Introduction:Bangladesh is an economically poor and agriculture based country. It has a shortage amount of lands. Her economy depends on crops, fisheries as well as livestock. As the people of Bangladesh are financially poor, they do different work in rural and urban area for increasing their life style, i.e. ultra poor to pro poor, pro poor to poor. Proverty alleviation is a great challenge for the Government and co-worker. For Proverty alleviation agriculture sector can play a great roll. Livestock sector one of the major parts of agriculture. Crops production is now near about in saturated stage. Livestock has got a grave potentiality in the agricultural sector to streamline the economic condition of Bangladesh.

Veterinary education is one kind of extension education. The main purpose of this education is to help the national economy by saving animal life and increasing production of the animals. This education can help proverty alleviation by different kinds of farming such as poultry farming, beef fattening farming, goat & sheep farming, integrated livestock farming, as well as pigeon, duck, quail, geese, reptile farming. The main work of a veterinarian is to show the right way to the people for proverty alleviation.

There is ample opportunity for different kinds of farming in Bangladesh. As so many opportunities there is so many constraint, Veterinary Extension education can play a roll to remove the non financial constraint.

Goal/Objectives of veterinary extension education: The main purpose of this education to established different kinds of farm for-

To socio-economic development of rural people.

To alleviate the poverty of rural area.

To create self employment opportunities of rural people. To remove the protein deficiency in the Bangladesh. For income source of rural people. For obtaining organic manure. To using bi-product in many different industry. For fuel source in rural area.

Historical development of veterinary education in Bangladesh: In 1947 Bengal Veterinary College was shifted to Comilla. In 1948 Civil Veterinary Department and the livestock Development Unit of the

Department of Agriculture were merged together and the Directorate of Animal Husbandry was created.

In 1951 newly established Veterinary College was shifted from Comilla to Dhaka. In 1957 Veterinary College again shifted Dhaka to Mymensing. In 1961 Bangladesh Agriculture University was established & Veterinary College

was absorbed as a faculty of the university

1

In 1994-1995 session two veterinary college one in Chittagong and one in Sylhet. In 1997-1998 session other two veterinary colleges was established one in Dinajpur

and another in Borisal. Now all the colleges are abolished and merged under university or as university

(Chittagong)

Who are the poor?

In Bangladesh, the nature of poverty is changing. 10 years ago, almost 60% people was poor, andpolicies that stimulated overall growth in the economy would almost automatically target the poor. Now there is need for more carefully targeted measures of poverty alleviation. Poverty is connected very closely with vulnerability: ethnic minorities in the remote mountain areas, people in the northern area, single-headed households, victims of the river erosion, landless workers in the south & north etc.Poverty in the mountain areas is relatively homogeneous in the community, and is largely related to the overall difficult conditions in which people live. In many areas, they have gone through major changes in their production system, from shifting cultivation to fixed cultivation. This puts them in a vulnerable situation, as their traditional knowledge with regard to cultivation, the spreading of risk and adaptation to the environment is no longer valid. The transformation to fixed cultivation is constrained by poor infrastructure and remoteness from district and provincial centers services and markets.Poverty in the midland communes is less well recognised. The situation is oftensocially complex, with the immigration of people from the lowlands causing changes in land rights and practices.Poverty in the south central coastal areas is also relatively homogeneous, and is linked to difficult natural conditions with frequent floods and cyclone. Vulnerability to seasonal crises is a main cause of poverty. The most vulnerable households are those which are solely dependent on the productionof rice, with little diversification of income sources. Poverty in the lowland areas is less homogeneous. Factors connected with this type of poverty are:

less access to land, and land of lower quality than average; lower education than average; health problems; small amount of labour in relation to dependants in the family; negative debt spirals, caused by taking private loans to solve immediate crises,

such as sickness in the family.

2

The role of extension in poverty reduction in overall sense:

Major progress has been achieved in poverty reduction during the 1990s. The percentage of thepopulation living below the poverty line1 decreased from 68% in 1993 to 37% in 2008 according to the World Bank and General Statistical Office (GSO). Policies for rural development and poverty reduction have focused on overall growth and development of the rural economy, aiming at raising the living standards of the rural population as a whole. The relatively even distribution of resources in the rural areas, especially land, has resulted in a positive relation between economic growth and poverty reduction. Growth is still seen as the main way to reduce poverty. The focus has shifted from concentrating on securing rice production for food security and export, during the 1990s, to rural agro-based industrialisation and employment creation, in the coming 10-year plan. The largest poverty reduction effect came from the increase in paddy production, as a result of the land reform from collective to household tenure of land and the liberalisation of prices, whichstimulated farmer investments. Public extension services were established in 1993 to support thefarmers. As rice has been the basis of the rural economy for thousands of years, the communication of knowledge regarding rice production is quite well developed at community level through the formal and informal channels of community organisations. Agriculture extension services provided new rice varieties and plant protection services.

The second most important source of income for the poor has been the rapid development of animal husbandry, especially poultry-raising. With rising rural income, the local market for meat has expanded. As with rice, there is a long local tradition of knowledge of poultry-raising which has been further encouraged by extension activities, largely through the Women’s Union.The main reduction in poverty has been in the rice-growing areas. For the ethnic minorities in themountain areas, it has been more modest. In many areas the staple foods are various dry land crops from shifting cultivation. Policies to move away from shifting to fixed cultivation and fixed settlement have often proved difficult, especially in the short run. The role of extension in the mountain areas has so far been limited, partly because of the physical distances, and partly because of weaknesses in the integration of ethnic minorities into the overall structures of service provision. Extension staff also has insufficient knowledge of local production systems in the mountain areas. Recently, policies and investments have focused more on poverty reduction in areas which is ‘lagging behind’. There are large ongoing investments in physical and social infrastructure in the remote mountain areas to raise the standard of living and contribute to enhanced market integration.

