CATTLE AND CALF RAISING PRACTICES IN THE EASTERN ANATOLIA REGION: AN EXAMPLE OF CENTRAL COUNTY OF AĞRI PROVINCE


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Koçyiğit R., Yanar M., Diler A., Aydın R., Özdemir V. F., Yılmaz A.

International Journal of Agricultural and Natural Sciences, cilt.14, sa.3, ss.152-163, 2021 (Hakemli Dergi)

Özet

This study was conducted to determine the farm management, dairy cattle, and calf raising
practices of dairy cattle enterprises in the central county of Ağrı province. For this purpose, d
ata were
obtained by conducting a face
-
to
-
face survey with 400 owners of the enterprises. It was determined that
74.8% of the farmers who participated in the survey kept individual records and 90.0% of the enterprises
specifically kept records of artificia
l insemination and breeding. It was also found out that 93.2% of the
farms had their cows artificially inseminated, the insemination was generally performed at the first heat
after birth (92.8%), and the majority of the cattle breeders (69.7%) stated that
they were pleased from the
artificial insemination service.
Furthermore, 51.7% of the breeders stated that the cows were dried off
spontaneously in their farms.
Foot and hoof diseases were determined to be the most common disease
(58.4%) in dairy cattle fa
rms. The calves were vaccinated against septicemia (86.0%) and umbilical cord
care was applied to calves in the majority of the farms (76.3%). Colostrum feeding lasted for three days in
85.2% of the farms, and the colostrum was fed to calves by suckling th
eir dams (81.7%) or with a bottle
(16.5%). As a result of the study, some improper practices were determined in terms of farm management,
dairy cattle, and calf raising in the cattle enterprises of the central county of Ağrı province. It was concluded
that
farmer training activities should be carried out in cooperation with relevant institutions and
organizations in order to improve cattle breeding practices in the central county and to carry out more
profitable animal husbandry.