CATTLE AND CALF RAISING PRACTICES IN THE EASTERN ANATOLIA REGION: AN EXAMPLE OF CENTRAL COUNTY OF AĞRI PROVINCE

This study was conducted to determine the farm management, dairy cattle, and calf raising

practices of dairy cattle enterprises in the central county of Ağrı province. For this purpose, d

ata were

obtained by conducting a face

-

to

-

face survey with 400 owners of the enterprises. It was determined that

74.8% of the farmers who participated in the survey kept individual records and 90.0% of the enterprises

specifically kept records of artificia

l insemination and breeding. It was also found out that 93.2% of the

farms had their cows artificially inseminated, the insemination was generally performed at the first heat

after birth (92.8%), and the majority of the cattle breeders (69.7%) stated that

they were pleased from the

artificial insemination service.

Furthermore, 51.7% of the breeders stated that the cows were dried off

spontaneously in their farms.

Foot and hoof diseases were determined to be the most common disease

(58.4%) in dairy cattle fa

rms. The calves were vaccinated against septicemia (86.0%) and umbilical cord

care was applied to calves in the majority of the farms (76.3%). Colostrum feeding lasted for three days in

85.2% of the farms, and the colostrum was fed to calves by suckling th

eir dams (81.7%) or with a bottle

(16.5%). As a result of the study, some improper practices were determined in terms of farm management,

dairy cattle, and calf raising in the cattle enterprises of the central county of Ağrı province. It was concluded

that

farmer training activities should be carried out in cooperation with relevant institutions and

organizations in order to improve cattle breeding practices in the central county and to carry out more

profitable animal husbandry.