
not give milk to the calf, 22.2% of urban farmers gave milk
for less than 4 months and 11.1% gave for more than 4
months. Calves were allowed to suckle for more than 6
months by majority of the rural farmers. This increased the
calving interval of the buffalo. Therefore, to overcome
this problem, the practice of weaning calves after 3
months of age under suitable hygienic conditions is advised.
Weaning practice was significantly less, 3.3% in urban,
5.6% in semi-urban and 15.6% in rural areas. Deoras et al.
(2004) concluded in rural and urban areas of Rajnandagaon
of Chhatisgarh plain that no farmers practiced weaning
system of rearing which may be due to sentimental value
associated to it.
Watering the calf two times was generally practiced in all
the areas. In rural and semi-urban areas, farmers started giving
fodder from 3 month in most cases, but in urban areas, they
started within 2 months (63.3%) of age of the calf. In rural
areas, more number of farmers practised castration in
comparison to urban areas, which was probably due to the
requirement of good draught animals. Use of
ectoparasiticides was practised in 71.1% cases in urban areas,
85.6% in semi-urban areas, which was maximum and 77.8%
in rural areas. This finding implied that farmers were aware
of the harmful consequences of ectoparasitic infestations. In
rural areas, 86.7% of the farmers provided jacketing as well
as bedding on litter during winter whereas 41.1% of urban
farmers provided jacketing alone. The result found was in
Present address: 1, 4Ph D Scholar, 5Senior Scientist, Division of
Livestock Production and Management, 2Principal Scientist and
Joint Director (Extension Education), 3Principal Scientist, Animal
Genetics and Breeding, 6Senior Scientist, Livestock Economics
and Statistics (2e mail: jdee@ivri.up.nic.in).
484 SINHA ET AL. [Indian Journal of Animal Sciences 80 (5)
96
consonance with the earlier findings of Rao et al. (1992) and
Yadav et al. (1990).
Milking management practices: The results indicated that
place of milking was same where farmers were keeping their
animals in 55.6%, 82.2% and 86.7% cases in rural, semi urban
and urban areas, respectively. This increase in percentage in
semi-urban and urban areas might be due to less space. In
urban areas some farmers were milking their animals at the
door of customers. In contrary to this Malik and Nagpaul
(1999) reported that 61.1% of milkers used to milk their
buffaloes at a separate dry place in Haryana. In rural areas,
51.1% farmers were having clean and dry environment during
milking but in semi-urban and urban areas, it was only 36.7%
and 24.4%. Cleaning of animals before milking was not much
in practice in urban areas, but higher in rural and semi-urban
areas. Udder washing was followed by 90%, 93.3% and 100%
farmers in rural, semi-urban and urban areas, respectively,
which is similar to Kalyankar et al. (2004) and Samajder
and Chander (2003). Calf was allowed to suckle before
milking, after milking and both before and after milking in
6.7%, 15.6% and 76.7% in rural areas, whereas it was 3.3%,
7.8% and 74.4% in semi-urban areas and 17.8%, 5.6% and
40% in urban areas. Generally calves were used for milk let
down that is why farmers allowed them to suckle before
milking. A good number of farmers did not allowed calf to
suckle in urban areas. This might be due to culling of calves
in later stage. Farmers in urban areas were not interested in
calf rearing because they thought this is uneconomical. As
far as process of milk let down is concerned 86.7% farmers
in rural areas were using calf suckling, which was reported
earlier by Dubey and Kumar (1981) in Karnal district of
Haryana. Some farmers are also practicing hand massaging
method due to death of calves (13.3%).
In semi-urban area, 87.8%, 10% and 2.2% farmers were
using calf suckling, hand massaging, and injection,
respectively, for the milk let down but in urban areas, only
50% farmers were using calf suckling as milk letdown
process and remaining 40% and 10% were using hand
massaging and injection, respectively, as milk let down
process. Cleanliness of milker in rural area was seen in 62.2%
cases compare to semi-urban (61.1%) and urban areas
(58.9%), this might be due-self involvement in milking in
rural and semi-urban areas but in urban areas hired labour
was involved who does not care on cleanliness, but
cleanliness of pail was more in urban areas (84.4%) followed
by semi-urban (74.4%), and rural areas (70%). Mainly open
type of milking pails or buckets were used for milking in all
the 3 areas, under the study. In rural areas, 55.4% farmers
were milking once and only 41.1% twice in a day. This might
be due to low yield of milk. But in semi-urban and urban
areas, 73.3% and 97.8% farmers, respectively, were milking
animals twice may be because of high milk production. In
rural and semi-urban areas, knuckling method was followed
by 74.4% and 73.3% of farmers, but in urban areas it was
46.7%. Full hand method milking, which is a healthy practice
was followed by 18.9%, 16.7 and 46.7% of farmers in rural,
semi-urban and urban areas, respectively. This might be due
to lack of awareness of full hand milking and easiness in
practicing knuckling. Stripping was also in practice in some
cases and it was practiced by 10% farmers in semi-urban
areas. Similarly Malik et al. (2005) reported that in Uttar
Pradesh the most commonly used method of milking was
knuckling as indicated by 70% of the cattle owners, whereas
full hand milking was being followed by only 24% of the
respondents. Similar finding was also observed by Singh
and Singh (1999) in rural areas of Haryana district. Most
of the farmers 51.1%, 48.9% and 66.7% from rural,
semi-urban and urban areas, respectively, were taking
more than 7 min in milking but 24.4% of urban farmers
were taking less than 7 min of time in milking, which is a
better practice. Most of the farmers in all the areas were not
using any drying off procedure, and animals got self dried in
96.7% cases in rural areas and 98.9% each in semi-urban
and urban areas.
SUMMARY
In spite of a large percentage of farmers following various
calf rearing and milking practices, there is still scope for
improvement. Dairy farmers should be educated regarding
significance of colostrum feeding within 2 h of birth and its
advantages in building resistance against diseases. Weaning
is also of great importance as well as cutting and disinfection
of navel cord, which was practiced rarely. In view of these
facts there is a need to educate farmers and milkers about
the improved practices through conducting demonstration
or planned extension programmes.
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