Karnataka J. Agric. Sci.

,20(3), (551-554): 2007

Job Performance of Veterinary Officers and Veterinary Livestock Inspectors of Department of

Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Service, Karnataka*

A. L. SANDIKA, J. G. ANGADI, L. V. HIREVENKANAGOUDAR AND K. V. NATIKAR

Department of Agricultural Extension Education

University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad - 580 005, Karnataka, India
E mail: sandika@agedon.agri.ruh.ac.ik

(Received : October, 2006)

Abstract :This investigation was done during 2005-06 to study the job performance of the VOs and VLIs. The ex-post facto
research design was employed for the study. Belgaum district was selected purposively for the study. Thirty-five VOs and sixty-
five VLIs were selected to form a sample of 100. Data collection was done by using the personal interview method with the help
of interview schedule and frequencies and per centages, t test and simple correlation were employed to analysis the data.
Majority of the respondents (55.00%) were in medium job performance category followed by 33.00 per cent in high job
performance category. Further, high level of job performance was observed with 46.00 per cent of VOs and 26.00 per cent of
VLIs. On the contrary, low-level job performance was noticed with more number of VOs (14.00%) as compared to VLIs
(11.00%). Inadequate training, inadequate facilities like chemicals and medicines, inadequate conveyances facilities were the
major constraint. In addition to that, lack of reward, recognition and appreciation for special achievements, lack of salary
increment and relatively low salary and lack of appropriate promotion scheme were identified as the other major constraints in
effective job performance.

Key words: Job performance, job involvement, job stress and job satisfaction.

Introduction
Agriculture is a vital sector of Indian Economy, as it
contributes 29.40 per cent of national GDP and 64 per cent of the
total work force. In agriculture, animal husbandry and dairy
sectors play vital role and its output constitutes about 30 per
cent of country's agricultural output. Animal Husbandry and
Dairy Development plays a prominent role in the rural economy
in supplementing the income of rural households particularly,
the landless and small and marginal farmers. It also provides
subsidiary occupation in semi-urban area and more so for people
living in hilly, tribal and drought prone areas where crop output
may not sustain the family (Anonymous, 2005). The Department
of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Service (AH & VS) is the
technical department with the main responsibility of ensuring
all round development of animal husbandry sector. In this
background, better job performance of field level personnel viz.,
VOs and VLIs of the department is most important aspect for
developing the livestock sector in the state as well as achieving
the objectives of the department. Therefore, it is necessary to
understand the level of job performance of the field level
functionaries of the department. In this background, the present
investigation was planned to study the job performance of the
VOs and VLIs of Department of AH & VS. The specific objectives
of the investigation are to study the job performance of VOs
and VLIs, to identify the personal and job related characteristics
of VOs and VLIs and their relationship on job performance, and
to ascertain the constrains in job performance of VOs and VLIs.
Material and Methods
The ex-post facto research design was employed for
the study. Belgaum district of North Kamataka was selected
purposively for the study since this district has immense
potential to develop the animal husbandry. The VOs and VLIs
were selected in proportion to their number in the field. Thirty-
five VOs and sixty-five VLIs were selected to form a sample of
100. Job performance was measured by using scale developed
by Sundaraswamy (1987), which consisted of 23 items based on
self-rating method. Data collection was done by using the
personal interview method with the help of interview schedule.
The collected data were analyzed by using frequencies and
percentages, t test and simple correlation.
Results and discussion
Job performance level of VOs and VLIs : The results
presented in table 1 revealed that majority of the respondents
(55.00%) were in medium job performance category followed by
33.00 per cent in high job performance category. High level of
job performance was observed with 46.00 per cent of VOs and
26.00 per cent of VLIs, since VOs and VLIs were B. V Sc. or M. V
Sc. and one year diploma holders, respectively. On the contrary,

