629 Indian J. Dairy Sci. 68(6), 2015 Abstract Information communication Technology (ICT) are useful for retrieving latest knowledge, quick dissemination of information to livestock holders. The most preferred information which is effective in understanding should be in local language. The present study was planned to study the symbolic adoption of improved dairy farming practices (IDFPs) through Multimedia Module in Krishnagiri district of Tamil Nadu. Ninety respondents were identified from six randomly selected villages. The respondents were exposed to prepared multimedia DVD module on IDFPs and symbolic adoption of IDFPs were assessed. The study revealed that majority (55.56%) of the respondents belonged to young age group having marginal land holding with mean milk production was as 12.44 liters per day. The result state that progressive farmers, friend and family members were most important localite channels to update the knowledge of IDFPs. The symbolic adoption of various breeding and feeding practices indicates that 88.90 and 78.91 percent of dairy farmers decided to adopt the practice of artificial insemination and green fodder feeding. The result shows that after exposure to IDFPs 76.70 and 82.20 percent dairy farmers shown willingness to adopt the practice of timely vaccination and isolation of sick animals which clearly indicating the effectiveness of multimedia module. Keywords : Dairying, Improved dairying farming practices (IDFPs), multimedia and symbolic adoption Introduction In modem world knowledge is being termed as power and information as the key element of knowledge base. Today, development of an individual or a society is based on access to information. Information and Communication Technology (ICT), being the major source of information & knowledge, had shown the potential to modify the social and economic development of livestock, agriculture, and rural artisans in India. The information access which is increasing at the rate of 50 percent per annum and improved communication are certain to have significant effects, most of them positive on the livestock outreach services along with other rural services (Ali, 2011). Unfortunately, the information and communication technologies favour the richer section or the urban areas. On the other hand, the rural sector is poorly reached by this scientific and technological advancement. Empirical evidences indicate that livestock is an important component of the agriculture system, providing an additional source of income and nutritional cover to a large section of the rural population, particularly the disadvantaged and poor households (Birthal and Ali 2005; Ravikumar and Chander 2006, Singh et al., 2007). The distribution of livestock, as a liquid asset to poor families, is more egalitarian as compared to land (Taneja and Birthal 2004). However, the recent trend in livestock sector growth suggests that in order to meet the emerging demand for livestock based products there is a need to reorient the production system by enhancing the efficiency and creating quality consciousness. There is vast variety of information available in the form of communication media but farmers usually need information in local language, effective in understanding and can easily be used by illiterate as well as literate farmers. Keeping in view the present study entitled "Symbolic Adoption of Improved Dairy Farming Practices by Dairy Farmers through Multimedia Module" was conducted with the objective to study the socio personal and economic profile of dairy farmers, to study the information seeking behavior of farmers, to develop a multimedia module and to measure the symbolic adoption of IDFPs. RESEARCH ARTICLE Symbolic adoption of improved dairy farming practices by farmers through multimedia module Ranjith Kumar, BS Meena and Amit Singh Received: 18 November 2014 / Accepted: 09 July 2015 Ranjith Kumar, BS Meena (), Amit Singh Dairy Extension Division , ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, (132001) Haryana BS Meena Dairy Extension Division ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, (132001) Haryana Email: bmeena65@gmail.com