Adoption of Good Dairy Farming Practices among Commercial Dairy Owners of Karnataka

Karnataka has been purposively selected due to the highest milk producing state in South India where commercial dairy farming is also in developing stage. In all, 135 respondents from 3 districts form the total sample size for the study having equal representation of small (10-20 milch animals), medium (20-40 milch animals) and large (>40 milch animals) commercial dairy farmers. Questionnaire was prepared on animal health, hygienic milking, animal feeding, animal welfare and environmental friendly practices according to “Guidelines on good dairy farming practices” by FAO (2014). The study shows that average adoption score of animal health practices,hygienic milking practicesand environmental practices was medium. The average adoption score of animal feeding and animal welfare practices was high. The average overall adoption score of good dairy farming practices was medium whereas average overall adoption score of both small and medium farmers group was medium and large farmers group was high. The study also shows that education, occupation, herd size, annual income and extension agency contact were highly significant and positively correlated with adoption level of good dairy farming practices, whereas livestock rearing experience, land holding, social participation and mass media were positively and significantly associated with adoption. The study further reveals that annual income, herd size, education and extension agency contact were the main contributing factors to adoption of good dairy farming practices.