THE STATE OF IMPROVED DAIRY FARMING PRACTICES: A STUDY OF RURAL DAIRY FARMERS IN ERODE DISTRICT

Abstract

Abstract
Dairy farming is a crucial activity in rural India and contributes significantly to the country's GDP. The adoption of modern scientific practices is essential for improving productivity and making dairy farming more profitable. However, the widespread adoption of modern techniques is dependent on the knowledge level of dairy farmers about these practices. This study aims to measure the knowledge level of rural dairy farmers in Erode district of Tamil Nadu state regarding improved dairy farming practices. The study employed an ex-post facto research design and a teacher-made knowledge test to measure knowledge levels in five domains: breeding, feeding, health care, general management, and clean milk production. The results reveal that the majority of dairy farmers had a medium knowledge level, while a small percentage had high knowledge levels. Although nearly all farmers had knowledge about colostrum feeding to the newly born calf and symptoms of mastitis, fewer had knowledge about dehorning of newborn calves and proper methods of milking. The study concludes that there is an enormous opportunity to improve the knowledge of dairy farmers, and suggests training programs, demonstrations, and social media messages to increase farmers' know-how of modern dairy husbandry practices. The findings highlight the significance of the dairy farming industry in India, which is the largest milk producer globally and contributes to 3.92% of the total GDP of the country.