• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.104-113
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• 2001

Smallholder dairy production systems in developing countries are discussed with reference to type of systems, their characteristics, potential, and opportunities for improvement. Three types of dairy systems are identified and described: smallholder systems, smallholder cooperative dairy production systems, and intensive dairy production systems. The first two systems are by far the most important, and are associated with increasing intensification. Buffaloes are especially important in South Asia, but elsewhere dairy production mainly involves Holstein-Friesian cross-bred cattle. Dairy goats are important in some countries, but are generally neglected in development programmes. The expansion and intensification of smallholder dairy production is fueled by increased demand for milk with associated problems of milk handling and distribution, hygiene and environmental pollution. The major constraints to production are inter alia, choice of species, breeds and availability of animals; feed resources and improved feeding systems; improved breeding, reproduction, and animal health care; management of animal manure, and organised marketing, and market outlets. These constraints provide major opportunities and challenges for research and development to increase dairy production, efficient management of natural resources, and improved livelihoods of poor farmers. Specific areas for research are identified, as also the need of a holistic focus involving interdisciplinary research and integrated natural resource management, in a shared partnership between farmers and scientists that can demonstrate increased productivity and sustainable production systems. Suggestions for performance indicators in smallholder dairy production systems are indicated.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.215-219
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• 1999

This study aims to make detail examination of smallholder dairy farming systems in the Nongpho Dairy Cooperative. Forty-three dairy farms were selected from three geographical areas i.e. irrigated area, municipality area, and factory area. Within each area some number of sample farms were selected from each of the three levels of farm and animal crowdedness (very crowded, crowded, and not crowded farms). Detail data were collected during 1996 to 1997, they were socio-economic conditions of the sample farms and farmers, dairy production systems and management of resources (animals, bam, feeds, stocking rates, herd structure, animal body conditions, milk yield and milk quality, manure and farm wastes management, and other related items). Detail information useful for the improvement of farm production efficiency were discussed. It was very clear that much improvement of smallholder dairy production can be achieved if the recommendations given by this study were implemented.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.830-836
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• 2000

A participation scheme involving smallholder dairy farmers in improving dairy productivity through the use of local feeds, on-farm established feeds and crop residues was carried out in the Northeast, Thailand. At six milk collection centers, 63 farmers with 340 lactating cows participated in this research and demonstration of feed supplements. Farmers and cows were allotted to receive respective feed supplements: high-quality feed block (HQFB), high-quality feed pellet (HQFP), dried cassava leaf/cassava hay, dried leucaena leaf and cottonseed meal: 5% urea treated rice straw was fed as a source of roughage throughout the feeding period of the dry season. Trainings and workshops were organized by the researchers at the University, research station, demonstration sites and on-farms. Regular visits to the fartns by researchers and extension officers were made while discussions and demonstrations were performed in addition. Participating farmers also visited other farmers during the demonstration which offered a real practical perspective and farmer-to-farmer interaction. As a result of this participation and demonstration scheme, the farmers could learn more effectively and accepted the technology more readily, especially the practicality of the feed preparation, feed establishment, feeding method and feed reserve. Strategic supplementation of these feed supplements resulted in improving milk yield, milk quality, overall condition of the cows and higher income return through increased productivity and lower level use of concentrate to milk yield from 1:2 to 1:3 or lower. Based on this research and demonstration /participation scheme, all feed supplements enhanced productivity, however the establishment of cassava hay on fartns deserved more attention and warrants a wider developmental expansion among dairy farmers since it contained high rumen by-pass protein (tannin-protein complex) and could be easily produced and be sustainable on farms.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.22 no.12
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• pp.1709-1717
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• 2009

This review presents a series of Key Performance Indicators (KPI) to assist Asian smallholder dairy farmers in identifying the possible causes for their poor farm performance and profitability. When assessing farm profitability, these indicators can be split into two types, those diagnosing problems with feeding management and those indicating poor herd management. As home grown forage is generally cheaper to source than purchased forage, the more produced on farm, the better. Too many stock on limited land is a common feature on Asian dairy small holdings. Unlike other classes of livestock, milking cows have very high nutrient requirements, therefore high quality forages and concentrates are essential for profitable dairying. Milk income less feed cost is one of the simplest and easy to measure indicators of farm profitability and is also quick to respond to small changes in farm practices. Problems with herd management can be diagnosed using measures such as the proportion of cows actually milking in the herd or their peak yield and persistency of production. There are also simple indicators of herd reproductive performance and of health and growth of young stock that assist in searching for the underlying causes of poor farm profitability.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.68-76
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• 1999

