author(s)
KP Saravanan, C Manivannan and G Kathiravan

abstract
A study was undertaken in Perundurai and Dharapuram taluks of Erode district in Tamil Nadu to find out the determinants of perceived extent of crisis in sheep farming. The data were collected by pre-tested interview schedule from 100 farmers selected from 10 villages each of the two taluks using multistage random sampling procedure. The study revealed that majority of the respondents maintained nuclear families with up to five members, had medium to high level of self-confidence and management orientation, medium level of risk bearing ability and achievement motivation, possessed medium to small flock size, medium to low level of veterinary health care facility and information seeking behaviour. More than one-half of the respondents were illiterates with long sheep farming experience, while more than one-third had large land holding with less extent of prior exposure to crisis. The regression analysis indicated that the education and flock size had significant positive influence, while self-confidence and management orientation exhibited significant negative influence towards perceived extent of crisis in sheep farming.