Vetnuus | October 2024 19 by respondents. Similar findings were reported by Fazili et al (2022), who mentioned that telehealth facility was significantly more availed by animals with medical problems (67.66%) than those showing gynaecological ailments (18.25%). An effort was made to study the attitude of field functionaries towards the specific aspects of extension advisory services. Attitude of the respondents was judged against 6 positive and 6 negative statements. The attitude scale and responses were mentioned in Table 2. Overall attitude towards extension advisory services during COVID-19 It was noted that more than one-third of the respondents (40.00%) had a less favourable attitude towards the extension advisory services during the COVID-19 pandemic. It was found that 33.33 per cent of respondents had a highly favourable attitude whereas, only 26.66 per cent of them had a favourable attitude towards the services. Constraints Perceived to provide Telehealth Services Study on constraints to deliver Telehealth Services revealed that assessing animal health conditions without physical examination, insufficient technical / network support for consultation and difficulty in treating without the physical presence of animals through Telehealth were perceived to be major constraints in its rank order. Moharana and Gupta (2022) supported the above findings and mentioned that hectic schedules of providing online services created occupational job stress. Lack of farmer’s technical knowledge to explain animal clinical signs, unavailability of emergency medicines during the critical hour of treatment, Telehealth can encourage quack practice in the animal husbandry sector and lack of time to provide Telehealth consultancy were the other constraints perceived in that order. Suggestions to overcome the constraints of providing Telehealth Services Considering the suggestions for the above-studied constraints, timely veterinary aid to animals along with telehealth services, strengthening technical and network support, organising capacity Sr. No Service Sum Mean SD Ranking 1 Medicine Cases (Including emergencies) 118 3.93 1.142 1 2 Gynaecology and Obstetrics cases 117 3.90 1.184 2 3 Deworming and Immunization 105 3.50 0.973 3 4 Farm Consultancy / Advisory 92 3.07 1.201 4 5 Extension activities (Training / Demonstration / Field visits / Meetings) 91 3.03 1.159 5 6 Livestock Products Marketing 55 1.83 1.053 6 Table 1. Classification of Veterinary Extension Advisory and Telehealth Services and its ranking Sr. No Statement SDA 6 DA 5 MDA 4 MA 3 A 2 SA 1 MWS 1 Restricted movement of Veterinary Officers to meet farmers during COVID-19 0 (0.00) 5 (16.66) 7 (23.33) 2 (6.66) 11 (36.66) 5 (16.66) 2.86 2 Increased difficulty in disseminating information to farmers during COVID-19 3 (10.00) 10 (33.33) 5 (16.66) 4 (13.33) 8 (26.66) 0 (0.00) 3.86 3 Conducting online training for farmers during COVID-19 was difficult. 6 (20.00) 7 (23.33) 4 (13.33) 4 (13.33) 6 (20.00) 3 (10.00) 3.8 4 Continuous advisory services of extension officials/ veterinary surgeons were interrupted during COVID-19 2 (6.66) 10 (33.33) 7 (23.33) 3 (10.00) 5 (16.66) 3 (10.00) 3.73 5 Increased difficulty in enrolling farmers in new animal husbandry schemes /projects/ programmes during COVID-19 4 (13.33) 9 (30.00) 8 (26.66) 5 (16.66) 4 (13.33) 0 (0.00) 4.13 6 COVID-19 reduces extension officials’ role in livestock farmers’ decision-making 3 (10.00) 10 (33.33) 6 (20.00) 6 (20.00) 3 (10.00) 2 (6.66) 3.93 7 Extension advisories act as emergency responses to adapt to the economic shocks of COVID-19 0 (0.00) 1 (3.33) 1 (3.33) 5 (16.66) 21 (70.00) 2 (6.66) 4.4 8 Social media is the most preferred means of communication 0 (0.00) 0 (0.00) 0 (0.00) 8 (26.66) 16 (53.33) 6 (20.00) 4.93 Table2. Distribution of Respondents by their attitude towards the extension advisory services during COVID-19 (N=30). *The figures in the parenthesis indicate percentages. SDA: Strongly Disagree; DA: Disagree; MDA: Mildly Disagree; MA: Mildly Agree; A: Agree; and SA: Strongly Agree Role of Veterinary Extension Advisory and Telehealth Services J Krishi Vigyan 2024, 12(1): 148-152 6 >>>20 Article
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