The focus of extension is on the ‘modernisation’ of agriculture, which often means new crop varieties and animal breeds with a higher yield potential for the domestic market and the expansion of cash crops for export. Extension and market integration have thus far placed too much emphasis on the mass production of certain export crops, such as coffee and sugar, which have rendered a lot of people highly vulnerable to fluctuating world market prices, which for many products have fallen drastically during 2000–1. 1 The poverty line is calculated by the World Bank as per capita expenditure over one year. For 1998 it was VN$ 1,789,871, which isapproximately US$ 123. Further explanation can be found in Attacking Poverty (World Bank, 1999, pages 162–3).

3

The poor have less access to extension and credit with regard to the new lines ofproduction and business. They are also more reluctant to take the risks involved in new ventures.Knowledge of new types of production may become a more important factor than access toresources in determining rural income differentiation.

The fact that the poorest have less access to extension services is related to the conditions that make extension less ‘cost-effective’ when servicing the poor. The poor have a lower level of education, fewer resources available for production development, live in remote areas, etc. Extension for the poor cannot therefore be provided in isolation. Other services are required in order to raise its ‘efficiency’. These may range from basic education like literacy and numeracy, language skills, business development planning, to the provision of credit, rural roads and electricity, to knowledge of rights and obligations, to bargaining skills with both private and public traders and service providers, in order to strengthen the negotiating position of the poor on the market. Bangladeshi policy aims to raise the overall conditions for development, in order to integrate the poorest. If the concepts of education and extension were brought closer together, the poorest could be helped to gradually build up basic knowledge for their livelihood and business planning. Extension has a potentially important role, especially in relation to the poor in the mountain and northern areas.

Extension structures

1. Government organisational structureExtension Organisation is only a limited part of the organizations involved in extension activities. The DLS and its branches in district & Upazilla level and institute for veterinary education is responsible overall for issues related to livestock development. The Ministry of youth and sports also play great roll for veterinary extension in rural & urban area of Bangladesh by training the youth. DLS plays main roll in veterinary extension. It give loan to the people for small scale farming, training to people for farming, gives fodder seed, treatment to animal, all of the deed for proverty alleviation

2. Non-governmental actorsPublic involvement in extension is too often focused on direct services to farmers. The outreach is therefore limited, as the number of extension staff is limited. Results have been better in areaswhere the extension staff concentrates more on capacity-building within local organisations withextension functions. The government realised at an early stage that local institutional development was crucial in the outreach of extension and access to extension by the poor. In Bangladesh there are different types of NGO for veterinary extension such as HEED Bangladesh, ASOAD, POPI, PROSHIKA, DIPSHEEKHA, JAGORONI, GBK, BRAC, Grameen Bank, etcDANIDA, IFAD, FAO, USAID, SUS, CARE etc also acts as extension worker for Proverty reduction.

3. The Bank for Veterinary extension and Rural DevelopmentThere is little co-operation between this Bank and the advisory services. The Bank takes as little

4

risk as possible, which constrains access to credit for the poor. There are special funds via the Bank for the Poor, which are more widely available. The lack of co-ordination with extension services has, however, caused problems for the poor, with frequent production failures. The limited staff capacity of the Bank has also resulted in little credit being available in the remote villages. Youth Development Bank gives loan to the youth for self employment. 4. MediaThe Extension Organisation co-operates with television and radio. The national TV runs a regular extension programme every Monday at night the Extension Organisation and TV, with regular broadcasts of farmer experiences. A lot of farmers refer to TV & magazines as their main source of new ideas. But this can also be risky, as people try out all kinds of things which may not be suitable in their particular context and environment. There are also a number of daily newspaper works for veterinary extension

Proverty alleviation by Veterinary extension education:Government has agreed to reduce Proverty percentage at the level of gero in 2020 AD. This needs formulation of pro-poor policy across the sectors. It is consistent with this aim to examine livestock development initiatives that has shown potential as Proverty reduction tools. Poultry is of interest of this cotentext because the small, scavenging poultry production system is the most widespread animal production and represents technology known to people. Beef fattening is an effective programme for quick Proverty reduction. Dairy has also a great potentiality to Proverty reduction but it takes lot of time and requires a lot of capital to start up. Goat and sheep farming has shown its potentiality since early of the century. For Bangladesh prospectus it is very helpful tool for Proverty reduction because it takes low amount of feed, land, not selective feeder etc. Other livestock species like duck, geese, quail, pigeon, & integrated livestock farming also show their potentiality to Proverty reduction.

Poultry (chicken) as a Tool for Poverty Alleviation:Poultry, the largest livestock group, account for more than 30% of all animal protein. However, this production is mainly based on commercial poultry, which accounts for only 20% of the total poultry population. The remaining 80% of poultry are found in traditional production systems entitled ‘low input – low output’ systems. Here the mortality is around 80% within the first year.

