Evaluation of Improved Yoke and Harnessing Systems Using Domesticated Mithuns (Bos Frontalis) for Seedbed Preparation - A Case Study in Nagaland

摘要

Mithuns (Bos Frontalis), a unique livestock species, are reared by the farmers of four states of north eastern hilly region (viz; Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur and Mizoram). Nagaland has 33000 mithuns, contributing substantially to the livelihoodsecurity of inhabitants. Due to importance of mithuns for farm operations in Nagaland, the present investigation was conducted on development and evaluation of harnessing system suitable for domesticated mithuns in tillage operation at National ResearchCentre on Mithun, Medziphema, Dimapur district. The double mithuns with improved yoke and single mithun with adjustable collar harness gave fatigue symptoms after 75 minutes and 45 minutes of work. After each test trial 2 hours rest was provided in threeshifts. They succeeded in giving draughtability of 7 and 10% of the body weight corresponding to single mithun and double mithuns, respectively in ploughing operations. The use of two mithuns for ploughing using improved yoke and ridger plough was the best option which gave effective field capacity and field efficiency of 0.03 ha/h and 60.48%, respectively. The adjustable collar harness gave effective field capacity of 0.026 ha/h for ploughing with improved ridger using single mithun. Three ploughing operations with improved ridger and improved yoke and harnessing system can be accomplished in an day for both single and double mithuns at 2 h rest after each field trial of 45 minutes using single mithun and 75 min (1 h 15 min) using double mithuns. There is saving of 34.61% and 43.32% in cost of ploughing using single mithun- adjustable collar harness with ridger plough and double mithun- improved yoke with improved ridger plough as compared to traditional yoke for double mithun-country plough.