A study on buffalo management practices followed by Gujjar tribe of Jammu

Abstract

A field survey was conducted in and around R.S. Pura tehsil of Jammu district of Jammu and Kashmir, India and data was collected from 120 respondents belonging to Gujjar community through specially designed questionnaire by random sampling method. The study revealed that majority of respondents preferred semi loose system of housing in the area and were not maintaining any records. It was observed that most of them were not disinfecting animal sheds. Regarding summer and winter management in buffaloes, majority of farmers practiced management practices to protect buffaloes from extreme heat and cold. About 14.16% of the respondents sometimes washed milking utensils before milking and 83.33% always washed their utensils followed by 2.5% who never washed them. About 94.16% and 100% of respondents adopted vaccination against Foot and mouth disease and Hemorrhagic septicemia for their animals respectively. Majority of farmers were poor in certain aspects of scientific management of animals and overall picture was not satisfactory.