5

POULTRY is by far the largest livestock group and is estimated to be about 14 000 million, consisting mainly of chickens, ducks and turkeys (FAO 1999).In total, poultry products (egg and meat) constitute 30% of all animal protein consumed worldwide. Within the last 10 years, this proportion has increased from 20% to 30% of all animal protein and is predicted to increase to 40% before the year 2015 (IFPRI 2000). In Bangladesh most of the chicken reared by traditional system it is also called low input/ low output system. The low output is primarily caused by diseases, lack of supplementary feed and sub -optimal management (Pandey 1992; Bagust 1994 and 1999; Permin and Bisgaard 1999). Poultry production still accounts for the major parts of all meat produced in Bangladesh and it is an integral component of nearly all rural, peri-urban and urban households. It is of considerable significance to the rural as well as the national economy and is also an important source of animal protein (FAO 1999). Women and children are generally in charge of poultry husbandry. Generally, poultry scavenge in the vicinity of the house during daytime where they may be given sorghum, broken grains, maize bran or other waste products as additional feed. In many circumstances, they are not given anything at all to find feed and water (Gueye 1998). Additional feed is then occasionally given at night where the animals are kept inside the houses or in simple shelters. The level of productivity is very low compared to high-input systems; for example, a scavenging hen lays only 30 eggs per year, while an industrialised battery hen lays 280 eggs annually. Disease prevention measures are rare and high mortality rates are common (Pandey 1992).

Despite the many problems involved in keeping poultry, almost all poor households, including the landless, own poultry. Thus, if production could be improved, poultry would create an opportunity for development of the poor segments of a society (Gueye 1998; Todd 1998; Quisumbing et al. 1995). Experience in several countries points to a number of reasons why poultry can be used in a way that makes it an excellent tool for poverty alleviation (Todd 1998). Some of these reasons are:

nearly all households (poor and landless) own poultry; poultry is mainly owned and managed by women and children; there are few religious taboos related to poultry; poultry is socio-culturally important; low cost technology is available; low investment is needed; land is not needed; village poultry production is

relatively environmentally friendly; 10 chickens under improved conditions are enough to make a difference for one household;

poultry production can be a self-sustaining and income-generating system; and poultry production can serve to build up an entitlement base for poor women.

HOW EXTENSION CAN HELP PROVERTY REDUCTION BY POULTRY FARMING:

The main task of the extension in poultry sector of Bangladesh is to be trained up the local people for farming with modern technology and system. It can also help to get loan from the bank. A veterinary extension worker can also help by-

Supplying modern technology

Giving up to date information of the modern husbandry

Making awareness among the people about the poultry diseases

Maintain liaison between government and research centre.

6

Regular follow up the farming system & poultry production chain.

Goat and Sheep Farming as a tool for Proverty alleviation:Past status of goat and Sheep in the world:

For many years, the nutrition, physiology, product, technology, and management of goats was considered similar to that of sheep and by extrapolation of BW to cow. Most animal science textbooks dealt extensively with cattle, sheep, horses, pigs, poultry, but not goats their needs were usually dismissed with one short paragraph stating that

Not much is known nor published about goats, Feeding and treating goats like small cows or sheep is generally sufficient, Goats are not farm animals but pets in some of the countries from which the textbooks

originated, or goats are animals that destroy the environment, and therefore do not deserve scientific treatment.

This was the past, up until the 1970s. Then, however, began a new era of recognition lead by a few voices, which have since then caused many new publications of meeting proceedings,

7

symposia, and congresses around the world. They were supported strongly by organizations and agencies with philanthropic concerns, the FAO (French, 1970), United States Agency for International Development (USAID), International Goat Association (IGA), International Dairy Federation (IDF), International Foundation of Science(IFS), & International Livestock Research Institute(ILRI), (Aboul-Naga, 1988; Devendra, 1986, 1989; CAST, 1982; Singh and Sengar, 1990), just to name a few.

Recommendations made by this 2nd International congress were visionary and included a call to:

End the negative attitudes towards goats, form an international center for education in goat production, establish an information bank and support information exchange, promote research on industrial transformation of milk, meat, skins, prioritize research on goat milk and its technology, generate data for objective breeding policies, journal of dairy science vol. 84, no. 9,

2001 require fao to join by special representation, set up programs of goat development.

By now the world population of goats had increased from 377million in 1971 to 450 million head in 1981, and a beginning of more direct research attention to goats was noted, because goats were considered important for at least three reasons:

Its production potential relative to body size. This called for new research in the nutrient requirements, metabolism, and proper feeding according to the unique behavioral characteristics.

Its superior ability to digest coarse forages from shrubs and bushes, especially in dry and humid tropical regions. This called for new research into its meat, mohair and cashmere producing capabilities, which are important in countries with difficult climatic and

Topographical conditions. Its milk production problems and benefits, which have not received much published

research attention so far.

Present status of goat and Sheep:Major efforts of stimulating and coordinating research internationally were directed by USAID, GTZ, Small Ruminant-Collaborative Research Support Program Title III (SR-CRSP), IFS, Food and Agriculture Association (FAO) and others, resulting in many conference proceeding , especially in the Mediterranean area, India and the Far East, where the majority of goats, dairy or multipurpose, are found. At the 4th International Conference on Goats in Brazil, 1987 (Santana, 1987), 20% of all paper presentations were contributed by Indian scientists. With 90 million goats, India then had more dairy goats than any other country, including China, with similar total numbers, but not dairy rather than Cashmere goats (Acharya and Lokeshwar, 1992; Holst, 1996). India was also leading institutionally with an entire research station at Makhdoom near Agra, within their Indian Council of

8

Agricultural Research (ICAR) system, devoted entirely to goat production research, and at Karnal partially to goat milk technology.

