PRESENT STATUS, PROBLEM AND PROSPECT OF LAYER FARMING IN PANCHGARH DISTRICT

Abstract

The present study was conducted at Panchagarh district to assess the potentiality of layer farming in rural areas. A total of n=20 layer farms were selected at random basis from the study area. The purpose was to examine the present status and existing production systems of layer. The problems and prospects of layer farming of selected areas were quantified and assessed. Data were collected using a pre-tested interview schedule from August to September, 2013 to identify problems in rearing layers and to know how much farmers are habituated in using different management technologies. The relevant information that were collected during study period are: age, education, main occupation, land holding, training, monthly income, investment, number of layer, name of layer strain, source of day old chick, rearing, age at culling, egg production, ventilation and lighting system, cleaning, use of droppings, use of footbath, vaccination frequency and marketing channel. Introducing of layer farming, training of layer farmers could increase the layer farming with increased income and employment to youth and small holder marginal farmer. In Panchagarh district, the layer farmers are mostly middle aged people and they got mostly secondary education level. Over all the bio-security, vaccination schedule and production level is satisfactory in the represented area. Among the respondents 22%, 57% and 21% were group as young, middle aged and old aged group respectively. A total of 60% farmers had training on layer farming from YTC, ULO and NGOs. 60% farmers maintain strict bio-security, 30% maintained moderate bio-security and remaining 10% maintained low bio-security. Among the visited farms, 20% farmers practiced disinfection process to disinfect their farms, while the rest of 80% farmers didn’t practice disinfection process. Provision of training, credit facility, good quality chick, well developed market can improve the layer production in Panchagarh district.