Handbook of Animal Husbandry

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Handbook of

Animal Husbandry

& VS9 ICAR

DIRECTORATE OF KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT N AGRICULTURE INDIAN COUNCIL OF AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH KRISHI ANUSANDHAN BHAVAN I NEW DELHI 110 012 www.icar.org.in


First Printed First Revised Edition Second Revised Edition Third Revised Edition Fourth Revised and Enlarged Edition First Reprint of Fourth Revised Edition

Technical Co-ordinators :

Project Director(DKMA) Incharge, EEU Editor

September 1962(One impression) October 1977(One impression) July 1990(One impression) September 2002(Two impressions) June 2013 June 2014

Dr C.S. Prasad Dr Gaya Prasad Dr Rameshwar Singh Dr Aruna T Kumar Dr Sudhir Pradhan

Chief Production Officer : Dr V K Bharti Kul Bhushan Gupta Assistant Chief Technical Officer Cover Design : Dr V K Bharti Narendra Bahadur

All Rights Reserved Š 2014,Indian Council ofAgricultural Research New Delhi

ISBN : 978-81-7164-086-7

Price:? 1000

Published by Dr Rameshwar Singh, Project Director, Directorate of Knowledge Management in Agriculture, Indian Council of Agricultural Research, Krishi Anusandhan Bhavan I, Pusa, New Delhi 110 012; and printed at M/s Chandu Press, D-97, Shakarpur, Delhi 110 092.


Contents Preface to the Fourth Revised and Enlarged Edition Preface to the Third Revised Edition Preface to the Second Revised Edition Preface to the First Revised Edition Preface to the First Edition

2?-

1. Livestock Sector in India: Challenges and Opportunities

2. 3. 4.

5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

Part 1: Animal Genetics and Breeding Livestock and Poultry Genetic Resources Conservation of Animal Genetic Resources Animal Genetics and Breeding Part 2: Animal Nutrition and Feed Technologies Principles of Animal Nutrition Feed and Fodder Resources Agro-Industrial By-products, Unconventional Feed and Antinutritional Factors Feed and Fooder Technology Advances in Mineral and Vitamin Nutrition of Livestock Poultry Nutrition Part 3: Animal Management Livestock Management Animal Shelter. Climate Change and Coping Strategies

11. 12. 13. Organic Animal Husbandry 14. Laboratory Animals for Research and Biological Production

iii v vi vii viii 1

19 41 56

105 166 198 246 278 302

316 346 365 383

Part 4: Animal Reproduction 15. Basics of Animal Reproduction 16. Semenbiology and Artificial Insemination 17. Reproductive Disorders 18. Reproductive Endocrinology

410 446 506 519

Part 5: Animal Health Management 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24.

Bacterial and Mycotic Diseases Diseases caused by Viruses Chlamydiosis and Mycoplasmosis Parasites and Parasitic Diseases Deficiency Diseases and Metabolic Disorders Zoonotic Diseases

536 588 629 637 728 760


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HANDBOOK OF ANIMAL HUSBANDRY

25. 26. 27. 28. 29.

Emerging, Exotic and Transboundary Animal Diseases Avian Infectious Diseases Livestock Disease Surveillance and Forecasting in India Advances in Veterinary Medicine Indigenous Technical Knowledge in Animal Husbandry and Ethnoveterinary Medicine 30. Postmortem Examination and Disease Diagnosis

809 820 860 886 953

980

Part 6: Animal Biotechnology 31. Transgenic Animals 32. Embryo Transfer Technology in Farm Animals 33. Impact of Biotechnology on Animal Production and health in India 34. Nanotechnology: Applications in Animal Sciences

1026 1042 1067

1094

Part 7: Animal Products, Technology and Machineries 35. 36. 37. 38. 39.

Indigenous Dairy Products and Equipments Meat Products Wool Fibre: Production, Properties and Processing Animal Waste Management Good Manufacturing Practice and Quality Parameters

1117 1147 1163 1219 1226

40. 41. 42. 43.

