PROTOCOL USE AT SMALL SCALE CATTLE FATTENING IN THAKURGAON DISTRICT

Abstract

The study was conducted to identify and evaluate the protocols of management in small scale cattle fattening programs. The data were collected through an interview schedule from 458 respondents in 5 upazillas of Thakurgaon district who were involved in small scale cattle fattening. In this study out of 458 respondents 70.3% were farmers, 12% businessman, 11% teachers and the rest 6.7% respondents were involved in other services .Among them 49.1% of total respondents are middle aged and the rest are young and old. In study area 384 respondents which were 84% of total respondents choose local breed for fattening and others use cross breed. Again 68.3% respondents select 1.5 to 2.5 years aged cattle for fattening. Most of the respondents (69.7%) reared cattle for fattening for 1-6 months and rest fattened for a prolonged period. About 86.5% respondents used own capital for cattle fattening and 13.5% respondents took bank loan. About 68.4% respondents provided existing traditional cattle shed. About 82% did not have any training on cattle fattening whereas about 18% respondents had taken short training on cattle fattening. About 38.2% respondents had not used any technologies for cattle fattening and 49.1% respondents used urea molasses straw (UMS). About 75% vaccinate the cattle by themselves and about 6% took help from veterinary surgeon for treatment of their cattle and 33% of total respondents used steroid hormones having harmful effect on health. About 95% reported high cost of feed as the major problems of small scale cattle fattening. The results of this study will be useful for farmers and researchers to identify the overall problems and their remedies on feeding, management and marketing related to small scale cattle fattening practices in Bangladesh.