Not until veterinary regulations and semen and embryo technology made importations of dairy sheep possible by the end of the 1980s, did sheep dairying also begin in the United State. There were two incentives. The United States imported annually 20,000 tons of ewe milk cheeses at that time.

Sheep milk production systems differ, however, from goat milk production systems. Milk recordkeeping is not only less than on goat farms, but also difficult to compare because of the different production systems. The differing production systems in various countries are:

Lambs are weaned at 1 mo and milking proceeds for 5 more months, or Ewes are partially milked from 1 mo after lambing for 5 more months, or Ewes are partially milked until weaning at 2 mo and milking proceeds for 4

more months, or Lambs nurse for 3 mo and ewes are milked for 1 more month, or Milking proceeds right after lambing for 8 mo, or Milking after weaning at 1 mo may extend for 8 more months with three times

per day milking, or Goat milking proceeds usually after weaning at 2 mo for another 8 mo, or Transhumance often dictates milking procedures different from those for

stabled animals, or Goats will tolerate once a day milking with less milk loss than ewes, or Goats will also milk continuously for 2, even 3 yr without kidding and with high

persistency, thus providing winter milk without interference from seasonal breeding.

At present Goat and Sheep Population in Bangladesh:

Name of Livestock

2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08

Goat 16.27 16.96 17.69 18.41 19.16 19.94 20.75 21.56

Sheep 2.11 2.20 2.29 2.38 2.47 2.57 2.68 2.78

From the above table it is clear that the number of sheep and goat are increasing in Bangladesh as the world increasing number of Sheep and Goat. Wanting to increase income and home consumption were strong reasons for increasing herd size in the world. Apparently all herds were profitable, but the highest net incomes were derived from the value of milk

9

when higher productivity per doe was recorded, even though expenditures were also highest in such herds.

To improve income from goat and dairy sheep husbandry, especially for economically viable herd sizes, the research and development projects emphasized mostly nutrition, reproduction, and veterinary concerns, particularly towards reducing mortality and morbidity, which are high in many areas (Table 16). New technology is also of increasing interest and has lead to the convening and publication of proceedings from several international symposia on machine milking of small ruminants. This technology is very important for the production of quality milk, but lags much behind the advances in the dairy cow industry, even in developed countries, partly for financial reasons.

Future Perspectives of Sheep and Goat

How to reach farmers with small ruminants for improvement of their productivity and their livelihood has been the central topic of many of the cited conferences and publications. The presence or absence of extension service workers in some countries is a major concern and has lead to the establishment of networks for the dissemination of information worldwide, especially in the Mediterranean area. Even with a presence of extension workers, it is often the topography of the country that presents enormous obstacles to information transfer, although the perspectives in the future are bright thanks to the rapid progress of wireless communication systems at affordable prices. Even in a developed country like Greece, e.g., whose people depend very much on the products from small ruminant husbandry, access to farmers is often very difficult, as three fourths of this country is rugged mountains. This condition is similar in many developing countries, and the problems are increased by transhumance shepherding and nomadic grazing management of many sheep and goat herds.

Nevertheless, it must be recognized that even in the future and under the best circumstances, farmers with small ruminants are found in four distinctly different locations with their inherent consequences:

o Urban and per urban areas with semi-intensive and intensive commercial enterprises, which can pay for services;

o Rural areas with good road access, where a market oriented approach is gradually emerging, and where farmers are willing to pay for services;

o Rural areas without road access, where production is still basically subsistence oriented, and where a gradual and sympathetic approach to payment for services will be needed;

o Remote mountain areas, where farmers with very few resources will need considerable time to accept that payment for services must be made.

10

Some conferences have tried to project needs of small ruminant husbandry and research for the future. Most are driven by projections of population increases and how to feed these people. Differences in location condition should dominate differential perspectives of needs and potential accomplishments. Overall, the prospects for small ruminant farming are bright because there continues to be a greater demand than there is supply of dairy products from small ruminants, and profitable management has been documented.

Two major researches needs transcend all improvement and development topics:

identify better and promote the marketing of the unique values of dairy products from goat and sheep milk, so to better justify their existence and higher prices for their products;

improve conditions of family livelihood and better net income levels of small ruminant farmers to achieve keeping the farmer and his family content in this enterprise and reduce off-farm migration.

Much of this has been spelled out in detail in thought provoking proceedings of Global Research Agenda workshops for each continent. Also, the concept of information dissemination principally via conferences is continuing, as the new century had already scheduled the 7th International Goat Conference in France, a Small Ruminant Strategy Seminar at Cyprus, symposia in Algiers and in Egypt, and more to come certainly. For the United States, it has been and will be important to be more involved, which should include annual, national statistics on dairy goat and dairy sheep numbers, tonnage of milk and cheese produced, updating and expanding NRC Nutrient Requirement publications for dairy goats as well as for dairy sheep, and research especially concerning quality standards of their dairy products.

Constraints of Goat and Sheep production in Bangladesh:1. Scarcity of grazing land:

(i)Traditional grazing in bathan which have been used for cattle and milk production are now converted into crop land.

(ii)Improved irrigation facilities causes increase in cropping intensity and thereby reduce areas of fellow lands for grazing.

