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Utilization Pattern of Animal Draft Power and Cowdung in Bangladesh

Bala, B. K.
Associate Professor
Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh

M A Satter
Assistant Professor
Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh

B K Biswas
Scientific Officer
Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

The utilization pattern of animal draught power and cow dung by 3 categories of farmers in 4 regions of Bangladesh is reported. The use of animal draught power is not uniform and there is a shortage of draught power in both quantity and quality. Although rice straw is the main stored feed for cattle in Bangladesh, it does not show any positive impact on the distribution of draught power among the farm sizes and regions under study. The utilization pattern of cow dung as an organic manure is also not uniform and it is being used most inefficiently without exploiting its biogas potential.

Keywords: Animal draught power, Utilization pattern, Cow dung, Rice straw, Organic manure

Location: Department of Farm Power and Machinery, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, Bangladesh

Start Date: 12-12-1988

End Date: 00-00-1990

Program Area: Farm Mechanization

Commodity: Manures

Objectives:

To determine the utilization pattern of animal draught power and cowdung in the farmers’ field

Methodology:

The climate of Bangladesh is subtropical. The main feature of Bangladesh rainfall pattern is the high degree of variability within the country. Although the minimum temperature is 5 °C and the maximum is 44 °C. The coldest parts of the country are Rangpur, Dinajpur, Mymensingh and Sylhet. The soil of the country is fertile and alluvial type. To select the farmers, three stage stratified clustered sampling was employed. The stages are the region, the village and the farmers of small, medium and large farm sizes. For this study Bangladesh was initially divided into four almost internally homogeneous strata and four regions: Jessore, Mymensingh, Rajshahi and Sylhet were selected by a combination of random and powerful sampling. Six villages were selected by random sampling from each of the regions and the farmers were stratified on the basis of farm sizes. Three categories of farmers: small, medium and large farm sizes were sampled for interview on agricultural operations and relevant practices. A total of 216 farmers in 24 villages were interviewed from December 1988 to August 1989. The availability of animal draft power per ha and use were computed from the number of draft animal available and in use, average draft power per animal and cultivable land. The available draft power per ha and use thus computed are termed ‘apparent draft power’.

Source of Information: Bio-Resource Technology, 41: 1-8, 1992, U.K.

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

The pattern of animal draft power usage was studied from a survey of 216 farms in 24 villages. The distribution of draught power availability ranged from 0.20 to 0.41 kW per hectare. Small farms had the highest apparent draft power availability, although the animals were of poor quality. Rice straw was the main stored feed, but availability of straw did not have a relationship with availability of draught power. It is concluded that the available draft power is not adequate to meet the needs of crop production in Bangladesh. This can be improved the improvement of draft animals and later the shortage of draft power should be supplemented by selective mechanization. The utilization of cow dung per ha is a measure of the use of organic fertilizers. Usage of cow dung as an organic fertilizer was lower among small farms than in medium- and large-size farms; small farms used a high proportion of dung for fuel.

Knowledge Management: Journal