Abstract :
The study was conducted to reveal the management system, prospects and constraints of indigenous horses at 20 villages of 4 districts in Bangladesh. A total of 200 horse keeping households were one-to-one interviewed using a pre-tested questionnaire. Horses are solely reared under semi-intensive system (100%). Different types of houses are used such as tin-shed (28%), polythene (36%), fencing (36%). Feed ingredients such as rice polish (7.14±0.19), rice crushed (0.13±0.07), paddy (0.04±0.01), salt (0.1±0.01), wheat bran (1.13±0.07), molasses (0.23±0.01), gram (0.55±0.02), maize bran (0.27±0.07) and grass (ad libitum), respectively kg/day are supplied twice or thrice in a day. Natural breeding (100%) is practiced. Source of breeding male are own village (95%) followed by homebred (3%) and other places (1.5%), respectively. Farmer prefers red colour (99%) horse. Vaccination is not practiced by 100 per cent farmers whereas 4.5 per cent of them practices de-worming programme. Abortion, thelaziasis, calcium deficit and skin dermatitis or manze are common disease in horses. The market price of an adult stallion or mare ranges from 20,000-80,000 BDT and a colt or filly ranges from 5,000-20,000 BDT. The market price of sport or racing purposes horses ranges from 80,000-4, 50,000 BDT (crossbred) and 60,000-80,000 BDT (highly vigorous indigenous breed). Easy management, adaptability, cost effectiveness; disease tolerance and good income are the indicators of prospects of horse rearing. In spite of its great prospect, more solid information on horse husbandry in different parts of Bangladesh is required.
Keyword :
Indigenous horse, management system, prospects, constraints