2. Scarcity of land for fodder cultivation

Due to continuous changes of cropping pattern & HYV rice production, the scope for production of fodder is getting scarce day by day. There is high pressure on land for production of food for human being which is also not enough for ever growing human population. Moreover more and more land is being utilized for industry, housing and urbanization.

3. Direct competition for the food between human and Livestock.

Livestock farming leads to direct competition for food with human and livestock in the country. The situation is unlikely to be reversed in near future unless country achieves self

11

sufficiency in food grain production and fodder production proves more profitable to farmers.

4. The straw and other crop residue used as fuel and other purposes:

It is estimated that 30 to 40 percent of the total straw and crop residue are used as fuel and other purposes. (ADP -1985).

5. Improper use of non-conventional feedstuffs:

Technology has not yet been developed to utilize the non-conventional feed stuff like slaughter house waste, crop residue, food processing for the use of waste, silk worm waste, antibiotic waste, and other agro-industrial waste as animal or poultry feed.

6. Change of cropping pattern:

Replacement of pulses and oilseed cultivation by the boro-paddy causes serious reduction of nutritious feed for ruminants e.g. pulse straw, pulse bran and oilcakes.

7. Ignorance about feeding system:

Most of the farmers do not know the proper utilization of the feed and its ingredients and how to formulate the balanced feed.

8. Lack of co-ordination:

Co-ordination among the farmers and agencies involved in livestock production and development are quite inadequate.

9. Lack of knowledge about the management system of sheep and goat.

10. Lack of knowledge about the breeding policy.

Opportunities of Goat and Sheep production in Bangladesh: There are ample opportunities for production and improvement of the Goat and Sheep production situation in the country. It is necessary that all those materials which are available as by product of crop or agro-industry and are not traditionally used in animal feeding and which are not used for human consumption are to be utilized for livestock. Current supply situation of feed resource and nutritional status can be improved to a great extent through technological and policy interventions for increase production of Goat and Sheep.

1. Increased production of forge and green fodder by adoption of high yielding varieties, currently unutilized or under utilized wastelands is brought under quick growing fodder crops. Public places such as road sides, highway and railway traces slopes, and embankments, khaslands may be leased out to neighboring farmers for fodder production through co-operatives and or on individual’s efforts.

2. Short duration, high quality fodder crop may be introduced in between two main crops without hampering the main crop production. A number of forage crops such as maize, soybean, sorghum, khesari, kalai, matikalai and cowpea may be grown as inter crop with some food or cash crops.

3. Perennial fodder crops such as Napier, Signal, Para, Pongola, Guinea, German etc. may be cultivated on the slopes of embankment while quick growing leguminous plants and fodder plants may be grown on roadside and homesteads.

12

4. In permanent plantation area like mango, jack fruit, litchi and other fruit bearing and food trees high yielding grasses e.g. guinea etc. can be cultivated.

5. Waste fallow land may be brought under fodder production with the participation of farmers. Cultivation of pulses as intercrop will increase the soil fertility and fodder production. Erosion of the soil will be controlled with Ipil-ipil and other faster growing fodder trees that can be planted in the boundary of the land and surrounding of the homestead. About 8.0 million acres of medium and 5.5 million acres of high land may be brought under pulses and legume cultivation.

6. Utilization of unconventional feed resources should be encouraged. The vast expansion of rubber and oil palm plantation area at Chittagong hill tract offers yet another opportunity for the expansion of the ruminant subsection. The rubber seed and Sal-seed could be used as concentrate food for livestock and poultry. The sugarcane tops and sugarcane bagasse be used as cattle feed. Slaughter house waste may be scientifically used to increase the supply of protein for the animal and poultry.

7. Farmer should be motivated to divert at least a small piece of land for fodder production. Demonstration of farms should be established in each Thana/Union for cultivation of high yielding fodder. Regional fodder seed /seedling/cutting, farms should be established to supply seeds and cuttings to the farmers at a minimum cost.

8. Diversified use of crop by-products such as rice bran, wheat bran, pulse bran, rice polish, oil Cakes etc. other than livestock feed should not be encouraged. Efforts should be made to reduce the use of straw and oil cake for purposes other than cattle feed. Surplus green fodder may be preserved and stored in the form of Hay or silage for use during the shortage period.

9. By increasing the production of Maize the shortage of green feed may be minimized. Maize can be produced in Bangladesh al over the year. The profitability of maize is very high at farmer’s level. The cultivation of maize as cattle and poultry feed should be encouraged.

10. Introduction of Soybean in the cropping system to produce balanced and formulated feed for livestock.

11. As an alternate source for fuel installation of biogas plant is encouraged to save substantial quantity of straw as cattle feed. The installation of biogas plant in each farmer house will save the use of straw as a fuel. The residue of the Biogas plant is the good source of organic fertilizer and fish feed.

12. The digestibility and nutrient content of straw roughages and other agricultural by-products can be substantially improved through urea and urea molasses treatment. Farmers may be motivated to use this technique which is already available throughout the country. Moreover urea molasses multi-nutrient block (UMB) may be used as livestock feed.

13. The cultivation of duck weed, azolla, algae etc. may be extended in different areas of the country to overcome the shortage of feed. Efficient utilization of these ingredients will help to balance livestock and poultry feed.

13

14. Animal feed mills should be established in different regions of the country to process crop by products into balanced feed for different species of livestock. Feed additives to be used by local feed industries may be imported free of duty.

\15. There are about 5.4 million acres of low land where water resistant fodder like Para, German etc. along with local Dhal grass, Kalmi, Helancha can be grown. About 8 million acres of medium and 8.5 million acres of high land may be brought under pulses & legume cultivation.

