Enhancing dairy farm sustainability: Insights into milking practices and economic realities among Kerala farmers

Abstract

The present survey was conducted among 49 dairy farmers to assess the awareness level in practices related to milking. A questionnaire was prepared and the items were categorized under six major domains. After content analysis of the items, it was found that 60.68 percent of the total respondents showed proper knowledge in practices related to herd health, 67.32 percent in practices related to cleanliness of animals and sheds, 60.47 percent in personal hygiene practices of milker, 49.94 percent in practices related to milking and 55.15 percent had knowledge of practices related to cleaning of milking utensils. On evaluating economics of cow rearing, 89.8 percent of the respondents agreed that cow rearing was not profitable. After assessing the items in all six domains, we draw the inference that, there is a need for providing awareness among farmers about various practices related to milking.