Author(s):

Amit Namdeo, Navneet Kumar Dhruwe and VM Victor

Abstract: Despite rapid increase in tractors and power-operated machinery, the use of mechanical power in agriculture has increased but draught animal power (DAP) continues to be used on Indian farms due to small holdings and hill agriculture. In India, more than 35% of net or gross sown area is still being managed by using draught animals. Study reveals that the command area with per animal pair per season ranges from 1.5-2.0 ha to ensure timeliness in field operations. The present study shows that the improved implement system gave 32% more field capacity, 25% saving in labour and 60% cost of operations over conventional implement system. Bullock drawn air mist canopy sprayer saves 82.2 per cent cost and 88.4 per cent time for spraying of cotton and pigeon pea over the manual knapsack sprayer. The cost of operation with improved animal drawn implement was found to be Rs 714 per ha as compared to Rs 893 per ha in case of conventional method of manual broadcasting. The average grain yield and B:C ratio for mechanized rice with improved animal drawn implement were found to be 4.8 t/ha and 1.42 as compared to 4.2 t/ha and 1.24, respectively for conventional method. For small farmers having farm area of 1.5-2.0 ha, the animal based cultivation system has been found to be cost-effective and energy efficient. Animal based farming system get best fit to the size of the farms for practicing conservation farming, integrated farming and organic farming with management of appropriate technology practices on-farm.

Pages: 2422-2426  |  909 Views  467 Downloads

Download (424KB)