Part 8: Economics and Trade of Livestock and Poultry Enterprise Economics of Livestock and Poultry Enterprise Trade in Livestock Products Carbon Trading: Mechanisms and Opportunities in Livestock Sector Draught Animal Power in Agriculture

1248 1268 1300 1312

Part 9: Social Sciences 44. 45. 46. 47. 48.

Livestock Extension and Education Veterinary and Animal Science Education for Livestock Development Veterinary Jurisprudence Intellectual Property Rights Regime ICT in Animal Husbandry

1323 1366 1383 1445 1452

Index Contributors Annexure I. List of bulletins/leaflets on livestock and poultry breeds published by the National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources, Kamal

1490 1540 1550


1. Livestock Sector in India: Challenges and Opportunities One of the globally recognized 12 mega-biodiversity countries, India is bestowed with rich diversity of livestock germplasm as well. This includes the uniquely distinguished breeds of buffalo (Murrah, Nili Ravi, Jaffarabadi), cattle (Sahiwal, Hariana, Tharparkar, Ongole, Gir, Vechur), goat (Pashmina, Sirohi, Ibex), sheep (Garole,Dumba,Gaddi),pig(Ghungroo),horse(Marwari, Kathiawari), as well as the poultry (Aseel, Kadaknath, I. Livestock sector plays a multidimensional role in agricultural development of the country and has contributed immensely to the national GDP.Dining 2010-11, estimated total milk production was 121.8 million tonnes, while meat production was estimated at 4.83 million tonnes, 61.45 billion eggs and 43.13 million kg wool. Over the last 10 years, the contribution of livestock sector to total national GDP has hovered between 3.5 and 4%, while its contribution to the GDP from agriculture has witnessed steady increase from almost 25% to over 30% during the same period. In 2007-08, contribution of milk alone to GDP was ?162,136 crore, being the highest from any single agricultural commodity, apart from ?8,656 crore worth of total exports from the livestock sector. Livestock sector has created a significant impact on equity in terms of employment and poverty alleviation. In low-income agrarian economies including that of India, livestock form an integral part of predominantly small-holder diversified crop-livestock fanning systems. After staple crops, livestock sector is the second most important contributor to the agricultural economy. The productivity and income growth in the livestock sector has witnessed strong income multiplier and poverty reduction impacts, thereby justifying a strategy to stimulate simultaneous growth in both livestock and staple crops sectors. Of the total households in the rural India, about 73% own livestock. More importantly,small and marginalfarmers account forthree quarters of thesehouseholds. Thereby, livestock sector provides self-employment to 22.45 million people, either part-time or full-time, both to educated and uneducated youths. The smaller units will primarily provide employment for the family members, while products may not necessarily enter the processing chain. On the other hand, big livestock enterprises provide much more employment at different stages starting from livestock management, production, processing and finally marketing.In addition, animal husbandry promotes gender equity as over three-fourths of the labour in livestock production comprises women. Enterprises like dairy farming and layer poultry farming are the sources of regular income due to daily production of sellable products like milk and eggs.Income from livestock production accounts for 15-40% ofthe farm households’income in different states. It is a conceded fact that the farmers involved in animal husbandry rarely


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HANDBOOK OF ANIMAL HUSBANDRY

