Although population growth is slowing, it still has almost a thousand people per square kilometer – the highest density of any country in the world (excluding small island states and city states). The respective discussion was conducted to compare the socio-economic status of both cross-bred and RCC dairies. The researcher mainly focused on socio-economic profiles of farms, productivity and reproductivity parameters, production and management system, cost per lactation and returns and finally constraints in the field of agriculture and the corrective measures for the improvement of the dairy industry. The results of the study showed that there were more crossbred cows per farm (2.55) than local cows (0.65).
Productive and reproductive performance of RCC
Comparative Economic profitability of Rural Dairying practices
To know the real situation the researcher has made an attempt to make a comparison between crossed and RCC companies. Moreover, this study attempted to evaluate the economic profitability, feasibility, profitability of farms and existing milk marketing chains in the selected areas of Chattogram District. In order to uncover all the information regarding the present status and future improvement of dairy farming in the study areas, the researcher has conducted a kind of study titled “Comparative Socio-Economic Study on Crossbred and Red Chittagong Cattle Dairy Farmers in Some Selected Areas of the Chattogram District” for partial fulfillment of an MS thesis under the Department of Agricultural Economics and Social Sciences, CVASU.
METARIALS AND METHODS
- Selection of study areas
- Study type and data collection
- Method of data collection, time and reliability of data
- Data Collection, Analytical Technique and Estimation of Economic Profitability
- Qualitative measures
- Quantitative Measures
- Annual farm income
- Annual farm cost/expenses
- Annual farm operating profit
- Annual operating profit/cow
The size of each stall was divided by the number of animals housed therein to calculate relative floor area and stocking density. The daily amount of roughage per animal was measured indirectly by the number of thumb-full volumes of the daily amount or by measuring the filled volume of the feed trough. The total weight of a company's own formulated concentrate mixture was divided by the total number of animals offered to indirectly calculate the average amount of concentrate supply per animal per day.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS
General Characteristics of Dairy Farm Owners
- Crossbred and Red Chittagong cattle Dairy Enterprises-General Profiles
- Supervision and management practices in studied Dairy Farms
- Housing Practices of crossbred and RCC Dairy Farms
- Feeds and Feeding systems of Small Scale crossbred with RCC Dairy Farms
- Comparison of Production potentials of crossbred Dairy industries and RCC Farm Owners
- Comparison ofDisease occurrences of crossbred Dairywith RCC farms
- Distribution of Herd Sizes of the Studied Farms
- Productive and Reproductive performances of dairy cows (Crossbred and RCC Dairy Farms)
Page | 20 In case of occupational status, it was found higher for dairy and cultivation respectively and 37.50% for small, medium and RCC milk producers respectively. Fig-4: Income source distribution of farm owners Fig-5: Financing of the farm owners. Farm owners reported being involved in overall agricultural supervision in most farms (46.87%), while only 17.50% of farms have paid experienced managers.
Farm operation is decided directly by the owner himself in about 87.50% RCC respondents, while 55.00% medium and 42.50% small farmers participate in decision making. About 65% small and 57.50% medium farmers provide adequate space with rough floor, while 45% RCC farmers can provide it. The farms that offered the green fodder along with deshi or local green grass to their cows were found around 30.63%, hybrid fodder 21.87 % and both local and hybrid around 47.50 % farms.
The occurrence of diseases of the cows among the respective dairy farms was recorded and analyzed according to the occurrence of common types of diseases in different categories of farms, is summarized in Table-6. Frequency of milk fever attack in the dairy cows is less than 4 cases are found about 72.50% and 60% for small and medium crossbred dairy farms respectively while it. The distribution of herd sizes of the studied farms consists of dairy cows, dry cows, heifers, calves, bulls and bulls etc.
A composition of herd sizes is also similar for two categories of crossbred and RCC dairy farms in the study areas.
Assessing of Cost, Returns and farm profitability of crossbred and RCC Dairy Farms
- Costs of Dairying at different categories of farms
- Feed price of Rearing Dairy Cows
- Labor Cost of Rearing Dairy Cows
- Veterinary charges of Rearing Dairy Cows
- Housing Cost
- Artificial Insemination charge of Rearing Dairy Cows
- Cost of Dairy appliances
- Transportation costs
- Interest on total operating cost
- Miscellaneous cost
- Returns of Crossbred and RCC Dairy farms
- Marketing Channels of Dairy Farms in Chattogram district
- Traditional Milk Marketing Channels
- Assessment of existing marketing channels
The required costs of rearing per cow per year in commercial dairies are presented in Table-9. Total costs per cow per year were estimated at Tk.92944, Tk.132999 and Tk.50082 for small, medium and RCC dairy farms. respectively. He found that, both cash/non-cash costs and total rearing costs per lactating cow for crossbred dairy farms were much higher than that of RCC cows. On the other hand, non-cash costs for lactation feed items per cow were calculated at Tk.
The total cash costs for employees per lactation year per cow was estimated at Tk.19200, Tk.30000 and Tk. The total veterinary fees per lactation per cow amounted to Tk.3900, Tk.7900 and Tk.2400 for small, medium and RCC dairy farms respectively. The veterinary fees are covered approx. and 0.87 per cent. of the total costs per lactation year per cow for small, medium and RCC dairy farms respectively (table-9).
