Pakistan Journal of Agriculture, Agricultural Engineering & Veterinary Sciences (Jun 2015)

A PERSPECTIVE ON HOUSEHOLD DAIRY FARMING IN DISTRICT THATTA, SINDH PAKISTAN

  • A. L. Bhutto,
  • B. Bhutto,
  • R. A. Chandio,
  • I. P. Bhatti,
  • A. A. Khooharo

Journal volume & issue
Vol. 31, no. 1

Abstract

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A household (HHs) survey was conducted to collect the information on household dairy farming with special reference to management of livestock, milk production and marketing as well as role of livestock in household income in Thatta district of Sindh Province of Pakistan. Six hundred households were selected from 40 villages in four out of nine talukas (administrative units) using multistage clustering method. Estimates of the study revealed that 54% of the households possessed buffaloes. Average number of buffaloes was estimated at 4.28 while 376 (63%) of the household reported cattle with average number of 4.38 heads per household. Small number of buffalo and cattle bulls were recoded. Average number of 5.55 goats per households was reported by 35% of all the households. On an overall basis, 2,365 liters of buffalo milk was computed from 600 households, while 1,033 liters (43.7%) was used in households and 1,332 (56.3%) liters was sold. About 1,868 liters of cow milk were computed from 600 households, while 915 liters (49%) of milk used in households and 953 (51.0%) liters were sold. Majority of houses supply milk to milk collection agents (72.0%), while the most prevalent mode of payment was recorded on weekly basis (73%). About 66.0% of the respondents reported that they contact veterinary doctors. Relatively more proportion (39.0%) of abortion was estimated for the households who used Oxytocin before milking of animals. Using chi-square statistic, the relationship between use of Oxytocin and abortion in large animals was found highly significant (p<0.01). On an average basis, 3.0% growth rate in livestock was estimated. The highest growth rate (5.0%) was recorded in buffaloes. Livestock contributed about 21.0% to household income (sale of milk 11% and sale of animals 10%). Relatively more proportion of females was recorded in livestock rearing (44.6%); followed by skilled labor (handicrafts: 28%), and agriculture (12.1%).

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