experience extreme poverty. Yet,in the livestock production sector there is no scheme like minimum support price and procurement of products by the government or other organized agencies except limited provision in the dairy sector. Since mid-1990s,the world milk consumption is growing by average 10-15 million tonnes per annum owing to population growth and increasing income in many countries, India being no exception.In India,despite significant increases in livestock production, per capita consumption of milk (69 kg) and meat (3.7 kg) remained lower against corresponding world averages of 85 and 40 kg, respectively. Growing incomes and consequent change in food habits in China, India and other Asian countries are responsible for this increasing demand,further supported by the governmental support to milk consumption such as school milk programmes. Though the latter program is currently lacking in India, this is highly desirable so as to ensure adequate animal protein and complete food supplement for growing children. Thus, an increase in demand for livestock products, can be a major factor in raising the income and living standards of the rural households as well. The world market is not yet able to cover growing demand for milk and dairy products because oflow productivity of a vast livestock population. For example, the average yield in Asia is still 0.91 tonnes/animal/year, while in North America it was 901 tonnes in 2007.In India, the average annual milk productivity ofindigenous cattle is estimated at 1,172 kg,just about50% ofthe global average. Daily production is just 2.14 kg for indigenous cow, though the productivity ofcrossbred cows and buffaloes is comparatively better at 6.87 and 4.57 kg / day. Likewise the meat yield of most species is 20-60% lower than the world average. Nearly 80% of overall milk production gains over the past decade in Asian countries were through the producers owning two to five cows. In India, the role ofsmall cattle farmers, in low-input low-output scenario, has remained significant in this aspect. Yet, in order to meet the anticipated demand for dairy products, it is to expect that the middle and large farms shall reap the cost advantage. Accordingly, dairying sector is evidencing a shift towards large scale intensive farming enterprises. Even large corporate houses are foraying in dairy farming by establishing mega farms. This has subtly lead to segregation of improved germplasm with better availability of resources, greater automation in farming practices as well as use of environment friendly technologies like biogas production. At the same time, this has also thrown up new challenges to be met by the policy makers as well as the agriculture and animal scientists with respect to availability offeed and fodder,control of diseases, manure management, movement of germplasm and sustainability of the large numberofsmallfarmers thriving on low-input animal husbandry practices. Such large intensive dairy husbandry farms can interfere with economic growth and employment scenario for the rural poor. With increasing urbanization, the growth in demand for livestock products is more impressive in urban areas than rural areas. This entails procurement of more milk fromrural areas,its product transformation and transport at various stages of processing and value addition along the supply chain, until it reaches the final consumers in

.


LIVESTOCK SECTOR IN INDIA: CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES

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urban centres. This provides ample opportunities for propagating output,employment and income benefits across the economy. As our economy progresses from an agrarian to a more diversified economic structure,high-value commodities,primarily the livestock products,become the prime drivers of the growth in agricultural sector. Demand and production of such highvalue agricultural commodities can grow at 5 to 8% a year, whereas it is more challenging to sustain growth rates of more than 2.5 to 3.5% for cereals. At the same time, high-value commodities tend to be perishable, which underlines the pressing need for improved rural infrastructure, particularly roads. The availability of quality feeds and fodders is also of utmost concern for enhancing productivity of the huge livestock population. The challenges currently facing the dairy sector include small herd size with poor productivity potential; scarcity of quality breeding bulls and AI service network; inadequacy of quality veterinary services including diagnostics, vaccines, disease surveillance and forecasting mechanisms leading to disease outbreaks with high morbidity; fast declining grazing lands superimposed with poor fodder and feed resources as well as diversion of feed and fodder ingredients to industrial use and a strong drift in the rural youths away from livestock farming. In addition, policy framework does not adequately support livestock sector as there is inadequate budgetary allocation over the years with limited availability of credit, poor access to organized markets depriving farmers of proper price for their livestock and poultry produce and an overall lack of equity with crop sector. Besides the large population of unproductive animals competing for the limited feed and fodder resources,formidable gap exists between requirement and availability offeeds and fodders to feed our livestock. It is estimated that during the recent years, we are facing shortages of dry fodder, green fodder and concentrate to the tune of 10, 35 and 33%,respectively. This is due to the factthat over the last 3 decades, cultivated area under fodder production has remained stagnant at 4-5% of the total cultivated land while the area under fallow lands, pasture and common lands has gradually declined. The situation is further worsened due to non-availability of quality seeds of fodder crops, wastage of green fodder during flush season and burning of straw in North-western parts of the country. Possible solutions to this situation could be to create a reliable database on feed and fodder availability in different regions of the country for assisting in realistic planning, increase the production of quality fodder seeds with incentives,conversion ofexcess green fodder into silage during flush season, promotion of Azolla cultivation, technology intervened management of crop residues like TMR,fodder block technology, urea ammoniation of straw etc.

