Mithun Production and Management System in Papum Pare District of Arunachal Pradesh

Present study was carried out in three villages viz., Mani, Midpu and Chiputa, in 2011. It was found that all the farmers (100%) followed free range system of rearing, natural random mating system, zero-input feeding system and salt as medium to keep close contact with the Mithun. Less than 1 per cent farmers trained their Mithun to come near by their house timely by making sound and offer bunch of hay or grass along with salt. Majority of the farmers (69%) said age at first calving was 36 months and 64 per cent of the respondents said inter calving period was 13 months and 91 per cent of them had breeding bull. Deworming, ectoparasitic control and antibiotics were used by 9, 21 and 12 per cent farmers, respectively and only 25 per cent farmers vaccinated the Mithun against the foot and mouth disease. Weaning was done at 20 months of age by following natural method and male calves were never castrated. Sixty nine per cent of the respondents paid proper attention to the pregnant Mithun whereas 81 per cent farmers sell the animal at the time of adversity.