ASSESSMENT LEVEL ABOUT THE AWARENESS OF FARMERS IN SOUTH-BIHAR ALLUVIAL PLAIN ZONE ON THE PERFORMANCE TRAITS OF CATTLE AND BUFFALO

SANJEEV KUMAR¹*, RITU CHAKRAVARTY², L. NIKETHA³, VINITA KANWAL⁴, A.K. CHAKRAVARTY^5
1Dairy Extension Division, ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, 132001
²Dairy Extension Division, ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, 132001
³Dairy Extension Division, ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, 132001
⁴DES&M Division, ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, 132001
⁵Dairy Cattle Breeding Division, ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, 132001
* Corresponding Author : sanjeevagri2000@gmail.com

Received : 05-09-2016     Accepted : 08-09-2016     Published : 30-10-2016
Volume : 8     Issue : 52       Pages : 2569 - 2573
Int J Agr Sci 8.52 (2016):2569-2573

Keywords : Growth traits, Production traits, Reproduction traits, Body weight at the birth, Average daily milk yield, Peak yield, Fat percentage, Lactation length, Dry period, Age at puberty, Age at first calving, Service period, Service per conception, Calving interval.
Academic Editor : Viradiya Yagnesh Ashokbhai
Conflict of Interest : None declared
Acknowledgements/Funding : The ICAR-JRF has financially supported the study through Junior Research Fellowship and facilities provided by ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal (India) for conducting this work is duly acknowledged.
Author Contribution : None declared

Performance traits among dairy animals mainly consist of growth, production, and reproduction traits. A proper awareness regarding these traits among the dairy farmers contributes to the increased milk production and maintenance of good health of the dairy animals i.e. cattle and buffalo. A study was conducted in South–Bihar Alluvial Plain Zone to assess the level of awareness about performance traits of dairy animals. An index was developed to measure the level of awareness based on the response and suggestion of the experts of animal husbandry, including scientists and veterinarian doctors. Awareness index value for different traits as body weight at the birth, average daily milk yield, peak yield, fat percentage, lactation length, dry period, age at puberty, age at first calving, service period, service per conception, calving interval was found to be 0.58, 0.80, 0.60, 0.43, 0.68, 0.40, 0.37, 0.71, 0.31, 0.15, and 0.46 respectively. Similarly, index value for overall level of awareness of the dairy farmers regarding performance traits of cattle and buffalo was found to be 0.55.