Challenges facing the livestock sector Milk production data and impact assessment studies in dairy sector, are not • comprehensive and reliable, hence not true reflectors of potential of the sector thereby constraining public and private investments. • As India enters an era of economic reforms, livestock sector is poised to be a


HANDBOOK OF ANIMAL HUSBANDRY

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major player for growth in agricultural sector. The fact that dairying could play a more constructive role in promoting rural welfare and reducing poverty is increasingly being recognized and getting due recognition in policy making. The rich diversity of our livestock germplasm embraces hidden treasures of biologically important and unique characteristics, which require being conserved both in-situ and ex-situ for their assimilation in view of the changing climate, diseases scenario, feed and water availability, productivity, composition and quality of output, reproductive efficiency and the alike. Conservation protocols are underway at ICAR institutes and at certain SAUs / SVUs in this direction. Indiscriminate crossbreeding for raising milk productivity threatens to lead to disappearance ofvaluable indigenous breeds and for this reason it becomes even more pertinent in the context of Indian livestock. With only 2.29% of theland area of the world,India is maintaining about 10.71% of the worlds’ livestock. This vast livestock population can prove to be a vital asset forthe country and unlike many othernatural resources which are depleting over the years, a sustainable livestock production system will continue to propel Indian economy. Although milk productivity of our animals is presently low, it provides the opportunity for sustained improvement.Towards this end,the scarce germplasm of elite indigenous and exotic breeds needs to be propagated fast withincreased emphasis on providing quality frozen semen artificial insemination services. Selective application of female reproductive biotechnologies in the most elite females for bull calf production is also being attempted. A significant part of the Indian dairy farming thrives largely on crop residues and agricultural by-products keeping the input costs low, thereby making the industry fairly cost competitive. Fortification of low quality roughages with technological interventions can help augment productivity in this segment of dairy animals.This shall require thatthe available technologies like area specific mineral supplements, urea fortification of straw, silage making and complete feed blocks are demonstrated and propagated widely for adoption by end-users. Organized dairy industry handles only 15% ofthe milk produced. Cost effective technologies, mechanization,and quality control measures are seldom exercised in unorganized sector and remain key issues to be addressed. Middlemen still control a large proportion of the milk procurement and this warrants serious efforts to eliminate them from the supply chain. Large number of medium and small scale dairy plants in public, cooperative and private sectors are coming up, which on the one hand, should increase milk procurement from producers at competitive price, and on the other hand, it should also help in meeting the increasing demand of quality milk and milk products in the market. This should give an impetus to the growth in dairy sector. Clean milk production and maintenance of cold chain remain major handicaps in improving acceptability and competitiveness of our dairy industry in the international market. Research efforts are directed at developing sensitive tools aimed at detection of adulterants, antibiotics, somatic cell and bacterial load in milk. For providing easily accessible market to highly perishable dairy commodities, organized marketing of milk with development of infrastructure for maintenance ofcold chain are important and require heavy infusion of funds,


LIVESTOCK SECTOR IN INDIA: CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES

