Farmstead Planning of Commercial Dairy Farms in Urban and Peri Urban Areas of South Gujarat

Abstract

An investigation was carried to study the ways of farmstead planning by commercial dairy farmers in and around Navsari city of South Gujarat. For this purpose 20 each dairy farms in urban and peri urban area were selected randomly. The required information was collected through personal interview, observation and assessments methods. Data were analyzed by suitable statistical techniques revealed that few farmers (12.5%) had open area and feeding alley in their animal shed. About 30 per cent farms had more scientific water bowl system in animal shed. Almost all the respondents had pucca manger in animal shed. Housing dimensions of the farms under study revealed that majority of farms had constructed their livestock shed by keeping the standard in their mind. Average length, width and height of shed were 21.01, 8.55 and 3.17 meter, respectively. Average space provided was 4.73 m2 per adult unit which was near to the standard space requirement per adult animal. Most of farms had adopted the manger height and width as per BIS recommendation; however, very shallow mangers were provided by farmers. Majority of respondents kept the dimensions of water trough nearer to BIS standard. Majority of the (75%) respondents had even surface in their animal shed, 70 per cent had grooved surface, 52.5 per cent had well sloped and 60 per cent uniform without crack. The planning of farmstead in both regions was non-significant in most aspects.