UTTAR PRADESH JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY

Artificial insemination (AI) can accelerate genetic improvement and reduce farmers’ dependence on breeding bucks, but its sustained use in smallholder goat-production systems remains uncertain. Stratified random sampling was used to select 100 goat farmers from Hajo, Palasbari, Sonapur and Azara, with each location treated as a separate stratum and 25 respondents selected randomly from each. Eligible respondents possessed or managed at least 10 goats at the time of the survey. Data were collected using a pretested structured interview schedule comprising a 20-item knowledge test and two 14-item attitude scales measuring attitudes towards introducing and fully adopting AI. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and Pearson’s correlation coefficients. Four per cent of respondents were full adopters, 33% were partial adopters, 22% had discontinued AI and 41% had never adopted it. Current adoption was 37%, whereas ever-use was 59% when discontinued users were included. Knowledge was predominantly medium (67%), as were attitudes towards introducing AI (79%) and fully adopting it (71%). Important knowledge gaps concerned semen-quality assurance, reduction of disease transmission, timing of pregnancy diagnosis, buck-maintenance costs and use of AI at first oestrus. AI adoption was most strongly correlated with knowledge (r = 0.82), followed by attitude towards introducing AI (r = 0.64), flock size (r = 0.58), income from goat rearing (r = 0.55) and training exposure (r = 0.52). Attitude towards introducing AI was strongly correlated with attitude towards full adoption (r = 0.91). AI had been used by many surveyed goat farmers, but discontinuation and non-adoption remained substantial. Sustained adoption requires accessible, timely and technically reliable AI services, practical training in oestrus detection and breeding management and systematic follow-up of farmers who discontinue the service.