Abstract:
Degree of belief and extent of adoption of selected indigenous and modern animal husbandry practices and the determinants of adoption were studied among the tribes of Attappady. Age and years of experience in animal husbandry were positively and significantly correlated with degree of belief in indigenous animal husbandry practices whereas, negatively and significantly correlated with degree of belief in modern animal husbandry practices. The psychological, communication and extent support variables studied were negatively and significantly correlated with degree of belief and extent of adoption of indigenous animal husbandry practices whereas, positively and significantly correlated with extent of adoption of modern animal husbandry practices. Significant differences between the deep and peripheral areas were observed in the case of both degree of belief and extent of adoption.
A total of fifty three indigenous animal husbandry practices, under the domains viz:- selection, feeding, breeding, housing, management practices, diseases and treatment and other customary practices were studied. Their strength and rationality were also determined. Similarly a total of fifty one modern animal husbandry practices, under the domains viz:- selection, feeding, breeding, housing, management practices and disease and treatment were studied. Strength of these practices were also determined. Further, level of adoption of rational and irrational indigenous animal husbandry practices besides that of modern animal husbandry practices were determined. Highly adopted irrational indigenous animal husbandry practices and lowly adopted modern animal husbandry practices were identified. Similarly the extent of adoption of rational and irrational indigenous animal husbandry practices besides that of modern animal husbandry practices were studied. It was noticeable that, in the case of both rational and irrational indigenous animal husbandry practices the extent of adoption was medium to high. In the case of modern animal husbandry practices the extent of adoption was medium to low.