A formal survey was carried out in Nharira-Lancashire areas located in Chivhu to assess the calf rearing systems practiced in smallholder dairy farming areas of Zimbabwe. A total of 47 farmers, collectively owning 305 cows and 194 calves of various breeds, participated in the survey. All the farmers allowed their calves to suckle their dams all day to obtain colostrum. The colostrums intake period was significantly (p < 0.05) shorter (5.2 vs 4.1 days) in the small scale commercial area (SSCA) compared to communal area (CA). Milk was first sold to the Nharira-Lancashire Milk Centre a day after the colostrum intake period ended. Most of the CA (91.3%) and SSCA (77.8%) farmers penned their cows and calves together at night during the colostrum intake period. Thereafter the calves were penned separate from their dams. After colostrum intake, two types of calf suckling systems were practised; twice a day suckling and twice a day then changed to once a day suckling. In both systems, suckling was allowed for 30 minutes after the cows had been hand milked. There was no significant (p < 0.05) difference in the mean weaning age of calves between the CA and SSCA (5.8 vs 5.4 months). The most common weaning method was through separation of the calves from the dams. The limitaitions to calf production in Chivhu were the prohibitively high costs of calf meals, poor feed resources during the dry season, a general lack of knowledge on calf rearing diseases and inappropriate calf housing.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.18-26
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• 2004

This study evaluated the impact of an AI heifer calf rearing scheme on dairy stock development, in a coconut grazing and a peri-urban smallholder dairy production system in the Western Province of Sri Lanka. The heifer rearing scheme included free advice on calf rearing, drugs, acaricides, minerals and subsidised concentrates for 30 months. The farmers in the coconut growing area integrate dairying with their plantation, they sell their milk to the main processors. The peri-urban farmers are intensive milk producers, who sell their milk at informal markets. To estimate the effect of the heifer rearing scheme on dairy replacement stock development, scheme farmers were compared with farmers who did not participate in the scheme. Calf mortality was twice as high in non-scheme farms (23-28%) as in scheme farms (12-14%). The scheme had a positive effect on weight development and scheme heifers calved 4.5 months earlier than non-scheme heifers. The calf rearing package is cost effective in both farming systems, however, the required cash inputs are a major constraint. The costs per in-calf heifer under the scheme are much lower than the production of such animals by either multiplication in state farms or importing them. The coconut grazing system showed the highest potential for producing surplus dairy stock.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.547-554
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• 2024

Objective: This study aimed to identify the relationship between bovine brucellosis prevalence, farmers' knowledge, attitude, practice (KAP), and social factors on migratory draft cattle and smallholder dairy farms in the central dry zone of Myanmar. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 54 migratory and 38 dairy cattle farms between August 2020 and February 2021. A structured questionnaire was used to identify farmers' behaviors. Bulk milk was sampled and tested using indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (I-ELISA). STATA 17 was used for all the analyses. Results: Migratory cattle farms had a higher farm level brucellosis prevalence (14.8%) than dairy farms (2.6%; χ² = 3.75; df = 1; p = 0.05). Only 2.8% of the farmers had knowledge about brucellosis, while 39.1% and 41.6% had attitudes and farm practices with respect to brucellosis, respectively in the study area. Socio-economic attribute of training in animal husbandry (p<0.01), raising system (p<0.01), practice of separating the aborted cow (p<0.01) were negatively associated to brucellosis. The overall farm level brucellosis prevalence was strongly associated with cattle herd size (p = 0.01), free movement grazing practices (p<0.01), practice of self-removal of placental debris without using personal protective equipment (p<0.01) and farmers' attitudes towards eating cow placenta debris (p<0.01). Conclusion: Farmers had little knowledge of brucellosis. Attitudes and practices differed significantly between migratory and dairy farmers. Training and extension programs are necessary to make farmers aware of their KAP situation since livestock migration and the custom of eating cow placental debris contribute to the spread of brucellosis. Persistent efforts are required to reduce the adverse effects of brucellosis. Therefore, the study suggests that a feasible control intervention and public awareness campaigns need to be conducted regarding methods of preventing human exposure to brucellosis.