• • •

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as is envisaged in the XII Plan period. Seasonal fluctuations in milk production,regional imbalance of milk availability and species-wise variation in milk quality received by milk plants continue to pose serious handicaps. Apart from obvious need for improved infrastructure for milk transportation and storage, this would also require more emphasis on research in seasonality of reproduction in dairy animals, particularly buffalo, developing technologies for ensuring round-the-year calvings and reduced calving intervals. Vast pool of highly trained and qualified technical manpower is available at all levels to support R&D as well as industrial operations in the sector. This manpower, though, needs to be oriented with the skills and knowledge in the changing farming practicesincludingincreasing automation in dairy farms,while addressing concerns of small farmers as well. Ofthe nearly 55,000 veterinary institutions in the country, predominantly in the public sector, very few are properly equipped to cater to the variety of livestock, their diseases and vaccination,besides undertaking extension activities to apprise the farmers regarding scientific developments, government policies, disease prevention and control as well as breed improvement programmes. Apartfrom adoption of Good Manufacturing Practices(GMPs),better operational efficiencies are needed to improve yields, reduce waste, minimize processing losses of fat/protein, control production costs, save energy and extend shelf-life oflivestock products. Latest packaging technology can help retain nutritive value of packaged products and extend their shelf-life. Good scope exists for valueadded products like desserts, puddings,custards, sauces,mousse,stirred yogurt, nectars and sherbets. However, economic returns to dairy farmers as well as pig, poultry and sheep / wool enterprises can be augmented with value addition at farmer’slevel.Technologies in these fields are available, which need to trickle down to the stakeholders through trainings and motivation, including formation of self-help groups and women’s cooperatives. Not-withstanding the greater resistance of our livestock species to tropical diseases,theIndian livestock sector faces a major constraint relating to prevalence of infectious diseases like foot-and-mouth disease, which restricts trade opportunities in livestock products, particularly with the western world. Prevalence of FMD is considered as the biggest impediment to growth of the livestock sector in India and it affects 1.37% of livestock units per annum. It adversely affects the performance ofthe animals, resulting into direct economic losses to the tune of?20,000 crore per annum(2005-06), which does not include the indirect losses due to reduced work capacity,abortions,subsequent infertility and sterility. Currently, India is producing about 300 million doses of trivalent vaccine per annum,which can target only 53.6% ofcattle and buffalo population, against the target of 200% for twice a year vaccination schedule. Progressive Control Pathway (PCP-FMD) by EuFMD and FAO, as a joint tool with the World Organisation for Animal Health(OIE)since 2011, provides a framework for the Global Strategy for FMD Control, which was launched in Bangkok in June 2012. Facilities for disease diagnosis, surveillance and forecasting, currently not at


HANDBOOK OF ANIMAL HUSBANDRY

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par with the modem efficient and reliable infrastructure, require to be upgraded so that the dependence on imported and costly disease diagnostics, surveillance and monitoringtechnologies is minimized.At the same time,surveillance against exotic diseases needs to be strengthened through strong and effective quarantine measures.

Status of the livestock sector Encompassing largest livestock population with mega germplasm diversity,India’s livestock sector plays an important role in livelihood security and socio-economic development of mral households besides contributing about 4% to the GDP and 26% to the agricultural GDP in 2010-11, through generating outputs worth ? 2,075 billion (at 2004-05 prices). Over the last two decades, livestock sector has grown at an annual rate of 5.6%, which is higher than the growth of the agricultural sector (3.3%). This reflects that livestock is likely to emerge as an engine of agricultural growth in the coming decades, which appears more achievable since the gap between potential and realized yields in India livestock remains as high as 27 to 75% in different regions, as a consequence of the constraints of proper feeding, health management, superior germplasm availability for breeding and housing management.

Livestock census Livestock and poultry census is conducted every five years since 1951.The livestock and poultry population hasshown continuous growth per census in most of the species. The cattle population showed a decline from 204.58 million in 1992 to 185.18 million in 2003 again increasing subsequently. Goat has showntremendous growth from 47.20 million in 1951 to 167 million in 2012. Livestock census is shown in Table 1.1. Table 1.1 All India census estimates of livestock population (1951-2007)(million) Species