*Part of M. Sc. (Agri.) thesis submitted by the senior author to the University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad - 580 005, India.
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Karnataka Journal of Agricultural Sciences : 20(3) , 2007
low -level job performance was noticed with more number of
VOs (14.00%) as compared to VLIs (11.00%). Majority of the
respondents were in medium job performance category. Further,
table 1 revealed that there was no significant difference between
the mean values of the job performance of VOs and VLIs. It is
also important to note here that considerable percentage of both
VOs and VLIs were in low job performance category. The
probable reasons for the low job performance of the respondents
were lack of appropriate training opportunities, inexperience,
lack of availability of financial, medicinal and other facilities in
time. This needs to be rectified by creating opportunities for
training and making available the financial and other physical
facilities.
Personal and job related characteristics of VOs and
VLIs : The findings in the table 2 reveal that majority of VOs
(54.00%) and VLIs (74.00%) were from middle age category. In
respect of education of the respondents, it was found that 51.00
per cent of VOs had B.V Sc. degree followed by 41.00 per cent
with M.V. Sc. degree. This is because VOs post are filled through
direct recruitment considering the B V Sc degree as a minimum
Table 1. Job performance of veterinary officers and veterinary livestock inspector
VOs
Categories No. Per cent
Low 05 14.00
Medium 14 40.00
High 16 46.00
Total 35 100.00
Mean 49.45
S.D. 9.12
T value
* Significant at 5.00% level. ** Significant at I .00% level
look at the table also revealed that high majority of VOs (80.00%)
and VLIs (65.00%) perceived their workload as medium. It implies
that the perception of workload by the VOs was medium to
heavy. However, more per cent of VOs in the heavy work load
perception category which was due to more responsibilities on
the shoulders of VOs and multiple tasks they have to perform.
In case of job involvement of the respondents, comparatively
more per cent of VLIs (65.00%) were noticed in medium job
involvement category as compared to VOs (60.00%). Further,
comparatively more percentage of VOs (26.00%) were noticed
in high category as compared to VLIs (15.00%). The job
involvement is an opportunities to make decisions, self
determination, recognition, and treedom to set one's own work.
VOs are supposed to be involved in major decision-making and
management activities. High per cent of VOs (89.00%) were in
medium job stress category as compared to VLIs (65.00%). The
responsibilities of VOs made them to be little more stressful
when compared to VLIs. Nearly an equal per cent of both VOs
(63.00%) and VLIs (62.00%) were in medium job satisfaction
category. Seventeen per cent of VOs and 18.00 per cent of VLIs
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qualification. On the other hand, majority of VLIs (71.00%) were
one-year diploma holders. VLIs post is filled considering either
one-year diploma as a minimum qualification or through
promotion of the experienced Veterinary Livestock Assistants
(VLAs). Few VLIs were educated upto Bachelor's degree (9.00%).
In case of job experience, 3 majority of VOs (51.00%) and VLIs
(63.00%) were in medium (10 to 20 years) job experience category.
This provides the picture of stability with regard to experience
of the field level functionaries. It could be observed from
table 2 that majority of VOs and VLIs (58.00% and 70.00%,
respectively) had not received any training in their entire working
period due to lack of training opportunities. Training being an
important input for efficient functioning, there is a need to
provide appropriate training opportunities to the field level
functionaries. With regard to Information Seeking Behaviour of
the respondents, findings were impressive. Majority of VOs
(80.00%) were regularly reading the newspapers, viewing the
television compared to VLIs. Listening to radio and reading the
magazines and journals were observed in higher per cent of
VOs compared to VLIs. This trend is due to the fact that they
were getting timely information trom these sources. The close
VLIs Total
No. Per cent No. Per cent
07 11.00 12 12.00
41 63.00 55 55.00
17 26.00 33 33.00
65 100.00 100 100.00
48.47 48.93
7.03 8.84
0.553NS
NS- Non significant
were noticed in low satisfaction of job. In general, job satisfaction
depends upon the extent to which an individual derives personal
and socio-psychological benefits from his job. With regard to
respondents' satisfaction of facilities and resources at their work
place majority of VOs and VLIs were satisfied with the office
facilities, arrangement and maintenance, availability of
stationeries and availability of clerical and labour at work place.
But, majority of respondents were not satisfied with the
availability of conveyance facilities and chemicals, medicines.
This shows that the respondents are struggling with the scarcity
of facilities to carry out their routine activities, which needs to
be taken care while prioritization of budget.
Relationship between personal and job related
characteristics and job performance of VOs and VLIs : Job
involvement and job satisfaction had positive and significant
relationship with job performance of both VOs and VLIs. Job
involvement and job satisfaction of VOs and VLIs contributed
more for job performance due to recognition for them, good
relationship with superiors and subordinates. Further, age,
Job Performance of Veterinary . . . . . . ..

