Assessing cattle welfare issues in north Gujarat

Introduction

Cattle, buffaloes, and goats constitute the predominant segments of dairy animals in India. According to the Twentieth Livestock Census (Government of India, 2019) [7] , the total population of cattle, buffaloes, and goats was reported to be 192.4 million, 109.85 million, and 148 million, respectively. Public pressure for increased protection and welfare of animals comes primarily from people in largely urbanized populations is inversely related to the proportion of population that is engaged in agriculture and is increasing in importance throughout the world (Appleby et al., 1992) [1] . Concern about the welfare of animals is contingent on people believing that animals, if improperly cared for or mistreated, can experience pain and suffering (Dawkins, 2003) [4] . The term "animal welfare" has been defined variously by different scholars with some of the definitions emphasizing on various elements of animal welfare which differ between cultures, individuals' background (Vapnek & Chapman, 2010; Carenzi and Verga, 2007) [3,11] and methodologies used to evaluate welfare (Weber and Zarate, 2005) [12] . Animal welfare is a state within the animal and a scientific perspective provides methodologies for evidence-based assessment of an animal welfare (Hemsworth et al., 2015) [8] . The association of man with animals is as ancient as civilization and remains inseparable despite a sea of changes in the attitude and behavioural patterns of human beings. Human society continues to derive enormous benefits from the animal kingdom in the form of food, labour, companionship, emotional support, and mental well-being. Among all animals, dairy cattle play a particularly important role in sustaining rural livelihoods and nutritional security. In India, where animal husbandry forms an integral part of agricultural practices, the well-being of dairy animals directly influences the economic stability of millions of farming households. Despite the existence of policies and guidelines promoting animal welfare, the actual implementation at the grassroots level often remains inadequate. In most cases, lack of awareness, traditional beliefs, economic constraints, and absence of proper training programs hinder the adoption of welfare practices. In this context, cattle welfare issues in the concerned region as noted by the dairy farmers become crucial determinants in ensuring that animal welfare standards are met in day-to-day farm operations.

Methodology

The present investigation was undertaken in two randomly selected districts from North Gujarat namely Banaskantha and Mehsana. From each selected district three talukas was randomly selected. Thus, total six talukas were selected. Among the twelve talukas of Banaskantha district, three talukas viz., Palanpur, Deesa and Dantiwada were selected randomly for the study. Similarly three talukas among ten talukas of Mehsana district viz., Kheralu, Visnagar and Unjha were selected randomly. From each selected taluka five villages were selected randomly. Thus, total thirty villages were selected for the study. From each of selected villages ten dairy farmers were selected randomly. Thus, total 300 dairy farmers were selected for the study. Selection criteria followed for the respondents was dairy farmers having at least two animals in milch.

These issues were then ranked by the respondents based on the severity and priority they perceive in their day-to-day dairy farming practices. To determine the relative importance of each issue, the Garrett Ranking Technique was employed. Respondents were asked to rank the listed cattle welfare issues according to their perceived seriousness. The ranks were then converted into scores using Garrett's formula and standard conversion table. The mean score for each issue was computed and issues were finally ranked in descending order of priority based on the average Garrett scores. This method enabled a systematic and quantitative prioritization of the most pressing welfare issues affecting dairy cattle in the North Gujarat region as perceived by the dairy farmers themselves.

Results and discussion

Cattle welfare issues in the concerned region

The study aimed to identify and rank the major cattle welfare issues faced by dairy farmers in the concerned region using the Garrett ranking method. The data displayed in Table shows the major welfare issues found in the concerned region, as reported by the dairy farmers. [2,5,6,9,10] .

Conclusion

The investigation clearly demonstrated that the most pressing cattle welfare issue in North Gujarat is the lack of awareness about animal rights and welfare laws. Improper handling and transportation, along with inadequate housing and shelter facilities, further contribute to poor welfare conditions. Feeding management deficiencies and economic limitations were also recognized as significant challenges, whereas issues such as disease outbreaks, unhygienic milking practices, and shortage of skilled labour received moderate attention. Heat stress and limited access to training were considered relatively less critical by farmers. The findings underline that cattle welfare in the region is primarily constrained by inadequate knowledge, infrastructural gaps, and financial limitations. Addressing these concerns through targeted capacity-building initiatives, strengthening veterinary services, and promoting cost-effective housing and feeding practices can substantially improve welfare standards. Policy-level interventions supported by awareness campaigns and extension services are essential to ensure that cattle welfare is integrated into sustainable dairy farming practices in North Gujarat.

References

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