A Note on the Status of Dairy Farming in Galle District, Sri Lanka

Present investigation was carried out to study the factors which affect milk production of dairy cattle in Labuduwa, Rathgama and Yakkalamulla veterinary ranges in Galle district, Sri Lanka. Breed type of cattle, insemination method, sex of the calves, milk production of mother cows, rearing methods and ectoparasitic tick infestations were studied. The studied cattle were belonged to cross breeds of Jersey, Friesian, Sahiwal and AFS (Australian friesian sahiwal)and Jersey was the most common breed. Sahiwal and AFS breeds tend to produce more male calves under artificial insemination. The milk production of mother cows reared under semi intensive management system was high (p 0.05). Boophillus decolaratus was the only tick species present on studied calves with low percentage abundance (14.54%) of male ticks compared to that of female ticks (85.45%). Tick abundance was high in calves reared under free range management system. The tick abundance was high in Labuduwa range than Rathgama range (p > 0.05). According to the findings of the present study, the effect of the cattle management system has considerable impacts on milk production and tick infestations of dairy cattle in studied veterinary ranges in Galle district.