Study on the adaptation of artificial Insemination techniques in Batticaloa District Sri Lanka

Abstract

The tremendous level of productivity of dairying has been successfully achieved using technologies like Artificial Insemination (AI). Sri Lanka is one of the tropical countries consisting of sufficient land in most of the Dry Zone where the peak population of cattle and buffalo contributed to the production performance is still below their potential. Therefore, this study was carried out in Batticaloa District in order to understand the efficiency on AI. A pre-structured questionnaire was developed to find out the significant relationship among the variables which are directly linked to the efficiency of AI and data at the veterinary offices and collected data were analyzed using SPSS (version 22) software and interpreted. At the study location, non-descriptive local breeds (90.42%) were reared more while comparing with the Indian (6.13%) and European Crosses (3.45%) where mean ± SD of the environmental temperature and relative humidity were 28.12 ± 2.08 0C and 77.29 ± 5.64%, respectively. In addition, the majority of the farmers (46-55 years) were with the Primary Level of Education (52.7%) and their income level (p<0.01, r=0.893) was optimal in the livestock sector while enrolling it on a full-time basis. Further, 59.3% of the farms were solely devoted to cattle rearing and depicted towards the draft purposes (12%) and household needs (28.7%). Approximately, 69.3% of the farmers utilized AI services where the rearing system was mainly Intensive and Extensive with the respective value of 30.7% and 50%. However, 81.3% of the total respondents who adapt AI were not with much awareness on adapting sexed semen where only 18.7% have adopted it previously. Around 55% of the breeds are Sahiwal and its Crosses and there was a negative significant relationship obtained between the success rate of AI and European Crosses (p<0.01, r = 0.747), as well. In sum, Success Rate was positively correlated with the experience (p<0.01, r = 0.486) and literacy (p<0.01, r = 0.814) of the AI Technician. It was confirmed that the Breed of Sahiwal (p<0.01, r = 0.543) reared under the Intensive System (p<0.01, r = 0.589) showed a positive significant relationship with the success rate. However, the relationship was negative (p<0.01) with the number of cattle available in the extensive systems which led to the poor performance (p<0.01, r = 0.877) in AI. In conclusion, ANOVA test for perception revealed a positive significant relationship with the adaptation of AI Techniques (p<0.01, r = 0.747). However, these conditions are below the potential of AI at Dry Zone where further enhancement, consideration, and training are needed to reach high success rates.