COMPARISON OF CHARACTERISTICS OF CATTLE PRODUCTION UNDER UP COUNTRY WET ZONE AND LOW COUNTRY DRY ZONE CONDITIONS IN SRI LANKA

Abstract

In Asian agriculture ruminants play an important role in farmer’s economy as an integral part of the farming systems. Sri Lanka’s major economy is agriculture including crop and livestock farming. Up country Wet Zone (UCWZ) and Low Country Dry Zone (LCDZ) are the twp important zones in Sri Lanka when cattle production is considered since UCWZ has highest milk production and LCDZ has highest cattle population. This paper compares the characteristics of cattle production of these two zones. The hundred farmers were collected. Survey revealed that in the both zone the mean herd size did not increase in proportion to the increase in farm size. The average herd size in UCWZ area was 2.76± 1.39 and it mainly consists of temperate breeds and its crosses. But the herd size in LCDZ was 46.98 ± 44.76 and it mainly consists indigenous breeds and tropical crosses. Milk yield/cow is significantly higher in UCWZ (7.3 ± 2.77 l/cow/day) than LCDZ (15.12 ± 3.62 l/day). But milk production/household is almost same in these two zones (15.12 ± 3.62 l/day in UCWZ and 16.79 ± 2.61 l/day in LCDZ) as cattle herd size is high in LCDZ. Overall results of the survey revealed that high concentrate price and the low milk price are the major constrains for dairying in UCWZ Area. Whereas scarcity of grazing land and theft of cattle are the major constraints in LCDZ area.