A STUDY ON LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION AS AFFECTED BY DIFFERENT MANAGEMENT PRACTICES IN TEHSIL BABOZAI, DISTRICT SWAT

Published: November 20, 2011

By: Akbar Ali, M.Younas, Arshad Iqbal and M. Ishaque

Summary

A survey study was carried out through a pre-tested questionnaire involving 135 farmers belonging too sub-urban, peri-urban and rural areas of Tehsil Babozi, district Swat. The main parameters focused upon included: socio-economic profile of farmers, production systems, farm size, category of dairy animals kept, livestock husbandry practices in vogue, gender involvement, level of farmers awareness, access to extension services and identification of constraints being faced by the farming community in various livestock production activities. Irrespective of the areas /social groups of the farmers, the average land holding was 4.75 acres. Majority of the farmers (62.92 %) own 1-5 animals/family while farmers on an average owned 6.53±0.73 animals /family. Buffaloes and cows were found in a ratio of 3.27 and 2.88, respectively. Among various feeding resources, grazing was found to be the main source practiced by 71.64 % farmers. On overall basis 85.25 % farmers offer 2.5 kg concentrate and 24 kg green fodder daily to their lactating animals. Farming was the foremost source of income among all the interviewed respondents. Natural breeding of animals was followed by 96% respondents. Only 54% farmers provide health cover to animals. Hardly 23.7 5 farmers have awareness about extension/improved agricultural and animal husbandry practices. Moreover, as a whole livestock related activities was mainly male dominated (66.99%). The constraints mainly faced by the respondents include: inadequate feeding resources, limited breeding facilities, lack of education, social check towards gender community, various health issues, lack of proper marketing/loaning system, primitive husbandry practices. The study inferred that implementation of the solutions towards the aforesaid problems will not only improve the dairy animals productivity but will certainly improve the socio-economic status of the farming community. Keywords: Livestock production, managemental practices, Swat

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