1951

1956

1961

1966

1972

1977 1982 1987

Cattle 155.30 158.70 175.60 176.20 178.30 180.00 192.45 Buffaloes 43.40 44.90 51.20 53.00 57.40 62.00 69.78 Sheep 39.10 39.30 40.20 42.40 40.00 41.00 48.76 Goats 47.20 55.40 60.90 64.60 67.50 75.60 95.25 Horses and 1.50 1.50 1.30 1.10 0.90 0.90 0.90

1992

1997

2003 2007

199.69 204.58 198.88 185.18 199.08 75.97 84.21 89.92 97.92 105.34 45.70 50.78 57.49 61.47 71.56 110.21 115.28 122.72 124.36 140.54 0.82 0.83 0.75 0.61 0.80

ponies

Camels Pigs Mules Donkeys Yaks Total livestock Poultry Dogs

0.90 1.00 1.10 1.10 1.08 1.00 1.03 0,91 0.63 0.52 5.20 5.00 6.90 7.60 10.07 10.63 12.79 13.29 13.52 11.13 0.05 0.08 0.08 0.09 0.13 0.17 0.19 0.22 0.18 0.14 1.10 1.10 1.00 1.00 1.02 0.96 0.97 0.88 0.65 0.44 NC NC 0.02 0.03 0.04 0.13 0.13 0.04 0.06 0.06 0.06 0.08 292.80 306.60 335.40 344.10 353.60 369.00 419.59 445.29 470.86 48539 485.00 529.70 0.60 4.40 0.06 1.30

0.80 4.90 0.04 1.10

73.50 94.80 114.20 115.40 138.50 159.20 207.74 275.32 307.07 347.61489,01 648.88 NC NC NC NC NC 18.54 17.95 21.77 25.48 29.03 19.09

NC

NC : Not Collected : Source: Livestock Census. Directorate of Economics & Statistics,and Animal Husbandry Statistics Division, Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying & Fisheries, Ministry of Agriculture.


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The growth rates in cattle, buffaloes, sheep, goats and poultry during 2003-2007 (Table 1.2) indicate a positive aspect signifying greater availability of milk, meat and eggs for the human requirements. Increased share ofcrossbred cattle in the total cattle population (4.6% in 1982 to 16.6% in 2007), apart from greater population of buffaloes than cows in several important dairy states like Punjab, Haryana, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan indicate a pro-dairy shift in perception of farmers. Declining population of draught species like horses, ponies, camels and donkeys portrays decreasing reliance on the animal power in view of fast increasing mechanization in farming sector, as well as better transport and travel infrastructure. Table 1.2 Annual growth rate(%)in livestock population (1951-2007) Livestock species

