HOW TO INCREASE THE INCOME OF LIVESTOCK FARMERS IN INDIA?
Dr. Trupti Suryakant Kattimani, Veterinary Officer, trupti23193@gmail.com, 8310869288
Veterinary Dispensary Salagar Basantpur Tq:Chincholi Dist:Kalaburgi State: Karnataka
Abstract:
Livestock rearing is the one of the trending and economical sector in India. Indian farmers rear livestock years ago. Rearing of different species like cattle, buffalo, calves, sheep and goat, poultry, pig and rabbit farming in young youth for betterment of the livelihood and double the income of the farmers. Desi calves especially male calf rearing is highly economical to the farmers for draft purpose. One pair of bull cost nearly 1-2 lakh INR. Along with cattle rearing, other subspecies like rearing of sheep and goats, backyard poultry for the increase the income and health of farmers. Piggery farming is nowadays trending in the market, highly economical basis and low investment. The livestock rearing along with other sector like sericulture, apiculture, horticulture organic vegetables fruit farming also help to farmer for increasing overall income to the farmers. Farmer with rearing in scientific manner and economically in small area also get income to the family as well as society.
Introduction
India has highest livestock population in the world. India is the first rank in milk production and first in buffalo population and buffalo meat production. Compared to globe Indian animals have lower production. Low production may be due to lower genetic potential, fodder scarcity and drought prone environment, parasitic infestation, poor hygiene and cleaning of shed, temporary sheds, very low or nill investment on animals in village level due to poverty of farmers, lack of scientific knowledge, awareness on animal husbandry, following of livestock rearing in traditional method in village level and lack of veterinarian services. So the good management of livestock in the shed and upgradation of local animals with high producing animals can bring the high production than the low production. This will intern increase the livestock farmers income. The following activities in livestock farming which are helpful to farmers to increase the income.
Methodology
- Calf rearing: calf rearing is one of the short term income generating activity. Desi milch breeds like Gir, Sahiwal, cross breed like HF, Jersey etc female calves at one year age group purchased them from the farmers and rear for 2 years with all measures taken care like regular deworming, vaccination. Once came for heat they insemination and after confirmation pregnancy and near by completion of term of pregnancy the animals is sold with high cost. Indian draft breed such as Khillari, Deoni, Amruthmahal, have high demand for one pair of non castrated bulls nearly 1-2 lakh in the market.
- Backyard poultry: Even though there is lot of production of broiler poultry in India. Desi birds eggs and meat have huge demand from consumers. So backyard poultry not required the man power. The veterinarian advice one farmer can rear 20-30 birds in back yard and may get good income source. Not only income of the farmer, the health status of the farmer especially village side farmers and their family members health also take care while rearing the poultry.
- Buffalo farming: Buffalo milk is rich in fat and SNF. Demand for buffalo milk mainly in sweet manufacturing units and from house hold consumers. Farmers should know about the nature and behavior of the buffalo breeding and care and management aspects. Some proper guidelines of deworming, vaccination should be done in regularly for increase the income of farmers.
- Cross breed dairy farming: cross breed cow rearing is economical to the farmers where milk production is required like metropolietian and hightech cities. But along with cows there are prone for ectoparasitic infestation, haemoprotozoal disease and environmental distress. Therefore some milk producers societies are working on control of tick infestation, heamoprotozoal diseases and minimize the environmental stress. Calf per year planning will be the key for success in cross dairy farming. Female calf born are increase the gradual source of income.
- Goat farming: Goats are well known as “poor man’s cow”. Day by day goat meat demand increasing in the society. They will survive in less rain, drought prone area. They required less attention or care like others required. Technological way of farming like feeding habit, shed farming, regular vaccination, deworming will increase the income for the farmers. The goat milk has more demand in metro cities. Cost is 100ML of milk for 400 INR.
- Sheep farming: Sheep rearing has more demand for their wool, meat and manure. Sheep can rear on stall feeding as well as grazing method. Deworming and vaccination schedule for sheep rearing is the key for success in Sheep farming.
