• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.349-355
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• 1992

In order to explore feeding practices of large ruminants and methods followed in the rural areas, an exploratory survey was made during the period from January 1988 to January 1989 in eight different agro-ecological areas of Bangladesh in relation to the existing seasons and farmers' categories. The study shows what feeding practices varied (p<0.01) from area to area and season to season but not with the farmers' category. Considering the overall picture of feeding practices existing in the country, it can be observed that bigger proportion of farmers practiced stall feeding and tethering ($38.4{\pm}35.1$) followed by stall fed ($34.3{\pm}35.2$) and grazing or tethering ($17.3{\pm}26.7$). The figure with wider deviations indicates that farmers in the rural areas did not follow a smooth feeding practice, the system is rather a complex, heterogenous and a mere consequence of existing land use system. The results of feeding methods of by-product concentrates indicate that it also varied (p<0.01) from area to area but however, not with seasons and farmers' category. It is observed that bigger proportion of farmers fed concentrates to their animals mixed with water ($74.1{\pm}30.3$) followed by mixed with roughage and water ($10.3{\pm}13.3$) or fed alone ($5.6{\pm}14.2$). The method like feeding practice is also complex and heterogenous in the rural areas of Bangladesh. Hence, it is needed to develop a strategic feeding system and method identifying the problems associated with those.

• Journal of Marine Bioscience and Biotechnology
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.94-101
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• 2007

The status of recently expanded exotic pangasiid catfish Pangasius hypophthalmus, Pangasiidae farming in rural Bangladesh has been studied for finding research needs, through knowing the culture methods, associated activities and problems, to make the farming sustainable. Data were collected using participatory rural appraisal (PRA) tools in nine villages in three upazilas (sub-district) of Mymensingh district. The farmers have not got any formal training and have developed their knowledge on farming the fish through practice over years and sharing of knowledge among fellow farmers. Linked industries, e.g. hatcheries, nurseries, feed mills, trading of feed and fish etc. have developed that created employment opportunities. Most of the farmers produce two crops a year. About 90% of the farmers were found to practice mono culture of pangasiid catfish at high stocking density. The feeding rates started from 10-15% of the body weight per day at fingerling stage that reduced to 4-6% with growth. The average yield was found to be 25 tonslha/year. The livelihood of the farmers has been improved through farming the fish. Women and children were rarely engaged in the activities. The identified major problems in farming the fish were water quality deterioration, high feed costs and declining consumer demand and market price.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.643-649
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• 2002

Availability of feeds and fodder and amount of their intake by large ruminants in eight different agro-ecological zones (AEZ) of Bangladesh were recorded over a year. Roughages such as straw, naturally grown green grass, water hyacinth, tree leaves, legumes and sugarcane tops were the major feedstuffs fed to the large ruminants. Amount of intake of these ingredients differed (p<0.01) across AEZ studied, but did not differ across seasons or farmers' categories (p>0.05) except for green grasses (p<0.01). Byproduct concentrates offered to animals in the studied areas were rice bran, wheat bran and different oil cakes. The amount of intake of concentrates by the animals also differed (p<0.01) across AEZs, but did not differ across seasons or farmers' categories (p>0.05), except for rice bran and wheat bran which differed between season and farm category, and season respectively (p<0.01). The large standard errors of mean indicate that there are wide variations in intake of roughages and concentrates across AEZ's, seasons and farmers' categories and even across days. This further indicates that the feeding practices of large ruminants are largely heterogeneous. In addition to feeding roughage and concentrates, the animals were allowed to graze for six hours a day. Grazing hours also differed (p<0.01) across AEZ, but not by farmers' categories or seasons.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.81-91
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• 2011

