Cost benefit analysis of yak and yak-cow cross breed in Baltistan, Northern Pakistan

A Hassan, M Ishaq and S H Saddozai

Technology Transfer Institute (Pakistan Agricultural Research Council), Pakistan
hassanabdulhassan@gmail.com   ;   ab_hsn@yahoo.com
 

Abstract

The study was conducted during August, 2005 in Baltistan region of Northern Pakistan with the objectives to estimate benefit and cost of yak and its cross breed with cow and to compare the zumo and yakmo benefit and cost.

Dry fodder was the major cost component while on the production side milk was the major share in revenue. The area farmer's has limited resources for alternate jobs. The t-ratios calculated, for the variables (Total Cost, Total return to labor, Milk per day, milk per season, milk value per season and total return) indicate that the variables of the two breeds (Zumo and Yakmo) differ statistically significantly from each other.

On the basis of the research findings it was recommended that research work should be tackled in order to introduce good breeds of zumo by crossing yak and yakmo with cow and ox, suitable to the climatic condition of the area; Indigenous yak management systems should be improved and strengthened at the village level.

Key words: benefit-cost ratio, northern Pakistan, t-test, yak, yak-cow cross breed

Introduction

Yak and its hybrids in Pakistan are located mainly in the areas that border with Ladekh, Tajikistan and China mostly higher than 3000 m above sea level. These large domesticated bovines provide traction, produce milk, meat and manure for agriculture fields, hides, hair and wool for local people in bound mountain regions. In Baltistan, a part of the Northern Areas of Pakistan, the male is popularly known as yak and the female is called yakmo whereas its F₁ male and female crossbred offspring are called zou and zumo, respectively. Farmers are the architects of present day breeding systems in the high mountainous region, based on their indigenous knowledge (Muhammad 2003).

Cai and Wiener (1995) reported a total of 25 thousand yak and 0.1 million yak-cattle hybrids in northern Pakistan. However, Khan (1996) estimated that there were only 6000 yak in all of Pakistan. A recent census indicated that the total population of yak in the Northern Areas of Pakistan is 14,914 head. Skardu district has the highest yak population (7045 head), followed by Ghanche district (2532 head), Ghizer district (2355 head) and Gilgit district (1982 head), no data is available for Diamer district, especially the Astore subdivision (Anon. 1998).

The F₁ hybrids are regarded as well adapted and suited animals for the agricultural tasks: zou are frequently employed for ploughing the fields and threshing purposes. The zomo is esteemed for its milk-producing qualities. Kreutzmann (1986) stated that F₁ females (zumo) from mating yak bulls to cows of "other" cattle were regarded as the best milkers and the F₁ males (zoi) the best bullocks for ploughing. (The reciprocal F₁ was not known to occur). Females of the first backcrosses (in both directions) were still regarded as good milkers but inferior to zumo (F₁). Later generations of backcrosses with cattle males were regarded as useless and those with yak bulls eventually approached the yak type. The efforts and inputs from veterinary departments into yak breeding were rather limited, a situation which has not changed much since (Farman and Khaleel 1991).

A concentration of yak keeping in Thalley Valley, Baltistan Northern Areas of Pakistan is in the upper parts of the valley, where substantial yak herds are to be found, while the low-lying villages keep many fewer yak. An attempt has been made in this study to highlight the usefulness of yak in comparison with its F₁ cross breed zou/zumo with the following specific objectives

• To estimate benefit and cost of yak and its cross breed with cow in the study area
• To identify Yak feeding and grazing practices;
• To suggest policy recommendations for the improvement of Yak farming based on the findings of the study.
   

Methodology

Sample size and design

The study was conducted in Thalley Valley, Ghanche District, Baltistan region of Northern Areas of Pakistan. Muhammad (2003) listed ten villages in Thalley valley having 650 households. The results would have been more accurate, if the whole population had been interviewed. However, keeping in view the time constraints and limited resources, 10% of the sample respondents were selected for interview, which gives a reasonable number of sample size of 65 (Table 1). Two to three farmers having their experience in management of yak, from each village were selected for interview purposively. Remaining sample farmers were selected randomly by met by chance basis in each village.

Data collection procedure

This research was based on primary as well as secondary data; the primary data were collected through pre-tested questionnaire, while the secondary data were amassed from various published and unpublished sources. In the light of study objectives a questionnaire was prepared and pre tested in the field. Amendments were made in the questionnaire on the basis of pre testing and the modified version of the questionnaire was then used for data collection. Data were collected through face-to-face interview in order to establish rapport and explain the purpose of the study to the respondents. However, questionnaire was prepared in English but questions were asked in local language (Balti) with the help of a translator.