The average artificial insemination cost per cow was found to be Tk.400, Tk.400 and Tk.300 for small, medium and RCC farms respectively. Thus, the above estimated results indicated that the total cost per cow per lactation year was found to be higher in the case of small and medium dairy farms and lower for RCC dairy farms where. The gross and net returns of small-scale commercial dairies on different categories of farms per cow per year above estimated cash.
Page | 35 average revenues from the sale of milk and milk products per cow per lactation year were found Tk.
CHAPTER
CONSTRAINTS AND POSSIBLE REMEDIAL MEASURES
Introduction
Major constraints of farmers
- Excess feed cost
- Lower market price of products
- Lack of primary training facilities
- Scarcity of quality feeds and fodders
- Conception failure of dairy cows
- Variation in market demand of produced milk and fluctuation of input prices
- Disease Occurrences
- Insufficient Veterinary Care & services
- Inadequacy of AI service
- Lack of milk preservation methods
- Lack of training & extension work
- Fraudulent practice
- Less availability of good Bull and quality Semen
- Feed poising and mineral deficiency
Under the circumstances, more than 93.00 percent of the sampled milk producers reported against this problem. Milk prices were relatively low because few intermediaries are involved in the marketing system in the study area. The average milk price per litter in the study area was estimated at Taka 40 (forty) at the place of production which was lower than the prices in urban areas of 70 tk (seventy) of Chattogram.
Disease incidence, especially FMD, Mastitis, uterine infections and metabolic diseases, are influenced by the rearing of dairy cows in the study areas. Diseases affect milk yield and reduce herd productivity. Sometimes calf mortality leads to heavy losses on dairy farms. It is one of the methods used for improving dairy breeds and better performance of dairy cows.
On the other hand, most of the farm owners sell their products to the middlemen in forms and sometimes the milk traders did not disclose the actual milk price to the farmers. In the study area, it was found that the majority of the dairy farm owners used to sell milk at home to Goala. Most of the dairy farm owners used frozen semen for breeding using AI techniques from DLS and provided by some NGOs.
Credit facilities are irrelevant for farmers, in most cases they borrow from mahajon, banks and NGOs with high interest which they feel panic about during the farm business.
Resolution methods
- Strict regulation for Feed Prices
- Controlling price fluctuation of milk
- Ensure regular supply of quality feeds & fodders
- Adequate Artificial Insemination
- Ensuring adequate Veterinary services
- Training facilities on management practices
- Controlling of fraudulent practices
- Make available credit facilities
Page | 45 Necessary steps should be taken to increase their knowledge in the long term to adopt and adopt better practices related to commercial dairy farming. Special attention should be given to motivate farmers to grow more fodder crops such as para, napier, maize, jamboo, German grasses in neighboring lands and roadsides near their house to meet the fodder and fodder needs of dairy cows. Adequate supply of prepared feed must be available throughout the year with adequate storage of raw materials.
Silage and hay production can solve the problem in a smaller context, but better technology should be used to preserve feed in the high season, which can be used in the scarce period. AI technicians should be properly trained and better heat detector machine should be introduced in this sector to get effective result per service for conception. Frozen sperm used for AI should be preserved properly so that they can give a better result.
The veterinary service should be more organized in the study areas, veterinarians and other field staff should be available to farms whenever needed. Sufficient supplies of medicines and necessary devices should be available to the areas so that an emergency can be easily dealt with. Therefore, to generate sustainable farm profits, the government should provide options for veterinary services and medical facilities.
Therefore, scientific feeding, housing and management practices should be introduced to achieve maximum yield from the dairy cows.
CHAPTERVI
SUMMARY AND POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS
- Summary
- Recommendations
- Limitation of Research Work
- Acknowledgements
Page | 48 In this study, socio-economic profiles, production and disease management systems were conducted on small scale dairy farms in different farm categories. Costs, returns, farm profitability and marketing channels of different categories of farms were also examined in this study. The cost benefit ratio (BCR) was considered and 1.34 for small, medium crossbred and RCC dairy farms.
The farmers gave valuable advice on better practices of milk production in the private management system by properly monitoring the retail market to control the fluctuation of feed and fodder prices from the companies, ensuring regular feed supply. and quality fodder with proper preservation method especially for drought and monsoon season, better quality. Semen should be available and provided by trained AI personnel, providing immediate adequate veterinary services and health care facilities, introducing training facilities on proper feeding and management practices, expanding AI facilities to areas of remote, provision of regular training and veterinary extension services, proper monitoring system to control fraudulent practices by brokers, making available credit facilities etc. Due to the scattered distribution of different farms, sometimes data collection requires more time for transportation and difficulties in road communication. Dairy farm owners and employed managers were not as cooperative and friendly.
Most of the RCC dairy farmers are women who feel shy while interviewing them which creates a complicated situation. The real data regarding production and income is not easy to collect from the farm owners because they hide the income oriented real facts. I would like to thank and acknowledge the logistical support and operational fund provided by the Chattogram Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (CVASU), Bangladesh to conduct this study.
My mentor and other mentors helped me a lot in conducting the research and at the same time I am grateful to the officers and staff of DLS for their kind support in data collection.
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Institut for Husdyravl og Genetik, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh Department of Agricultural Economics, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh.
BIOGRAPHY
