FACTORS AFFECTING BEEF CATTLE PRODUCTION FROM FARMERS TO CONSUMERS

Abstract

The study was conducted for finding Factors affecting beef cattle production from farmer to consumer’s level, i.e. to find out to find out the existing production system of cattle for beef production, marketing of them, processing into beef and to know the perception of the consumers of beef. The Study was performed by using survey technique five selected upazillas of three districts of Bangladesh during the period of Aprill’2011 to July’2011. A total of 50 beef cattle farmers, 25 beef cattle beparies, 25 cattle butchers and 25 consumers were interviewed with pretested interview schedules. Education level of the farmers under study was more or less same,i.e. below SSC level. 46% farmers have 5 members each have in their family obtained the highest percentage, 28% farmers with four members in their family and the rest 26% six or more family members. Only 22% of the farmers have participated training program upon beef fattening. Only 6% and 12% farmers were running their business by making loans fro NGOs and commercial banks respectively. Rice straw was the main source of feed for cattle in the study areas. In Parbotipur upazilla, five farmers were found using UMS technology to fatten their cattle. None of them was found cultivating fodder crops for this business owing to lack of own land. Feeding UMS as fattening technology has shown a profitable technique. Farmers faces a several problem like lack of capital, lack of feed stuff and fodder crops, lack of training, lack of pasture land, inadequate market facilities. A lot of middleman involved in beef marketing channel like bepari, dalal & butcher. They all faced several problems. The marketing cost of them, were mainly markets tolls (Khajna), Dalal’ commission, transportation cost, payment to police, labor cost, personal expenses and feed cost. Consumers are very much unconscious about beef and beef quality. Capital management by providing loans by the different commercial banks and NGOs with least interest and training programs on beef cattle fattening by scientific methods, organizing marketing system and scientific processing of beef may lead the business as the most profitable agribusiness in our country. So this research will be an added advantage for further research works in this field.