Assessment of Feeding and Housing Management Practices Adopted by the Local Cattle Farmers from the Bastar Region of Chhattisgarh, India
Nagendra Kumar
Indira Gandhi Krishi Vishwavidyalaya, Raipur, Chhattisgarh, India.
Vandana Bhagat *
Department of Livestock Production Management, College of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry, Dau Shri Vasudev Chandrakar Kamdhenu Vishwavidyalaya, Durg, Chhattisgarh, India.
D. Bhonsle
Department of Livestock Production Management, College of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry, Dau Shri Vasudev Chandrakar Kamdhenu Vishwavidyalaya, Durg, Chhattisgarh, India.
Rupal Pathak
Department of Livestock Production Management, College of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry, Dau Shri Vasudev Chandrakar Kamdhenu Vishwavidyalaya, Durg, Chhattisgarh, India.
Nishma Singh
Department of Livestock Production Management, College of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry, Dau Shri Vasudev Chandrakar Kamdhenu Vishwavidyalaya, Durg, Chhattisgarh, India.
Arvind K. Nandanwar
Rani Avanti Bai Lodhi College of Agriculture and Research Station, Chhuikhadan, District - Khairagarh - Chhyikhadan - Gandai (KCG), Indira Gandhi Krishi Vishvavidyalaya, Raipur, Chhattisgarh, India.
Jagriti Krishan
Department of Veterinary Physiology and Biochemistry, College of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry, Dau Shri Vasudev Chandrakar Kamdhenu Vishwavidyalaya, Durg, Chhattisgarh, India.
Varsha Jain
Animal Husbandry Department, Chhattisgarh, India.
Nilesh Kumar Painkra
Department of Livestock Production Management, College of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry, Dau Shri Vasudev Chandrakar Kamdhenu Vishwavidyalaya, Durg, Chhattisgarh, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Livestock farming plays a vital role in the rural economy of Chhattisgarh State. This investigation was conducted to evaluate the existing feeding and housing management practices adopted by local cattle farmers of Bastar, Narayanpur and Dantewada districts from the Bastar Plateau zone of Chhattisgarh. The study revealed that all respondents adopted an extensive system of cattle farming, with feeding primarily dependent on grazing, crop residues, and grasses. Only 19.5% of respondents offer concentrate ratios, whereas very few supplied mineral mixtures to the animals. All the farmers constructed sheds for their animals using locally available low-cost materials, such as polypropylene or thatched roofs, and earthen flooring. Most of the sheds lack electricity, although cleanliness and ventilation facilities are maintained. The investigation highlights that the cattle farmers followed traditional low-input rearing with limited scientific management practices. Therefore, it reveals the urgent need for strengthened extension services and farmer,s training programme to promote scientific management practices among farmers.
Keywords: Bastar plateau, grazing, mineral mixture, thatched roof, ventilation, human dwelling