An exploratory study was conducted in Gopalganj, a southern district of Bangladesh to explore the role of wild date palm (Phoenix sylvestris Roxb.) husbandry in the rural economy. A total of 36 households in the study area were interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire. A multistage sampling method with 10% intensity and a semi-structured questionnaire were used for the study. Based on the land holding capacity of the households, the farmers were categorized into five groups as landless, marginal, small, medium, and large. The date palm was distributed over seven different habitats of which roadside support the highest value (31%) followed by agricultural field and orchard (25% each). Though the large category farmers own most of the palms (43%), a considerable portion (562 individuals out of 1980) of it is managed by the landless farmers, who earn a substantial livelihood from the palms. The farmers manage the palm mainly for juice production; juice is either used fresh as drink or after some sort of processing as molasses and/or alcoholic beverage. Date palm husbandry contributes 32,601 Tk., 21,107 Tk., 20,626 Tk., 29,574 Tk. and 35,335 Tk. respectively to the five group seasonally and 50,980 Tk., 77,556 Tk., 90,208 Tk., 112,560 Tk., 140,675 Tk. respectively annually (1 US$ = 70 Tk.). Date palm trees contribute 65.48% of mean annual income to landless farmers followed by 27.21% to marginal farmers. However the poor marketing system result in decreasing the annual return from palm trees. Palm husbandry could be a promising source of rural incomes in Bangladesh if the farmers' traditional management knowledge was linked to more scientific management practices.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.371-378
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• 2004

The poultry farmers of rural area in Bangladesh usually prefer raising cockerel to broiler due to availability, low price of chicks, requirement of less space and feed, and high price of meat and the farmers believe that the cockerels are less susceptible to diseases in comparison to broilers. This study was carried out to observe the pathology of diseased cockerel in 3 farms of rural area in Bangladesh. A total of 974 birds were examined and the diagnoses of different disease/conditions were based on the history, clinical signs, characteristic gross, tissue alterations, clinical pathology and isolation and identification of the pathogenic organisms. The diseases in this study included infectious bursal disease, yolk sac infection, vitamin E deficiency, coccidiosis, and other diseases. The proportionate mortality rate were $7.29\%,\;0.62\%,\;0.72\%,\;0.21\%\;and\;0.10\%$, respectively, which indicated that most of the fatal causes of death were due to infectious bursal disease. Age group of 2-8 week old were the most susceptible to this disease and E coli was suggested as a cause of yolk sac infection. The data also suggested that the coccidiosis in rural areas of Bangladesh has decreased due to awareness of the farmers and routine use of coccidiostates.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.241-254
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• 2015

This study attempts to examine farmers' preference and perception towards cropland agroforestry (CAF) and its economic benefits in Bangladesh. It surveys 84 farmers of two sub-districts named Manirampur and Bagherpara under Jessore district of Bangladesh to address the study objectives with the help of a questionnaire during the period of June to July 2013. We follow a multistage random sampling procedure for selecting respondents of the survey. A total of 27 plant species under 19 families are identified in the surveyed crop fields, among which 11 are tree species and 1 is shrub from 8 families and 15 species are agricultural crops from 11 families. According to the survey findings, most of the farmers prefer multipurpose tree species like Swietenia macrophylla (67 percent), Phoenix sylvestris (48 percent), Mangifera indica (48 percent) and Cocos nucifera (43 percent). We also find that Curcuma longa (92 percent), Oryza spp. (56 percent), Solanum melongena (43 percent) and Amorphophallus campanulatus (33 percent) are the available agriculture crops which are grown in association with trees in the study area. The surveyed farmers report that they practice CAF to get fuel wood, fodder, juice, fruit and food for family consumption and revenue earnings. About 76 percent of the surveyed farmers endorse the existence of a positive interaction between trees and agriculture crops, while the rest 24 percent endorse the existence of a negative interaction between trees and agriculture crops. This study finds that CAF farmers on an average earn US$ 1,410 per farm per year and the yearly average revenue difference between CAF and non-cropland agroforestry (NCAF) farmers is US$ 214. Overall, CAF needs to develop through scientific intervention in the study area to conserve the biodiversity and to enhance farmers' sustainable livelihood.

