Tropentag 2023, September 20 - 22, Berlin, Germany "Competing pathways for equitable food systems transformation: trade-offs and synergies."

Factors affecting availing of veterinary services in India: A regional perspective

¹Lala Lajpat Rai University of Veterinary and Animal Science, India
²Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University, Dept. of Agricultural Economics, India

Abstract

Increases in the population of crossbred cattle, whose higher productivity is accompanied by higher susceptibility to infectious and metabolic diseases, have been largely credited for the recent surge in growth rate of milk production in India. This has led to a greater need for high-quality, timely, and affordable veterinary services. Veterinarian services are primarily provided by the government in India. Given this context, the current study's goal was to identify the variables influencing the use of veterinary services from various sources. The study is based on the secondary data available from NSSO conducted in the year 2013. Decision to use veterinary services and its choice was hypothesised to be affected by access to veterinary services, milk production, operational land holding, principal income source, milk price, training, extension along with demographic factors. Considering the diversity of India, the data were divided into six regions and data were analysed for each of six regions and at all-India level using multinomial logit method. Exposure to extension agencies encouraged dairy producers in India to use institutional services. The marginal sections of the society were likely to not avail veterinary services, thereby affecting the productivity of the animals. Households who produced more milk were more likely to avail veterinarian services. The presence of veterinary hospitals/dispensaries in villages of Hills, East, and NE regions increased the probability of avaling their services by 9%, 6%, and 21%, respectively. In the North and West regions, households with higher milk output were more likely to use veterinarian services from both institutional and non-institutional sources. In the Hills and West areas, receiving agricultural training increased the likelihood of using institutional veterinary services by 16% and 7%, respectively.

Keywords: Factors, NSSO, regions, veterinary services

Contact Address: Sumit Mahajan, Lala Lajpat Rai University of Veterinary and Animal Science, Haryana, India, e-mail: Sumitzone2009gmail.com