Sustainability of Gangatiri cattle rearing

Abstract

The present study was undertaken in the native tract of Gangatiri cattle in Uttar Pradesh. Information was collected from 108 dairy farmers. Sustainability of Gangatiri cattle rearing was evaluated by measuring 3 indices i.e. economic sustainability index, social sustainability index and environmental sustainability index. Economic efficiency was measured by 6 indicators, viz. production efficiency, net profit, marketing, lactation length, dry period, and calving interval. Community relation of dairy farmers and their access to resource and support services were considered for measuring social equity. Indicators like dung utilization pattern, waste management and preparedness for flood were taken for measuring environment sustainability. The cattle rearing of dairy farmers was measured as composite sustainability index (CSI), ranging from 0 to 1. The results showed that most of dairy farmers (67.59%) had medium CSI score ranging from 0.3 to 0.6 followed by high CSI (>0.6) among 21.30% dairy farmers of study area, suggesting cattle rearing had lineage toward sustainability.