Data analysis

Keeping in view the requirements of the study, simple statistical techniques like averages; their comparison and percentages were analyzed using MS Excel and SPSS program. Cost benefit ratio was also calculated, to arrive at the benefit and cost of Yak. Furthermore the t-statistic explained below, was used to compare the means of cost and production from yakmo and zumo.

Comparing two means using t-statistic

A comparison of two aspects on the basis of simple averages, sometimes, does not serve the purpose because one cannot decide whether the difference between the two averages is statistically significant or not. Hence, one needs to use such a measure that takes care of this concern. A simple but relatively accurate method is to use the "Test of Difference Between Two Means" (Gujrati 1988).

In this study, Test of difference between two means of independent samples for zumo and yakmo was used which proceed, as follows.

Calculate the means, Xm and Ym and variances S2x and S2y for zumo and yakmo.

Calculate t-statistic:

Now test the hypothesis:

H₀: X_m - Y_m = 0

H_I: X_m - Y_m ¹ 0

Decision rule is:  Reject H₀ (in favor of H_I) if:  t_calculated < -tn-1, a/2 or tn-1, a/2 > t_calculated

where n = sample size and asignificance level.
 

Results and discussion

Demographic information

The average family size was 11 persons, comprised on average of 7 male and 4 female members. The average age of sampled respondents was 44.6 years. Majority of the respondents (89%) were living in joint family system. About three third of the sample respondents were illiterate and farming was the main occupation of the livelihood. As many as four male and three female per household were working in income generating activities directly or indirectly i.e., farming, business, self employment, business and/or govt. as well as private jobs. The information regarding the distribution on the basis of income of the sample households show that, more than three-fourth (78%) of households have a monthly income upto Rs.5000/- (Table 2).

Herd structure and purpose of keeping of livestock

Data regarding the herd structure of livestock along with household respondents show that each household keep yak, yakmo and zou/zumo along with substantial number of other livestock i.e., goats, sheep, cattle, donkey and horses (Table 3).

The herd structure of Yak and yak-cow crossbreed by age was presented in Figure 1. Figure reveals that majority of zou, zumo and yakmo had the age of five years and above except yak having age of two and/or three years.

The area farmers keep zou for ploughing, threshing, FYM and meat purposes, zumo for milk, butter and meat, yak for breeding, hair, selling and meat purposes and yakmo for breeding, hair, nisaloo/sale, milk and have no cost. Fodder and labor shortage, improved breed, selling, death of the animal and financial problem were the main reasons for decreasing herd size of zou/zumo and yak/yakmo in the study area.

Feeding

Figure 2 reveals that zou was fed in the herd for 7 months while for the rest of the period it remained in the meadows, similarly zumo was fed in the herd for 8 months and in meadows for 4 months. Yak and yakmo were fed in herd for 4 and 8 months each in meadow.

Means of Herds Feeding items in the study area are described in Table 4.

The caring of zou/zumo in the meadows was made by an agreement made by five to ten farmers which make a group and the farmers with more number of milking zumos had to take care of the animals in the meadows for more period and the farmer who is going for caring will collect the milk in the days allotted for him. On average one farmer is going for caring which cost for Rs. 118, the mean wage rate per day in the study area. On the basis of the agreement made by the assembled farmers, on average the caring days in meadows was 17.97 per year for each sample farmer.

Income from yak and yak-cow cross breed

Table 5 reveals that sixty-one respondents of the sample farmers stated that the lactation period of zumo was 7.7 moths and the average milk production was 3.05 kgs per day. The average number of young born was 1.93 as stated by 54 sample respondents (the number exceed then one, because some farmers have more then one zumo that give birth to young).

According to Muhammad (2003), female yak make poor milking animal farmers assumes only 1 to 2 liters of milk daily for 5 to 7 months up to one year of age calf suckling mother milk. In our samples farmers, table 6 reveals that, thirty-eight respondents stated that the average milk production of yakmo was 1.62 kgs per day and 1.61 months of lactation period.

The lactation period is 5 to 7 months but as the farmers keep the yak in meadows they get the milk from yakmo only for 1.61 months. The main purpose of yakmo rearing in the study area was breeding, due to which only limited farmers obtain milk for limited time, the rest milk during lactation period was leaving for yakmo young production, so the growth of yakmo is good. The average number of young born was 1.83 as stated by 18 sample respondents (the number exceed then one, because some farmers have more then one yakmo that give birth to young).

Hair was obtained from yak and yakmo in the study area. On average 1.7 kg of hair was obtained from yak and 3.3 kg from yakmo last year. On average 53.03 kg of ghee was produced during season from zumo, stated by fifty-nine farmers while from yak ghee was not produced as the milk was fed to young off spring (Table 5).

