36-Title: Role of awareness on animal welfare measures and health care management of dairy animals

Authors: Ravdeep Singh, Harneet Kour, Pranav Kumar and MS Bhadwal

Source: Ruminant Science (2021)-10(2):433-438.

How to cite this manuscript: Singh Ravdeep, Kour Harneet, Kumar Pranav and Bhadwal MS (2021). Role of awareness on animal welfare measures and health care management of dairy animals. Ruminant Science 10(2):433-438.

Abstract

Present study was conducted on dairy farmers of Kathua district of J&K UT to record their awareness about dairy animal welfare practices and various health care managemental practices. Data revealed that in all the selected blocks under study, hundred per cent of the respondents were aware about the freedom from thirst and freedom from hunger. Farmers of blocks; Billawar, Kathua and Hiranagar were usually taking care of their animals in a better way than the respondents of Barnoti block (93%). It can be concluded that on an average 98.3% of the respondents from the district were aware of giving freedom from injuries and diseases to their animals. The results also revealed that the majority of the respondents (98.3%) were aware of freedom from pain and discomfort for their animals. Farmers were delivering freedom from fear and distress to their animals making an average of 92.5%. The majority of them (96%) believed that animals should be kept calm during the handling procedures. Animals should not be stressed for production was responded by 96 per cent of the farmers. The majority of the respondents (69%) believed that they them-self were responsible for maintaining animal welfare. It was observed that the majority of the respondents (73%) could detect if their animals were sick. About 58 per cent of the respondents believed that proper veterinary care should be given to the animals. Nearly 67% of the dairy owners followed vaccination schedules to prevent animal diseases. It was observed that they were putting more emphasis on the removal of ectoparasites than they deworming. Regarding disbudding and castration of animals, 55% and 47% of farmers were adopting it, respectively. As per the study, the majority of the respondents (52%) preferred morning hours for working of animals. The majority of respondents were following the practice of isolating the sick animals from the rest of the animals.

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