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Open Access
Copyright: The authors. This article is an open access
article licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0) which permits unrestricted use,
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cited.
Research
3. Socio-economic status of horse owners vis-a-vis horse feeding and management in Rajasthan -
Yash Pal, R.
A. Legha, R. K. Dedar and P. A. Bala
Vet World. 2013; 6(8): 470-475
doi:
10.5455/vetworld.2013.470-475
Abstract
Aim: To study the socio-economic status, horse feeding and management
adopted by horse owners of Rajasthan.
Materials and Methods: Primary
data was collected through specially structured proforma by personal interview
method from the horse owners of Hanumangarh (50), Churu (42), Jhunjhunu (30)
and Jalore (40) districts of Rajasthan, India.
Results: The district (Churu
and Jhunjhunu) is mostly rain fed, Hanumangarh is canal-irrigated whereas
Jalore is tube well irrigated. Majority of respondents engaged in horse
rearing were of other backward class (OBC) & general category. Literacy (%)
among the horse owners was more than 80% in Hanumangarh and Jhunjhunu
districts, whereas it was less than 50% in Churu and Jalore districts.
Majority of the respondents were maintaining other livestock along with the
horses. The average dry roughages provided were 4.82±0.22, 8.143±0.348,
5.267±0.69 and 6.105±0.196kg per horse in Hanumangarh, Churu, Jhunjhunu and
Jalore, respectively. The average concentrate offered was 2.81±0.138,
2.452±0.145, 2.933±0.160 and 1.950±0.200kg per horse in Hanumangarh, Churu,
Jhunjhunu and Jalore, respectively. It was observed that horse owners were
providing green fodder, dry roughages and concentrate depending up on the
availability/production of these items in that region. Majority of horse
owners were allowing covering of estrus mares between 3rd and 5th day of
estrus. Paucity of quality stallions for covering the mares was observed
throughout the area surveyed. The respondents had to pay between Rs. 1100/- to
5100/- as covering fee with no guarantee of conception. Most of mares were
rebred during foal heat and majority of the respondents were not aware about
the symptoms of estrus mare. Vaccination, insurance and use of disinfectants
were not adopted in the study indicating the least awareness among the horse
owners about the importance of vaccination, insurance and disinfectants.
Conclusion: Horses were being maintained for ceremonial purposes and
breeding, their feeding in terms of fodder (green & dry) and concentrate were
observed area specific and were fulfilling the minimum nutrient requirements.
There was paucity of true to breed stallions in the areas studied.
Key
words: feeding, horse, housing, management, socio economics, Rajasthan
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