16. The quality of food may be improved by adopting modern technology. Quality control

facilities may be extended for production of guaranteed feed.

How extension can help to Proverty alleviation by Sheep and goat farming :

Extension can help Proverty alleviation through sheep & goat farming by

Supplying modern technology

Giving up to date information of the modern husbandry

Making awareness among the people about the goat & sheep diseases and try to eradicate the diseases.

Maintain liaison between government and research centre.

Regular follow up the farming system

Try to solve the constrain of the farming

Make visible the opportunities towards the poor people

Dairy Farming as a tool for Proverty alleviation Dairying is an important source of subsidiary income to small/marginal farmers and agricultural labourers. The manure from animals provides a good source of organic matter for improving soil fertility and crop yields. The gober gas from the dung is used as fuel for domestic purposes as also for running engines for drawing water from well. The surplus fodder and agricultural by-products are gainfully utilised for feeding the animals. Almost all draught power for farm operations and transportation is supplied by bullocks. Since agriculture is mostly seasonal, there is a possibility of finding employment throughout the year for many persons through dairy farming. Thus, dairy also provides employment throughout the year. The main beneficiaries of dairy programmes are small/marginal farmers and landless laborers. A farmer can earn a gross surplus of about Rs. 12,000 per year from a unit consisting of 2 milking buffaloes/ cows. The capital investment required for purchase of 2 buffaloes/cows is Rs. 18,223/-. Even after paying a

14

sum of Rs. 4294/- per annum towards repayment of the loan and interest the farmer can earn a net surplus of Rs. 6000 - 9000/- approximately per year. Even more profits can be earned depending upon the breed of animal, managerial skills and marketing potential.

According to World Bank estimates about 75 per cent of India's 940 million people are in 5.87 million villages, cultivating over 145 million hectares of cropland. Average farm size is about 1.66 hectares. Among 70 million rural households, 42 per cent operate upto 2 hectares and 37 per cent are landless households. These landless and small farmers have in their possession 53 per cent of the animals and produce 51 per cent of the milk. Thus, small/marginal farmers and land less agricultural labourers play a very important role in milk production of the country. Dairy farming can also be taken up as a main occupation around big urban centers where the demand for milk is high.

Importance of Dairy Farming: Upgradation of the animal is possible by planned dairy farming

Milk is an idle food which is supplied from dairy farm

Urine dung and other excreta are the best fertilizer of agriculture land

Animals are used as drought purpose, which can be supplied from dairy farm

For fill up the demand of meat and milk dairy farm can play major roll.

Agriculture by-product is utilized by dairy animal and produce better return

Self-employment by dairy farming as well as Proverty reduction

Useless land can be used for fodder production

Scope of Dairy Farming and its National Importance.

The total milk production in the country for the year 2001-02 was estimated at 84.6 million metric tones. At this production, the per capita availability was to be 226 grams per day against the minimum requirement of 250 grams per day as recommended by ICMR. Thus, there is a tremendous scope/potential for increasing the milk production. The population of breeding cows and buffaloes in milk over 3 years of age was 62.6 million and 42.4 million, respectively (1992 census)

Financial Assistance Available from Banks/DLS for Dairy Farming.

DLS is an apex institution for all matters relating to policy, planning and operation in the field of livestock credit. It serves as an apex refinancing agency for the institutions providing investment and production credit. It promotes development through formulation and appraisal of projects through a well organized Technical Services Department at the Head Office and Technical Cells at each of the District and Upazilla level.

15

Loan from banks with refinance facility from DLS is available for starting dairy farming. For obtaining bank loan, the farmers should apply to the nearest branch of a commercial or co-operative Bank in their area in the prescribed application form which is available in the branches of financing banks. The Technical Officer attached to or the Manager of the bank can help/give guidance to the farmers in preparing the project report to obtain bank loan.

For dairy schemes with very large outlays, detailed reports will have to be prepared. The items of finance would include capital asset items such as purchase of milch animals, construction of sheds, purchase of equipments etc. The feeding cost during the initial period of one/two months is capitalized and given as term loan. Facilities such as cost of land development, fencing, digging of well, commissioning of diesel engine/pump set, electricity connections, essential servants' quarters, go down, transport vehicle, milk processing facilities etc. can be considered for loan. Cost of land is not considered for loan. However, if land is purchased for setting up a dairy farm, its cost can be treated as party's margin up to 10% of the total cost of project.

What should Farmers do in dairy farming?Modern and well established scientific principles, practices and skills should be used to obtain maximum economic benefits from dairy farming. Some of the major norms and recommended practices are as follows:

Housing: Construct shed on dry, properly raised ground.

Avoid water-logging, marshy and heavy rainfall areas

The walls of the sheds should be 1.5 to 2 meters high.

The walls should be plastered to make them damp proof.

The roof should be 3-4 metres high.

The cattle shed should be well ventilated.

The floor should be pucca/hard, even non-slippery impervious, well sloped (3 cm per metre) and properly drained to remain dry and clean.

Provide 0.25 metre broad, pucca drain at the rear of the standing space.

A standing space of 2 x 1.05 metre for each animal is needed.

The manger space should be 1.05 metre with front height of 0.5 metre and depth of 0.25 metre.

The corners in mangers, troughs, drains and walls should be rounded for easy cleaning.

Provide 5-10 sq. metre loaf space for each animal.

provide proper shade and cool drinking water in summer.