1951-56

1961-66

1972-77

1982-87

1992-97

2003-07

Cattle Buffaloes Sheep Goats

0.43 0.68 0.10 3.26

Horses

0.00

Camels

5.92 2.18 -7.79 -3.29 0.00 5.22

0.07 0.69 1.07 1.19 -3.29 2.13 -0.78 9.86 0.00 8.45 0.21

0.19 1.55 0.50 2.29 0.00 0.00 1.95 2.38 0.00 26.58 2.82

0.74 1.71 -1.29 2.96 -2.33 -1.53 1.09 5.51 -1.21 -21.00 5.79

-0.56 1.32 2.51 1.26 0.17 -2.40 0.77 3.07 -1.88 -0.34 2.51

1.83 1.84 3.87 3.10 -4.98 -4.83 -4.74 -6.58 -9.40 8.51 7.33

Pigs Mules Donkeys

Yaks Poultry

Contribution of livestock to GDP Agriculture has been the backbone of India’s economy,contributing nearly 34.72% to national GDP in 1980-81, which has increased ten-time in absolute terms, though its percent contribution went down to 12.34% in 2010-11 (price index of 2004-05). Livestock sector, with an output of ? 2,075 billion (at 2004-05 prices) in 2010-11, contributed 3.37% to the total GDP and 27.28% to the agricultural GDP,which indicates that the impact of livestock sector has been significant within the agriculture GDP (Fig. 1.1). Although the impressive annual growth rate of 5.3% of livestock sector during 1980s decelerated to 3.9% during 1990s and 3.6% during 2000s,yet it remained about 1.5 times of the crop sector, underlining its critical role in cushioning overall growth in agricultural sector. It is due to increase in productivity of our livestock as well as increasing populations of productive livestock, especially crossbred cattle, buffaloes, sheep, goats and poultry. This has led to increased domestic consumption because of overall increase in purchasing power of people, especially in the urban areas. Further, there is continuous increase in export potential of livestock products, particularly carabeef. This has been despite inadequate and dis proportionate public funding to the high potential animal husbandry and dairy development sectors.


HANDBOOK OF ANIMAL HUSBANDRY

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Ag(%)Total GDP

30-, 25-

3?

20-

15-

I

10-

50

2004-05

AH(%)to total GDP

AH(%)to Ag GDP

3

Inil I

2005-06

2006-07

2007-08

2008-09

2009-10

2010-11

Years

Fig.1.1 Trends in livestock GDP in relation to agriculture and total GDP

Impact of livestock on poverty, employment and gender equity In states like Punjab, Haryana, Kerala, Gujarat and Rajasthan, where livestock contribute a sizeable share to agricultural income, the incidence of rural poverty and debt-driven farmers’ suicides are unheard of, as livestock protects them from abject poverty even in the face ofnatural calamities and crop failures. More importantly, the livestock wealth is largely concentrated among the marginal and small landholders comprising about 70% ofrural population. Even landless labourers also derive benefit from animal husbandry and this potential of livestock sector can befurther strengthened with appropriate technology interventions, policies and financial support. While distribution of land holdings in rural India is highly skewed towards medium and large farmers, distribution of livestock is more equitable. In 2003, marginal farmers (< 1 ha land, 48% of rural households, with 24% of land) owned more than half of country’s cattle and buffaloes and two-thirds ofsmall animals and poultry. Rearing of small ruminants, pigs and poultry are the potential options for the poor rural households to earn their livelihood on sustainable basis. Livestock husbandry contributed about 16% to the income offarmersof the country,being greater in states like Gujarat(24.4%), Haryana(24.2%), Punjab (20.2%)and Bihar (18.7%). Technological upgradation in the livestock sector could generate more income and employment opportunities for the resource-poor households and contribute towards alleviation of poverty. Agricultural sector engages about 57% of the total working population and about 73% of the rural labour force. Overall, employment potential of livestock sector was estimated at 8.8% of the agricultural work force, which varied between 3% for the North-Eastern states and 40-48% in Punjab and Haryana. Over three-fourth of this labour requirement is met by rural women,and as much as 90% in important dairy states like Punjab, Haryana and Gujarat. This appears, probably, to be a consequence of men-folks thronging towards cities for jobs, leading to increase in women’s share in overall agricultural workforce from 70.5% in 1993-94 to 76.6% in


LIVESTOCK SECTOR IN INDIA: CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES

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2004-05. Therefore, animal husbandry promotes gender equity and helps provide economic power to the rural women.