- Indigenous cow dairy farming: now a day people where aware of indigenous breed of cattle in India like Gir, Sahiwal, and Tharparkar for milking purpose. Aruthmahal, Deoni, Hallikar etc for draft purpose. The milk of indigenous cow in ancient days known as AMRUTH, means live saving tonic, because it content many good quality proteins . The A2 protein is highly produced in our cows which is mainly helpful in control the health status. The draft purpose breed are resistance to changing in environmental condition, drought purpose and some are resistant to hemoprotozoal diseases. Proper management, regular vaccination and deworming will help in control of diseases.
- Fodder growing: fodder is the primary input for the animal husbandry. India has 11% acute shortage of fodder production due to urbanization, drought, flood, growing different commercial crops in fodder land. So fodder cultivation is demand for farmer which are rear near the cities. The small scale farmer only cultivate the fodder and sold with the good rate. Else where they can rear one two livestock for house purpose for organic farming. Organic farming is now days highly valuable from the people. People becoming conscious about their health.
- Pig farming: piggery farming nowadays highly economical business for the farmers who mainly thinking of money. One pig can give birth up to 10 piglets in 6 months. The piglets up to 6 month of growth they increase up to 80-100 kilograms. The FCR is high in pigs. In metropolitan cities as well as near cities piggery farming trends because of meat quality. The exotic cross breed of pigs crosses and upgrade with local pigs.
Results and Discussion
As per Activity1 purchasing male calves of Indigenous breeds like Khillari, Deoni, Tharparkar and female calves of HF, Jersey and Buffalo and rearing them for 2 years will make them as valuable asset and sold to high rates. Male animals having high demand from Agricultural farmers and female animals having high demand from dairy farmers. Optimum management and better feeding will enhance the gain in body weight.
As per Activity2 desi bird having high demand from consumers. Quill is having more demand. Regular feeding and vitamins supplementation is important in poultry farming. Predators like Dog, Cat and Snakes are very much common for backyard poultry. Following of bio-security measures and veterinary care are the critical points to be followed. Even eggs of desi birds and Quail are having high nutritive value and demand. Farmers should the demand and earn good income from back yard poultry.
As per Activity3 Buffalo milk rich in fat and SNF having high demand from consumers. So milk product manufacturing units and hotels also needs buffalo milk. So farmers from towns or villages nearby town should plan for the buffalo farming. The important things for buffalo farming are high fodder requirement and silent heat management which is needful for the reproduction. Farmer should sell the milk directly to consumers will improves the income of farmer. Buffalo manure also will be the source of income.
As per activity4 cross bred cows are excellent milk producers. But milk market should be created. Milk producer’s co-operative societies or private commercial dairy are the better market options. Care should be taken on tick control and haemoprotozoan diseases. Cross bred animals are sensitive for heat and various diseases, Recently farmers are facing low SNF and fat problems in cross bred dairy farming especially with HF cross animals. So proper feed and farm management will be done for this problem as per veterinarian advice. Regular feeding of mineral mixture is needed in dairy farming.
As per Activity5 Goat farming becoming popular in India. Because chevon don’t have any taboo from any religion. Goat are known as moving ATMs. They have very good demand all the year and in some village festival season the demand and rate will be at peak. Recently PPR, foot rot, internal and external parasites infestation making losses in Goat farming. So farmers should have knowledge on deworming and vaccination to be followed or farmer should take advice from veterinarian. Recently grazing Goats are also facing problems like Pesticide and/or herbicide poisoning, lightning strike, scarcity of fodder and labor shortage. Careful management and veterinarian advice are key to success. Goat manure is also a source of income.
As per Activity6 Sheep farming is very old traditional activity in India. Wool has more demand. Mutton is also high demand commodity in the society. Recently Sheep farmers facing lot of outbreaks of diseases like Blue tongue, Sheep pox, enterotoxaemia and endoparasitic infestation. Sheep wool and manure are additional source of income.
