Investigation into Calf Management Systems in Some Selected Dairy Farms of Dagonbhuiyan, Feni District in Bangladesh

Abstract

A cross sectional study was carried out on the extant knowledge of dairy farmers on calf management in Daganbhuiyan Upazila, Feni. There was only one study conducted on dairy farms in three unions and one municipal region, using a set of questions on questionnaire. The farms were randomly selected and each farm was visited once and a face-to-face interview was conducted between March and May 2024. While 10 percent of these farmers had between 21 and 50 cow, most of them were very small-scale farmers, 50 percent had between 4 and 7 cows. Of the total farms observed 60% of the farms were facing south and 30% farms were facing north. Further, 50 % farmers had cemented floor and 55 % used rubber pad bedding but most of them did not have proper housing for calves. Concerning source of colostrum 60% of farmers fed their calves with colostrum up to 3 days after birth, 55% fed their calves 1 litre or less per day. In addition, 55% of the women breastfed their calves to 10 months while 60 percent introduced green grass and grain feed at five weeks. 95% born with a cut and the clean umbilical cord disinfected soon after delivery. Mean age of de-worming was at 4-5 weeks of age and 65% of the farms of vaccinating for various diseases; 60% of farms reported cases of calf scour during the study.