An appraisal of area possessed under forage and pastures by dairy and non dairy farmers in district Mandi, Himachal Pradesh

The study was undertaken in three blocks of district Mandi and data were collected about the level of knowledge among dairy and non dairy farmers in district Mandi of Himachal Pradesh. The study reported that the highest average area under cultivated fodder found in Maize crop (0.44ha) followed by Oats (0.25ha), Sorghum (0.16ha) and Berseem (0.15ha) while per non dairy farmer the highest area (0.16ha.) recorded under Maize followed by (0.13ha) Oats, Berseem (0.11ha) and (0.08ha) under Sorghum. As the area possessed under pastures the dairy farmers noticed highest area (0.96ha.) under common pastures followed by (0.68ha) family pasture and (0.24ha). Under hortipastures while in case of per non dairy farmers the highest area (0.93ha) was found under family pasture followed by (0.91ha) common pasture and 0.36ha in hortipasture. As regards to percent area per dairy and non dairy farmers is concerned; the dairy farmers possess more area (14.17%) compared with non dairy farmers (8.43%) in forage crops while non dairy farmer possess more area (34.42%) in pasture compared to dairy farmers (26.65% area). The reasons possessing more area by non dairy farmers under pasture that the maintenance and quality of pastures was not found proper and not getting sufficient fodder out of such pastures.

The natural grass lands are the primary source of fodder for live stock in Himachal Pradesh (Singh and Sood, 1997). The dairy farming in Himachal Pradesh contributes about 20-30% of household income. Due to low productivity of land and marginal holdings, livestock reconsidered away of lifting the quality of life of rural masses in the state. Forage, livestock status in temperate west zone of Himachal Pradesh has documented that the average land holding size varied from 0.52-5.52 ha are with the predominance of small and marginal farmers (Sharma and Jindal, 2002). The small farmers still has poor information inputs chiefly because of their lower socio economic status (Baldeo and Kushwaha, 2002). The adoption gap was found higher among marginal farmer than small farmer and at the same time the adoption gap was found to be higher among small farmer then large farmers (Khan and Chauhan, 2005).

Refbacks

Khan, P. M. and Jitendra C. (2005) Adoption gap in improved technology of animal husbandry. Ind. Res. J. of ext. edu., 5(1): 63-65. Sharma, J. R. and Jindal, K. K. (2002) Carrying capacity of selected grasslands of Shimla district in temperate west zone Himachal Pradesh, fodder animal relationship of different land holdings. National symposium on grass land and fodder research in the new millennium, pp. 160-161. Singh, C. M. and Sud, V. K. (1997) package of practices for kharid crops, H. P. K. V. Palampur, pp. 67-69. Singh, B. and Kushwaha, R. K. (2002) Characteristics of small farmers and adoption of modern farm technology, Indian Research J. of Exten. Education, 2(1): 44-47. Shinde, V. K. (1998) Adoption of improved dairy practices by diary farmer‟s, Maha J. of ext. edu., 17: 144-151.