Constraints in Dairy Animal Health Care and Management Practices Faced by Tribal Farmers of Ranchi District (Jharkhand)

Abstract

The present study was undertaken purposively in Ranchi district of Jharkhand to identify and prioritize the constraints faced by tribal dairy farmers in adopting improved animal health care and management practices. Three blocks and, two villages from each block were selected at random. From each village 30 tribal respondents were selected randomly, constituting a total number of 180 respondents. The tribal respondents having atleast one milch animal were selected. For the purpose of prioritizing the constraints Garret ranking has been used. The results of the study revealed that “lack of fodder and scarcity of clean drinking water” was the most important perceived constraint followed by “lack of knowledge about disease and improved dairy farming practices”. “Distant location of Veterinary hospital and non availability of staff” was perceived as the third important constraint in maintaining animal health followed by “untimely visit of Veterinary Assistant Surgeon and Mobile Veterinary Unit” ranked as fourth, “high cost of medicine and non availability of medicines in Veterinary Hospitals” ranked as fifth, “lack of space for isolation of sick animals” ranked as sixth and “lack of artificial insemination facilities” ranked as the seventh important constraints faced by tribal dairy farmers in the study area.