LIVESTOCK IN THE SMALL FARMS OF SYSTEMS BAND C OF THE MAHAWEL1 PROJECT

Abstrack A field survey was conducted in Mahaweli Systems B and Cwith 128 fanners. Sheep, rabbits, ducks or fish were not available in the farms. 2% of farmers has goats and < 1% pigs. Greater than 28% of farmers were willing to raise goats, if provided good breeds. All the farmers were reluctant to raise pig. Poultry were raised by 14% and 24% farmers in systems B and C respectively. The fanners expressed the need for a regular supply of chicks, veterinary care and the provision of incentives for higher poultry prcdirction. About 82% farmers in system B and 29% in system C raised buffaloes, mainly for draught purpose, but were unwilling to expand their buffalo herds due to poor milk yields and difficulties in managing them in small holding. Of fanners in system C, 81% raise cattle for both draught power and milk. Killari and Tharpakar were the most popular breeds for draught power and milk respectively. Only 30% farmers in system B raised cattle. However cattle are becoming more popular in both systems because of their milk yield, draught power and ease of tethering. The farmers express the need for good breeds and adequate grazing facilities for further development of their herds.


INTRODUCTION
Many farmers cultivate less than 10 hectares of lan'd in Asia. These farms have a high labour input and low productivities.l In planning improvements in livestock development a knowledge of currently available livestock in the farms is useful. This study investigated the farmers'willingness to raise different livestock species and their objectives in keeping livestock in the Mahaweli systems B and C areas. Mahaweli System B in the Dry Zone of Sri Lanka lies within the administrative districts of Polonnaruwa, Batticaloa and ~m~a r a i .~ The System C is located in the Dry-Intermediate Zone boundary including the districts of Badulla, Polonnaruwa and ~m~a r g .~

METHODS AND MATERIALS
A field survey was conducted in systems B and C. The blocks where the settlement activities had been completed were selected. They were: Vijayabapura, Dimbulagala, Ellewewa and Dharnrninna in System B and Bathalayaya, Hembarawa, Mendagama and ~a n d u n~u r a in System C. Four units from each block and four farmers from each unit were chosen randomly. The total sample size was 128 farmers. The study was carried out during March to May 1988. The farmers were personally interviewed either at their home or in the field, on the following : types of livestock raised, breeds available and herd composition, productivities of livestock, willingness to raise or .expand livestock production in the farm, and suggestions from farmers for better livestock production from their farms.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Cattle and buffalo are the predominant livestock classes in systems B and C (Table 1). Considerable number of farmers raise poultry and few have goats and pigs. No farmer was found to have sheep, rabbit, duck o r fish.

CA'ITLE
Cattle in System B: The farmers in the system have less cattle compared to those in system C ( Table 1). The main purpose of raising cattle is milk production. Hence the population of adult cows and bulls were 45% and 18% respectively ( Table 2). About 52% of cattle belonged to indigenous breeds (Table 3) with an average milk production of 1.5 litres per day ( Table 4). The farmers are aware that raising indigenous cattle is less profitable, and therefore many farmers were reluctant to include those animals in their farms.
More than 90% of farmers were willing to raise better cattle if they were provided with high productive breeds and adequate grasslands. Effective programmes to distribute good breeds among the farmers are therefore essential. Alternative feeding programrncs are: conservation of 7.2 tonnes of paddy straw annually, treating them with 4% urea and feeding three cattle at the rate of 7 kglanimalfday; planting 600m long tree lcgume hedges at the highland and feeding them for animals daily at a rate of 3.5 kg/ animal; feeding the small amount of highland crop residues whenever they become available; planting improved grasses and pasture legumes on the underutilized areas of the farm and practising stall feeding with such feeds!  (Table 1). However farmers in system C raise cattle mainly for draught power. Hence 45% of cattle are bulls and only 29% are cows in this area ( Table 2).
The Mahaweli Livestock Farm at Girandurukotte is the main livestock farm located in the system. This farm has initiated a programme to distribute on loan, draught bulls (mainly Killari) and dairy cows (mainly Tharpakar) to farmers. Since the tractors are expensive and the buffaloes are not readily available, many farmers benefit from this programme. The dairy cows distributed under this programme are relatively high productive, and many farmers tend to raise them for milk.
The farmers in this system are willing to raise both draught and dairy cattle and unlike in system B, they do not complain of the lack of good breeds. However the farmers stress the importance of having adequate grazing facilities. . The feeding. programme proposed for system B may be also introduced here to address this problem. Olltk, buffaloes and gooh-Litres of milk per animal per day.

Puully -Number ot per bird per month
Buffiiloes in System B: Most of the farmers in thi s system are old settlers. The indigenous buffaloes are hcavicr than indigenous cattles and hence their draught power-is greater. At present, 82% of farmers raise buffaloes primarily. for land preparation and threshing, and very few get milk from thcu animals. More than 92% of the buffaloes belong to indigenous breeds ( Table 3). These buffaloes give only about 0.75 litres of milk per day ( Table 4). The farmers do not anticipate expanding the herd because it is dificult to tether these animals in smallholdings and poor milk production.
Buffaloes in Systeni C: Buffaloes are less popular among the scUlcrs in system C (Table I), and the available ones are used for draught. The difficulties in managing buffaloes in smdlholdings, and poor milk production were pointed out by the farmers.
Poultry: Although many farmers raised poultry (Table I ) , in many instances this was not done systematically. One farmer in system C kept buds in cages and fed them on rice bran and commercial feeds, the others raised poultry under free range conditions. The buds were provided shelter for the night and are let out.for scavenging during the day.
Broilers were not reared and few improved -egg producing breeds were seen ( Table 3). The indigenous breeds dominate and their monthly egg production is very poor ( Table 4). Poor extension and veterinary services, the absence of a supply of good breeds, lack of commercial feeds and a poor market for poultry products are major constraints in the area. Goats and sheep: Farmers did not keep sheep and were unaware of sheep production. Only 2% farmers in each system had goats (Table 1). These were mainly indigenous breeds with poor milk production ( Table 4). The goats were mainly raised for meat. However the farmers were reluctant to admit this on religious grounds. Damages to aops by browsing goats and the poor milk production are some of the factors that hider goat husbandry. However, > 28% of farmers were willing to raise goats, if provided with good dual purpose breeds.
Pigs: Only one farmer in system B raised pigs and did so under a back yard system. Rice bran and kitchen refuse were the primary feed. >98% farmers in the area are reluctant to raise pigs because they do not consider it socially respectable. Bad odour, unclean environment and religious taboo associated with raising pig may have caused this outlook.
Rabbits, ducks and fish: No farmer raised rabbits possibly due to prevailing religious attitudes. In the dry zone, it is difficult to maintain a pond or a small tank. This constraints raising ducks or fish. However the fresh water fsh from reservoirs and village tanks are popular among the farmers.