education, job experience and trainings exhibited positive and
significant relationship with job performance of VOs because
their job performance is increasing chronologically with the
related variables. On the other hand, three variables i.e., age, job
experience and job stress exhibited negative and significant
relationship with job performance of VLIs. These results are
due to that lack of sufficient salary and salary increments,
promotions with their age and experience. This situation leads
the demotivation of VLIs. The variables such as information
seeking behaviour, perceived workload had shown non
significant relationship in case of VOs and VLIs.
Constraints in job performance: With regard to the
problems encountered by VOs and VLIs in performing their job,
inadequate training, inadequate facilities like chemicals and
medicines, inadequate conveyances facilities in time were major
constraints. Further, lack of reward, recognition and appreciation
for special achievements, lack of salary increment and relatively
low salary and lack of appropriate promotion scheme were
identified as other major constraints in effective job performance.
Field workers expressed the requirement of training to update
their knowledge and skill. Appropriate training programmes
should be organized by the department with the help of other
institutes like Department of Agriculture, State Agricultural
Universities to update the knowledge and skill regarding latest
innovations. Further, it is very difficult to increase the job
performance of the employee without providing adequate
facilities chemicals, medicines, finance, traveling etc. Therefore,

Table 2. Personal and job related characteristics of veterinary officers and veterinary livestock inspectors (N = 100)
Category veterinary officers (n=35) VLIs (n=65)
No. Percentage No. Percentage
1. Age
Young 12 34.00 10 15.00
Middle 19 54.00 48 74.00
Old 4 12.00 7 11.00
2. Education
SSLC 0 0.00 9 14.00
PUC 0 0.00 4 6.00
Diploma 0 0.00 46 71.00
B.Sc. 0 0.00 6 9.00
B. VSc. 18 51.00 0 0.00
M. VSc. 17 49.00 0 0.00
3. Job experience
Low 8 23.00 to 15.00
Medium 18 51.00 41 63.00
High 9 26.00 14 22.00
4. Perceived workload
Low 0 0.00 12 18.00
Medium 28 80.0 42 65.00
High 7 20.00 11 11.00
5. Job involvement
Low 5 14.00 13 20.00
Medium 21 60.00 42 65.00
High 9 26.00 10 15.00
6. Job stress
Low 0 0.00 10 15.00
Medium 31 89.00 42 65.00
High 4 11.00 13 20.00
7. Job satisfaction
Low 6 17.0 12 18.0
Medium 22 63.00 40 62.00
High 7 20.00 ]3 20.00

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Karnataka Journal of Agricultural Sciences : 20(3) , 2007

the high level authorities as well as government need to pay medium to high. On the other hand, majority of VLIs were in
prim attention to increase the availability of required facilities medium level of job performance. Further, considerable per
for vas and VLIs. Lack of timely promotion seems to be justified centage of both VOs and VLIs were in low job performance
as many of VOs were working in the same cadre since more than category. Therefore, there is aneed to improve job performance
15 years. Hence, experienced respondents were not satisfied of VOs and VLIs by providing adequate training, facilities like
about their position. On the other hand, VLIs were also facing chemicals and medicines. Further, adequate conveyance facilities
similar problem in the department. Therefore, appropriate were major requisite to the field level personnel for performing
modifications are essential for promotional policy of the duties. More over, providing reward, recognition and
department. appreciation for special achievements, high salary and
appropriate promotion are necessary to increase the job
In general, the level of job performance of vas was performance ofthe VOs and VLIs.
Table 3: Relationship of personal and job related variables of veterinary officers and veterinary livestock inspectors with job performance
SI. Correlation of coefficients
No. Independent variables VOs VLIs
1. Age 0.597** -0.338* *
2. Education 0.408* 0.120NS
3. Job experience 0.338* -0.231 *
4. Training 0.213** _0.039NS
5. Information Seeking Behaviour 0.555u 0.152NS
6. Perceived workload _0.280** 0.104NS
7. Job involvement 0.644** 0.537**
8. Job stress -0.326NS -0.524**
9. Job satisfaction 0.500** 0.713**
10. Facilities and resources 0.070NS 0.298*
* Significant at 5.00% level ** Significant at 1 .00% level NS- Non significant

Table 4. Constraints in job performance of veterinary officers and veterinary livestock inspectors
SI. No. Constraints VOs (n = 35) VLIs (n = 65)
Frequency Per cent Frequency Per cent
1. Inadequate trainings 30 85.71 57 87.60
2. Inadequate facilities 30 85.71 55 84.61
3. Lack of reward, recognition and appreciation for special achievements 25 71.42 44 67.69
4. Low salary increment and salary 22 62.85 60 92.30
5. Lack of appropriate promotion scheme 20 57.14 33 50.76

References

ANONYMOUS, 2005, Report on Integrated Sample Survey for SUNDARASWAMY. B., 1987, A Study on need achievement and job
Estimation of Production of Milk, Egg, Wool and Meat for the performance of Assistant Agricultural Officers in Karnataka
year 2003/ 2004, Department of Animal Husbandry and State. Ph. D. thesis, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University,
Veterinary Service in Karnataka, Bangalore, pp. 25-30. Coimbatore, India.

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