In winter keep animals indoor during night and rain.

16

Provide individual bedding daily.

Maintain sanitary condition around shed.

Control external parasites (ticks, flies etc.) by spraying the pens, sheds with Malathion or Copper sulphate solution.

Drain urine into collection pits and then to the field through irrigation channels.

Dispose of dung and urine properly. A gobar gas plant will be an ideal way. Where gobar gas plant is not constructed, convert the dung along with bedding material and other farm wastes into compost.

Give adequate space for the animals.

II. Selection of Animal:1. Immediately after release of the loan purchase the stock from a reliable breeder or

from nearest livestock market.

2. Select healthy, high yielding animals with the help of bank's technical officer, veterinary/animal husbandry officer of State government/ Zilla Parishad, etc.

3. Purchase freshly calved animals in their second/third lactation.

4. Before purchasing, ascertain actual milk yield by milking the animal three times consecutively.

5. Identify the newly purchased animal by giving suitable identification mark (ear tagging or tattooing).

6. Vaccinate the newly purchased animal against disease.

7. Keep the newly purchased animal under observation for a period of about two weeks and then mix with the general herd.

8. Purchase a minimum economical unit of two milch animals.

9. Purchase the second animal/second batch after 5-6 months from the purchase of first animal.

10. As buffaloes are seasonal calvers purchase them during July to February.

11. As far as possible purchase the second animal when the first animal is in its late stage of lactation and is about to become dry, thereby maintaining continuity in milk production vis-a-vis income. This will ensure availability of adequate funds for maintaining the dry animals.

12. Follow judicious culling and replacement of animals in a herd.

13. Cull the old animals after 6-7 lactations.

III. Feeding of Milch Animals1. Feed the animals with best feeds and fodders.

2. Give adequate green fodder in the ration.

17

3. As far as possible, grow green fodder on your land wherever available.

4. Cut the fodder at the right stage of their growth.

5. Chaff roughage before feeding.

6. Crush the grains and concentrates.

7. The oil cakes should be flaky and crumbly.

8. Moisten the concentrate mixture before feeding.

9. Provide adequate vitamins and minerals. Provide salt licks besides addition of mineral mixture to the concentrate ration.

10. Provide adequate and clean water.

11. Give adequate exercise to the animals. Buffaloes should be taken for wallowing daily. In case this is not possible sprinkle sufficient water more particularly during summer months.

12. To estimate the daily feed requirements remember that the animals consume about 2.5 to 3.0 percent of their body weight on dry matter basis.

IV. Milking of Animals1. Milk the animals two to three times a day.

2. Milk at fixed times

3. Milk in one sitting within eight minutes

4. Milk the animal in a clean place.

5. As far as possible, milking should be done by the same person regularly.

6. Wash the udder and teat with antiseptic lotions/luke-warm water and dry before milking.

7. Milker should be free from any contagious diseases and should wash his hands with antiseptic lotion before each milking.

8. Milking should be done with full hands, quickly and completely followed by stripping.

9. Sick cows/buffaloes should be milked at the end to prevent spread of infection.

V. Protection against Diseases1. Be on the alert for signs of illness such as reduced feed intake, fever, abnormal discharge or unusual behaviour.

2. Consult the nearest veterinary aid centre for help if illness is suspected.

3. Protect the animals against common diseases.

18

4. In case of outbreak of contagious disease, immediately segregate the sick, in-contact and the healthy animals and take necessary disease control measures.

5. Conduct periodic tests for Brucellosis, Tuberculosis, Johne's disease, Mastitis etc.

6. Deworm the animals regularly.

7. Examine the faeces of adult animals to detect eggs of internal parasites and treat the animals with suitable drugs.

8. Wash the animals from time to time to promote sanitation.

VI. Breeding Care1. Observe the animal closely and keep specific record of its coming in heat, duration of heat, insemination, conception and calving.

2. Breed the animals in time.

3. The onset of oestrus will be within 60 to 80 days after calving.

4. Timely breeding will help achieving conception within 2 to 3 months of calving.

5. Breed the animals when it is in peak heat period (i.e. 12 to 24 hours of heat).

6. Use high quality semen preferably frozen semen of proven sires/bulls.

VII. Care during PregnancyGive special attention to pregnant cows two months before calving by providing adequate space, feed, water etc.

VIII. Marketing of Milk1. Marketing milk immediately after it is drawn keeping the time between production and marketing of the milk to the minimum.

2. Use clean utensils and handle milk in hygienic way.

3. Wash milk pails/cans/utensils thoroughly with detergent and finally rinse with chloride solution.

4. Avoid too much agitation of milk during transit.

5. Transport the milk during cool hours of the day.

IX. Care of Calves1. Take care of new born calf.

2. Treat/disinfect the navel cord with tincture of iodine as soon as it is cut with a sharp knife.

19

3. Feed colostrums to calf.

4. Assist the calf to suckle if it is too weak to suckle on its own within 30 minutes of calving.

5. In case it is desired to wean the calf immediately after birth, then feed the colostrums in bucket.

6. Keep the calf separately from birth till two months of age in a dry clean and well ventilated place.

7. Protect the calves against extreme weather conditions, particularly during the first two months.

8. Group the calves according to their size.

9. Vaccinate calves.

10. Dehorn the calves around 4 to 5 days of age for easy management when they grow.

11. Dispose of extra calves not to be reared/maintained for any specific purpose as early as possible, particularly the male calves.