The data related to manure production of yak herd was presented in table 5. Table shows that on average 80.41 mounds was produced from zou, 86.54 mounds from zumo, 32.9 mounds from yak and 42.85 mounds from yakmo, when the animals were fed in the herds during a season, stated by 52 sample respondents during survey.

Traditional method was used for breeding of zumo and yakmo in the study area. The breeding is made in such away so that the young production may be the near winter of the reason that the zou young may be slaughtered as nisaloo (slaughtering of animals at the start of winter season, drying and preserving the meat in sun and using it for the whole season) while the first few months of yak/yakmo may be reared in the herd.

Cost and production

The data related to cost and production for zou was presented in table 7.

Ninety-nine percent of the cost for rearing zou in the study area was dry fodder. Dry fodder includes wheat/oat straw. The total cost was Rs. 30674.86/- per year. Household labor involved in grazing zou at meadows and fodder cutting by male and female at the pastures and /or meadows was considered as return to labor for self employment in the study area, as the area farmers has limited resources for alternate jobs. The return to labor in term of Rupees was Rs. 5187.61/- per year. Furthermore the table also reveals that besides ploughing and threshing, manure was also obtained from zou. The value of manure in term of rupees was Rs. 6754.09.

The data related to cost and production for zumo was presented in Table 8.

The major cost encountered by fodder, which was 92% of the total cost. Concentrates, ghee and oil cake were given to zumo for getting more milk during lactation period. Return to labor in term of Rupees was Rs. 5158.82/- per year. Milk was the major production from zumo that encounter for 79% of the total production. Remaining 20% and one percent shared by manure and young production in the total benefit from the zumo production.

The major cost for yak was encountered by fodder, which costs for 97% of the total cost (Table 9).

Return to labor in term of Rupees was Rs. 1322.06/- per year. The yak was left free in meadows therefore grazing cost was zero. Manure shares 93% and hair 7% in total production obtained from yak in the study area.

The data related to cost and production for yakmo in the Table 10 reveals that major cost encountered by fodder, which costs 91.9% of the total cost.

Concentrates and eggs were fed to yakmo for getting more milk during lactation period so that the young produced may be healthy. Return to labor in term of Rupees was Rs. 10008.03/- per year. Manure shares 36% of the total benefit obtained from yakmo, followed by milk that shares 32.5%. Remaining 27.8% and 3.8% shared by young production and hair in the total benefit from the yakmo production.

Whether the revenues and costs of the two breeds differ

The preceding described the total cost, total return to labor, milk per day, milk per season, milk value per season and total return of the zumo and yakmo breeds. Apparently, there are big differences between the variables of the two breeds as reveal from the following data.

To see whether net revenues and costs of the two crops statistically significantly differ, we used the two t-tests meant for the differences between two means of independent samples. The results of the tests are given in Table 11, as follows.

The t-ratios calculated, for the variables (total cost, total return to labor, milk per day, milk per season, milk value per season and total return) indicate that the variables of the two breeds (zumo and yakmo) differ statistically significantly from each other.
 

Conclusions and recommendations

• Yak is one of a few domesticated animals that can survive in a cold and low oxygen environment.
  
  
• Beside zou / zoumo and yak / yakmo, a few number of goats, sheep, cattle, donkey and horse were also kept by the people. The caring of zou/zumo in meadows was made on the basis of their milking zumos, the farmer who is going for caring zou/zumo in meadows will collect the milk in the days, allotted for him. Yak/Yakmo were leaving free in the meadows for caring themselves on their own risk. Fodders were collected from meadows and/or pastures probably during September/October, for feeding their livestock at herds during winter.
  
  
• Majority of the cost for rearing zou was dry fodder. Dry fodder includes wheat/oat straw. Yak and yakmo was mainly kept for breeding and hair while zumo for milk and ghee production and zou for caring agricultural practices like ploughing and threshing etc.
  
  
• Milk and manure contributed the largest share in revenue, followed by sale of young. On the cost side, fodder was the main cost constituent. The area farmer's has limited resources for alternate jobs.
  
  
• The t-ratios calculated, for the variables (Total Cost, Total return to labor, Milk per day, milk per season, milk value per season and total return) indicate that the variables of the two breeds (zumo and yakmo) differ statistically significantly from each other.
  
  
• Fodder shortage during winter, disease and wild nature of yak and yakmo, absence of doctor and problems in management due to harsh weather in winter were the major problems in rearing zou/zumo and yak/yakmo.

Recommendations

• Good quality fodder, fodder tree and feed supplement should be introduced in the area.
  
  
• Indigenous yak management systems should be improved and strengthened.
  
  
• Furthermore a separate station for yak husbandry research and development should be developed in order to look after the different aspects of yak production in the light of the area people perspective. Additionally research should be carried to produce improved zo/zumo suitable to the climate of the area by crossing yak/yakmo with improved breed cow and /or back cross.
   

References