Knowledge Level of Commercial Dairy Farmers About Scientific Dairy Farming Practices in Aravalli District of North Gujarat PATEL, N.K. 1 , ASHWAR, B.K. 2, MODH V.R. 1 , KHANUSHIYA A. F. 1 , CHAUDHARI J. D. 3 AND PARMAR K. N 1 Dept. of Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Extension, SDAU 2 Polytechnic in Animal Husbandry, SDAU. 3 Dept. of Animal Genetics and Breeding, SDAU 4 Dept. of Livestock Production Management, SDAU email: nispat92@gmail.com Advances in Life Sciences 5(13), Print : ISSN 2278-3849, 5461-5463, 2016 ABSTRACT Present investigation was undertaken in Aravalli District of north Gujarat to assess the knowledge level of the commercial dairy farmers with respect to the different component of scientific dairy farming practices by selecting four taluka i.e. Modasa, Malpur, Bayad and Dhansura purposively. Total fourty commercial dairy farmers selected by simple random sampling. The study reveals that majority of commercial dairy farmers had medium knowledge on different component of scientific dairy farming practices i.e. breeding, feeding, health care and management practices. The mean score of overall knowledge was 68.15 out of total score of 86 indicate that commercial dairy farmers possessed satisfactory level of knowledge about scientific dairy farming. Key words Aravalli district, commercial dairy farming, knowledge, breeding, feeding, health care, management practices Livestock rearing is one of the most promising allied sectors of agriculture. Dairy farming is the crucial part of agriculture in many developing countries including India. India produced 147 Million Metric tons contributing world’s 18.5 % share during 2014-15. (www.imarcgroup.com). Dairying plays an important role in socio-economic development of rural people. Dairy farming in India and many more countries started traditionally with the small holder’s enterprise, but now a day we can observe the sea change in small holder’s dairy farming, that switch over to commercial or organized dairy farming. India emerged as highest milk producer country in the world; however productivity per milking animal is still very low. This might be because of lack of knowledge and awareness of scientific dairy farming. The advance scientific knowledge of commercial dairy farming is based on the main pillar of breeding, feeding, health care and management practices, which are the major essentials to create ideal and expected conditions in commercial dairy farming. In the present study, knowledge refers to know-how about recommended animal husbandry practices possessed by the commercial dairy farmers. Adequate knowledge of recommended animal husbandry practices is essential for successful management of the enterprise and run the business in profit. The present study was consequently undertaken with the objective to ascertain the knowledge status of the commercial dairy farmers regarding improved dairy farming practices. MATERIALS AND METHODS 1. Locale of the study: The present study was conducted in Aravalli district of the North Gujarat. 2. Methods of sampling: For the present study four taluka i.e. Modasa, Malpur, Dhansura and Bayad selected purposively. 3. Selection of the respondents: For the present study, simple random sampling followed and fourty commercial dairy farmers are interviewed having more than 30 Adult Unit of dairy animal. 4. Tools and techniques of data collection: The selected commercial dairy farmers were interviewed personally and the preferred information was collected with the help of pre tested questionnaire. The response from all commercial dairy farmers was collected to measure the knowledge level. The ‘teacher made test’ was developed to measure the knowledge level of commercial dairy farm owners about improved commercial dairy farming. Total 43 statements were framed under four dairy practice categories i.e., breeding, feeding, health care and management practices. The responses elicited from commercial dairy farm owners were quantified by assigning the scores of 2, 1 and 0 for correct, partial correct and wrong or no response, respectively. Finally sum of the total responses was obtained and it was considered as their knowledge score. Based on the total scores, the respondents were classified in three categories i.e., low level, medium and high level of knowledge by using mean and standard deviation as a measure of check. Category Score Low level of knowledge <Mean - S.D Medium level of knowledge Mean ± S.D High level of knowledge > Mean + S.D