12. The female calves should be properly reared.

Roll of extension in dairy farming for poverty alleviation:

The main task of the extension is making awareness among the people

Trained up the rural people for dairy farming

Supplying modern technology

Giving up to date research information of the modern husbandry of dairy farming.

Making awareness among the people about the dairy problems & diseases and try to solve & eradicate the diseases.

Maintain liaison between government and research centre.

Regular follow up the farming system

Try to solve the constrain of the farming

Flaunting the opportunities of dairy farming to the people and proper use of chances.

Duck farming as a tool for Proverty alleviation:Duck is a very much productive waterfowl. In Bangladesh near about 13 million ducks which are commonly dual purpose in nature reared under traditional system in rural areas. Ducks are mostly reared by the smallholder farmers who keep them under subsistence level of management. About 30% of total poultry meat & egg comes from duck. Ducks are raised under adverse condition in Bangladesh. About 90% of duck populations are indigenous. The productivity of these indigenous birds is very small in amount. They give only 100 to 150 eggs per year. It provides subsidiary income to the landless, marginal, small farmers.

20

Advantages of duck: Ducks provide more and larger eggs than other poultry species.

Ducks require less attention than chicken

They need less amount of supplied feed.

They are quite hardy and resistance to many diseases.

They profitable life time in farm level

Ducks are suitable for integrated farming

After hatching it is similar to sexing.

Ducks environment friendly.

Ducks lay their eggs before 9 am.

The down and small body feather are valuable as filler for pillows and as lining for comforters and winter clothing.

Ducks create opportunity for employment for both women and children.

Problems of duck rearing in Bangladesh: Inadequate or irregular availability of ducklings

Absence of organized egg marketing system

Lack of available vaccine

Ducks are carrier of AI virus

Farmers keep more duckling in a narrow space so it cause over crowding & leads high mortality.

Roll of extension in duck farming for poverty alleviation: The main task of the extension is making awareness among the people

Trained up the rural people for duck farming

Supplying modern technology

Giving up to date information of the modern husbandry

Making awareness among the people about the duck diseases and try to eradicate the diseases.

Maintain liaison between government and research centre.

Regular follow up the farming system

21

Try to solve the constrain of the farming

Make visible the farming opportunities towards the poor people

Pigeon farming as a tool for Proverty alleviation: Pigeon is one of the most useful livestock in Bangladesh. People only rear it for fancy purpose. But it can be an excellent tool for Proverty alleviation.

Advantages of pigeon production:

High growth rate

Meat quality is delicious and distinet flover

It can use as a medicine

Initial investment is lower

Require less feeding cost

Pigeon rearing is a hobby

Price of squab is usually double in comparison to other poultry species in weight

Geese farming as a tool for Proverty alleviation: Geese are larger poultry species it has special characteristics among the livestock. They are very intelligent & have a good memory. They have some common behavioural patterns.

Advantages of Geese production:

They are faster growing avian species they become 5-9kg in weight

They require less attention to rear

They also provide soft feather and down for clothing

Geese can be reared in less expensive process

They can be grown with less grain.

They require minimum brooding tempetrature

Quail farming as a tool for Proverty alleviation: Quail is a small poultry species it requires lees space and less feed for rearing. Its meat has high acceptability through out the world. In Bangladesh quail introduce in 1985 firstly by

22

BLRI & BAU poultry farm and other specialized poultry farmer. Now it is widely distributed through out the country.

It has fast growing rate

Very early sexual maturity

Short generation interval

Small incubation period

No need for vaccination

Require low investment

Quick return of investment

Cheaper price of meat and egg so it has tremendous demand

They have high metabolic rate

Human baby can easily consume quail eggs

Roll of extension in pigeon, geese, quail farming for poverty alleviation :

The main task of the extension is making awareness among the people

Trained up the rural people pigeon, geese, quail for farming

Supplying modern technology

Giving up to date information of the modern husbandry

Making awareness among the people about the pigeon, geese, quail diseases and try to eradicate the diseases.

Maintain liaison between government and research centre.

Regular follow up the farming system

Try to solve the constrain of the farming

Make visible the farming opportunities towards the poor people

Beef fattening as a tool for Proverty alleviation Beef fattening is a process in which beef type cattle are fattened as quickly as people can get profit with in a short time. Poor people can start a beef fattening programme with a small amount of capital that people can collect easily from any NGO/Bank of Bangladesh.

23

beef has tremendous demand in both national and international market. At time of "EID-UL-ADHA" enormous amount of cattle are sacrificed by the muslims. Poor people can use this opportunities for self employment and as well as their proverty alleviation. Not only this, if we produce surplus amount of beef then we can export beef in the international market, that will be helpful for increasing national economy as well as proverty alleviation.

Roll of extension in beef fattening farming for poverty alleviation:

The main task of the extension is making awareness among the people for beef fattening

Trained up the rural people for beef fattening farming

Supplying modern technology

Giving upto date reseach information of the modern husbandry of beef fattening farming.

Making awareness among the people about the deworming, vaccination, proper feed and ration formulation

Care and prevention of common diseases.

Maintain liaison between government and research centre.

Regular follow up the farming system

Try to solve the constrain of the farming

Flaunting the opportunities of dairy farming to the people and proper use of chances

24

CONCLUSIONVeterinary extension education is an applied science education, now a days it is very much needed for Proverty alleviation. When the talking about Proverty alleviation then veterinary sector comes in to the lime light automatically.

25