Livestock production systems Livestock production systems can be broadly categorised into (i) grassland-based pastoralism and range management (ii) ‘mixed-farming’, either rain-fed or irrigated, ([in)‘landless’, mainly pig and poultry production systems, and (iv)intensive fanning. Pastoral livestockfarming: Pastoralism or nomadic system of livestock production is largely present in the desert (both hot arid and cold arid) ecosystems in India for rearing largely small ruminants. The movement of animals with owner’s belongings largely depends upon the fodder and water availability besides market for sale of surplus livestock and its products. The livestock keepers’ community in Rajasthan and Gujarat take large herds of cattle and buffaloes and flocks of sheep and goats in search of better pasture in other locations and states. Many a times there are grazing conflicts with local farmers and forest departments, for which a policy is required for controlled access to forest land grazing by the pastoralists. In hills, where the agro systems are equally fragile, such type ofseasonal migration of sheep and goats is also experienced. However,this system has saved many livestock breedsthat were relatively less economical under other systems, and are saved from extinction. To facilitate this system, the track routes of migration of nomadic flocks need to be identified so that health inputs can be provided to the livestock forcontrol of variousinfectious diseases. Mixed crop-livestockfarming: Mixed crop-livestock production system is important both under irrigated and non-irrigated farming. The livestock and their wastes enrich the soil with essential nutrients in a complementary relationships where livestock feed on crop by-products and other plant materials,in turn contributing draught power and manure, besides acting as additional sources offood and income for the farmer to provide buffer against crop failurerisks. As livestock intensity increases,crop-livestock interactions become increasingly competitive, for the use of limited land and other resources. Landless livestock farming: The landless livestock production system represents labour-intensive fanning where labour requirements per hectare are higher than the other systems. The landless production system is largely responsible for the rapid growth in average milk, meat and egg supply per person in the country. Poultry production has doubled over the last 10 years. Small dairy unit owners often help the landless labourers to earn their livelihood through sale of milk produced by such units as well as by giving the female calves for rearing to maturity on profit sharing basis. Intensive livestockfarming: The intensive or semi-intensive system of livestock production is primarily seen in poultry production where large private poultry farms have come tip where markets for inputs and products are readily available. Many intensive dairy farm units, especially near the metro cities, have come up where 50200 cattle or buffaloes,in some instances over a thousand also,are reared with greater mechanisation.


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.Important livestock products and their economic importance In the recent past, India’s per capita income is growing at an annual rate of nearly 5%.The rise is much higher in the urban areas, where the demand for animal products has witnessed rapid increase leading to their increased share in food expenditure. This is aided by improved infrastructure of roads, transport and storage facilities for highly perishable animal products. Yet, the per capita consumption of milk and meat at 69 kg and 3.7 kg, respectively in 2007, remain much lower than the corresponding world averages of 85 and 40 kg.On the other hand, this demand and fair pricing has given an impetus to livestock enterprises leading to increase in milk production at the rate of almost 4% per annum, while the annual growth is over 5% for eggs and over 1% for meat. Dairy production: Milk production in India increased from 17 million tonnes in 1950-51 to 121.8 million tonnes during 2010-11 and expected to be 127 million tonnes in 2012(Fig. 1.2). India has rapidly positioned itself as the world’s largest producer of milk. The per capita availability of milk, expanded substantially during the 1980s and 1990s and reached about 226 g/day in 2001-02, which now (2010-11) is 281 g/day against theworld average of285 g/day.The dairy cooperatives have played very pivotal role in bringing small dairy producers in the commercial net of dairy industry. Now the farmers are getting remunerative price of milk at their doorstep and the role of middleman has been reduced considerably. The buffalo and the crossbred cattle are main contributors of milk(Table 1.3) while majority of indigenous cattle contribute less due to lower productivity (2.14 kg/ in milk cow/ day). The lower per cent annual increase in productivity of our livestock, particularly the crossbred cows, is a matter of concern and needs to be addressed at the earliest. The contribution of goat in milk production is around 4.2%. Camel and yaks also produce milk in their specific ecological regions for local consumption. Although the highest milk production in the country is seen in Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Punjab and Gujarat, yet there is considerable regional 251.0

260.0

266.0

281.0

273.0

176.0 124.0

112.0

102.6

S| 107.9

112.2

116.4

121.8

127.3

53.9

1950-51

1968-69 1990-91 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12

Milk production(MT)

H Per Caput Availability (g/day)

Fig.1.2 Growth in milk production and per caput availability


Fi r s tf e wpa ge soft hi sbooka r epubl i s he d onki s a n. c ombyi t spubl i s he r . I fyouwi s ht opur c ha s eaha r dc opy oft hi sbook,pl e a s ec ont a c tt hepubl i s he r .

Publ i sher

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