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Abstract
While studies show that cattle crossbreeding has important role for dairy development, the adoption of crossbred cattle and diffusion of artificial insemination (AI) is found to be at a nascent stage in Assam resulting in the fact that he state has continued to remain as a milk deficit state. Using techniques such as Probit regression, Propensity Score Matching (PSM) and Rank Based Quotient (RBQ) for cross-section data of 245 smallholder dairy farmers distributed in 3 representative districts of Assam, the study examines the constraints of adoption of crossbred cattle along with its contribution to nutritional security in the state. The study finds that factors such as herd-size, knowledge about AI, membership of dairy cooperative society, being beneficiary of government dairy development schemes and milk price significantly influence adoption of crossbred cattle. Furthermore, adoption of crossbred cattle has significant influence on nutritional gain of the people by way of increase in net dairy income/milch animal/day along with enhanced milk and meat consumption. Hence, working on adoption constraints such as higher requirement of feed and fodder by crossbred cattle, higher requirement of care by these animals, difficulty in getting green fodder etc. as perceived by the farmers would incentivize their adoption of the new technology. Overall, the findings of the study advocate for expansion of extension services, strengthening of dairy cooperative society (DCS) network and raising milk price towards diffusion of crossbred cattle.