International Journal of Agriculture Extension and Social Development

author(s)
Ashutosh Dubey

abstract
Welfare and health of dairy animals is very important for long-term productivity and longevity. Milk and milk products demands from dairy sector are increasing dramatically. For intensifying the level of production, animal production systems are becoming highly mechanized. The systems in which the animals are reared along with their resting surface have direct influences on productive and reproductive performances of the dairy herd. As per the ease in availability, stage of animal, ease to use, availability of labour and cost economic analysis, livestock owners prefers different kinds of floor/bedding materials. Each floor/bedding material has it’s own peculiar characteristics, which determines the index of comfort for dairy animals. However, the ideal features would include inert nature, cleanliness, adequate particle size, minimum moisture content with maximum comfort to the animals. On the basis of chemical nature, these bedding materials may be categorized in to organic and inorganic materials. In general, the high carbon and nitrogen content of organic materials promotes the growth of microorganisms and high ammonia emissions. Each bedding material owes its own advantages and disadvantages like comfortability, milk yield, disease incidences, oestrous detection and various other reproduction parameters. Thus, the choice of bedding material may be guided depending on the benefit cost analysis of various parameters.