Cattle and Calf Raising Practices in Dairy Cattle Farms: The Case of Erzurum Province İspir County

Abstract

In this study, a face-to-face survey was conducted with 394 farmers to reveal the cattle and calf raising practices performed in cattle enterprises in İspir county of Erzurum province. Proportional values were obtained by carring out frequency analysis on the obtained data in SPSS statistical program and. While 75.6% of the breeders stated that bellowing behavior is the primary sign to determine the heat cows, 66.5% reported that their cows were inseminated in estrus two months after the birth. It was also determined that in most of the enterprises (72.1%) heifers were inseminated at the age of 2, and 26.6% at the age of one and a half. It was found out that in 64.2% of the enterprises the cows ere dried off two months before the birth, and in 72.1% of the farms pregnant cows were vaccinated against septicemia. In İspir county breeders were determined to have deficiencies in receiving veterinary services and as a result, there are many common mispractices and disdeases in the enterprises. In 96.2% of the farms calves were vaccinated agains septicemia and all of the breeders performed umbilical cord care to the calves after birth. It was also determined that in 99.3% of the farms colostrum was fed to the calves and 75.4% of the farms allowed the calves to consume the colostrum by sucking it from their dams. In 81.7% of the enterprises calves were weaned at the age of 4-6 months. As a result, it was revealed that some deficient practices are applied in cattle and calf breeding in cattle farms in İspir county of Erzurum province, and there are serious deficiencies in animal health and receiving veterinary medicine. In order to develop cattle breeding in the county and to carry out animal husbandry under more scientific conditions, it was revealed that a planned farmer training activities should be carried out in cooperation with relevant institutions and organizations.