As per Activity7 Indigenous cow dairy farming is getting more popular now. Calves of desi breed cow having more demand from agriculture farmers. Indigenous cow urine and dung are having aesthetic value. Milk products like ghee, khova, butter are having high demand from consumers. Indigenous animals are low producers compared to cross breed cattle but they are resistant to diseases and well adoptable to drought prone Indian climatic condition. They are having high reproductive profile and they will give calf per year and it will be advantage in profitable dairy farming.
As per Activity8 India is short fall in fodder due to drought, commercial crop cultivation urbanization, industrialization and so many causes. So small and marginal farmers with one or two livestock can grow more fodder and sell it to others. When there is sufficient fodder available like in rainy season fodder can be conserved like Silage making, hay making, making dry fodder blocks for better storage and utilized whenever there is need. Urea enrichment of dry fodder and cultivation of fodder trees on the border of agriculture will also reduces fodder scarcity.
As per Activity9 pork demand is more in market. Pigs can be raised from domestic kitchen and hotel waste. Hotel waste available at free of cost. Now due to modernization culture more and more hotel and restaurants are became part of our society and they will produce lot of waste on daily basis. So farmers who are near to city can think on pig farming. Pig manure is also a source of income.
Conclusion - Breeding policy: By upgrading at non-descript animals by crossing with high yield producing cross breeds and upgraded local animals.
- Feeding: feeding the animals with optimum and ideal along with feed formulation. Sudden change in feeding habit and fodder causes difficult in adoption and enteritis problem in livestock leads to loss in production.
- Regular deworming, vaccination and insemination and emergency treatment are available near the local veterinary hospital so follow the advice of veterinarian for the rearing of livestock.
- Training should be conducted to youth and livestock farmers and visit in field on demonstration method and demonstration given for rearing of livestock and management of livestock. Visit the farms which are already success in the livestock such as broiler, layer, sheep and goat farming, calf rearing, rabbit farming, cattle and buffalo farms. Which gives practical knowledge to the farmers for rearing the livestock and increase the income source by rearing in scientific way.
- Fodder: due to urbanization, centralization, industrialization increases day by day due to this, there is hindrance and lack of fodder cultivation in India. Some farmers were also involve in fodder production, making concentrate feeding packets and market in the locality with also increase and source of income to the farmers.
- Milk is perishable products so many farmers are sold milk with low cost to the middle man. Now farmers can comes together and made the small society for the milk and milk products like butter, ghee, panner, curd, milk powder, sweets for storage and gives high value to these products compare to milk. It will helps to increase income to the farmers and helps to become entrepreneur.
- In India, nowadays organic farming gets popularized. The small farmer will produces organic vegetable fruits by having the livestock in the farm. Usage of manure to the farms will helps to cultivate organic fruits and vegetable, which got higher market rate than the non organic farming.
- Clean and hygienic environment of the shed will improve the health of animals. Always provide good shelter, fodder, water to the animals. Grooming, care and management of sick and pregnant animals, separation of diseased animals should be done and this will help in increase the productivity of the animals in terms of health, milk, wool, hairs and egg etc.
- Animals should be insured and avoid and care should be taken during loss due to diseases/ natural calamities. Before starting a new farm, a farmer took proper knowledge by training and discuss with the local veterinarian for selection of animals with area specification. And work the successful farmer nearby at least 1 month to gain the knowledge about the running and management of animals.
- Cooperative societies operation will gives better marketing facility, intern increases the of farmer for rearing the livestock ex: sheep and wool development societies, milk cooperative. Farmers self help group should be created in the village for the benefit of farmers for loan and marketing facility for the livestock and its products. Along with dairy farming, fodder cultivation, horticulture, agriculture, sericulture, apiculture with help the farmer for uplift the income.
- Farmers should have good interaction with field veterinary, Agriculture and Horticulture officers.
- Farmers should be loving and caring about the animals. Good knowledge about the local farming, local market, local demand and local veterinary interactions are must.
Acknowledgments
Special gratitude to Dr Annarao Patil, M.V.Sc scholar, Dept. Of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinary College, KVAFSU, Bidar for the support and encouragement of this article.
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