Farmers’ perceptions regarding artificial insemination services in Punjab, Pakistan

A considerable number of livestock farmers are still practising natural matting for their animals instead of the Artificial Insemination (AI) technique. This study aimed to determine the various insemination procedures being used by farmers and the reasons for their rejection or acceptance in rural areas of Punjab. A cross-sectional dataset of 400 randomly selected livestock herders from two purposefully selected districts, Rahim Yar Khan and Muzaffargarh, was used. We used Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) to apply crosstab and t-test to the collected data. Findings infer that the AI technique was preferred by 60.5% of farmers particularly for cows whereas 75% of farmers preferred the natural matting process for buffalo (75.0%). The quality of AI service provided by public and private technicians was rated at an average level. For the natural matting process of their animals’ farmers were heavily (73.8 %) dependent on fellow farmers for sourcing a bull. Farmers viewed both private and public sector technicians equally skilled in performing AI. However, the high cost of semen (x=4.07±1.17) and unskilled technicians (x=4.05±1.17) were the key obstacles in wake of the effectiveness of AI. Poor record of the bull (x=4.12±1.14) and non-availability of bull (x=3.93±1.23) were the prominent plights associated with natural matting. Statistically, a significant difference was found concerning the cost of insemination (t=16.058), breed type (t =20.403) and milk or meat production potential (t=24.480) while inseminating the cow or buffalo. This study concludes that it should be obligatory for the farmers to maintain a record of natural matting through the bull. For AI, semen quality should be ensured with the synergistic association among institutions. The concerned institutions must develop a strategy to eradicate unregistered and non-qualified quack technicians