EMPIRICAL ANALYSIS OF LIVESTOCK PRODUCTIVITY THROUGH IMPROVED BREEDING IN
PUNJAB, PAKISTAN
M. Ashfaq1, R. Kousar*1, M. S. A. Makhdum 2 and J. Nasir1
1Institute of
Agricultural and Resource Economics, University of Agriculture Faisalabad
2Department of Economics, Government
College University Faisalabad
*Corresponding
author Email: rakhshanda.kousar@uaf.edu.pk
ABSTRACT
In
Pakistan, the productivity of the livestock sector is lower than its capacity
due to lack of breeds with high productive potential, nutrition deficiency and
poor disease control facilities. This study explores the potential of the
livestock sector to move towards more productive breeds of cattle. Primary data
were collected from 340 livestock farmers of Punjab Province through stratified
random sampling technique. Endogenous Switching Regression (ESR) is employed to
identify factors influencing the farmer’s decision to adopt superior/exotic
breeds of buffaloes and cows and impact of adoption on the gross margins. The
results of adoption equation reveal that farmer’s decision to adopt exotic breed
depends positively on the proximity of his house to livestock market, years of
schooling, operational land, access to hired labour and contact with extension
agents. Results also show that different socio-economic factors have
differential impact on the gross margins of both adopters and non-adopters.
There is need of policy reforms to eliminate the constraints of shifting
towards high productive breeds.
Keywords: Improved Livestock
Breed, Constraints and Impact Analysis, Endogenous Switching Regression (ESR), Punjab-Pakistan |