• Asian Journal of Innovation and Policy
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.58-84
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• 2017

This article aims at demonstrating location specific approach for agricultural technology promotion and adoption in improving the livelihood of the small farmers in the haor basin and coastal belt of Bangladesh. Innovative technologies that have potentials are initially screened by ex-ante investigation and instrumented by the business model canvas, which is used as a bottom-up approach for sustainability of the adoption of proposed technology innovations. Village-level extension farmers, sub-district extension officers and farmers' cooperative are the unique and central features to the business models and forward linkages. Extension service, power tiller, low-lift pump, sunflower, shallow tube well, quality seed, forward linkage for farmed duck eggs, live ducks and open catch fish etc. are the suggested potential technology innovations for the small farmers. The technology adoption business model can be reinvented for different locations within or beyond the country considering the local agricultural problems and prospects for greater sustainability.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.301-305
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• 1995

The study was conducted at village level in Pabna milkshed areas of Bangladesh to asses the existing feed and fodder sources of cattle. The results showed that the overall number of cattle per farm family was 7.17 and chicken represents highest number (15.57) per farm family in this area. The results also indicated that during monsoon season the bathan is planted with Vigna mungo and Lathyrus sativus and average grazing hours per day varied from 1.1 in October to 5.6 in February. In Summer, they were offered naturally grown Cynodon dactylon with supplementary feeding of rice straw. The study further showed that the highest (65.7%) feed scarcity was found during mid April to mid May followed by mid June. The cultivation of Vigna mungo was highest (76.71%) compared to Lathyrus sativus by the farmers in the bathan areas. The major constraint to cattle production is the scarcity of quality feed during mid October to mid November.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.709-715
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• 1992

In this study attempts were made to identify the areas of single animal ploughing (SAP) in Bangladesh, causes of its localization and the socio-economic constraints hindering the expansion of the system. To determine the areas of single animal ploughing, 123 upazilas of 15 districts were surveyed. Of them, 16 upazilas were found heavily engaged with this system. A detailed investigation of 469 SAP and 439 double animal ploughing (DAP) farmers revealed that there was significant difference between the two systems in respect of cost of production and yield per unit of land. The benefit/cost (B/C) ratio was higher in SAP system. However, no significant difference was observed in respect of time required for ploughing, intensity of cropping, cost of implements, and cost of repairing implements (except yoke). The study recommends for expansion of SAP system in areas where buffaloes are concentrated. Fro this purpose, logistic and institutional supports need to be made available.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.101-118
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• 2008

This paper reviews the present situation of Triticale cultivation and examines the potentiality of contribution to livestock as well as poultry sector in Bangladesh Agriculture. Triticale is a human-made cross between rye and durum wheat that has the ability to produce quality green fodder, and then re-grow after first and second cutting to produce grain. In Bangladesh, it is a non-traditional cereal that grows well during the cool and dry Rabi season (November-March) when fodder and feed scarcity is a major limiting factor for ruminant livestock. In Bangladesh Triticale was started to grow in the late Ninety's. The scientists of Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI) were first introduced triticale in Bangladesh. Still now the situation of Triticale is grown as fooder and feed in Bangladesh within the scientists under trial. High quality grass fodder was obtained by cutting green triticale plants twice, at 35 and 50 days after seeding, while later the ratooning tillers produced grain to a yield of 1.1-2.4 t/ha of grain for poultry feed or human food. Triticale straw was twice as nutritious as rice or wheat straw and its grain contained more protein than other cereals. Researchers and farmers have also successfully made triticale hay and silage from a mixture of triticale green cuttings, rice straw and molasses. A feeding trial at Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute(BLRI), Savar station showed a large(46%) increase in cow live weight gain and a 36% increase in milk yield (but no change in milk quality or dry matter intake) in cows fed triticale silage compared with those fed rice straw over a period of nine weeks. In another feeding trial, it was found that triticale grain was a good replacement for wheat in the feed blend for chickens in Bangladesh. So it will be a good chance to alive our livestock as well as poultry sector if triticale enters to our existing cropping system as fodder cum grain. The challenge in Bangladesh is to identify fodder technologies that match existing small-scale farmer cropping patterns without needing major inputs or increasing risks. Preliminary field experiments revealed that triticale is a crop with good potential to produce quality fodder and grain for small scale farmers in Bangladesh.