Project Reports

Livestock farming is raising animals for food or to selland is very well planned.  Livestocks animals play an important role in rural economic development. Some of these animals include cattle or dairy cows, chickens, goats, pigs, horses, sheep, etc. The other livestock animals include donkeys, mules, and rabbits.  Bees can be raised generally for their honey.  All varieties of fish are raised on fish farms.  India is the second largest market worldwide and aquaculture contributes 1.5 per cent to the gross domestic product (GDP), Livestock gives us meat, eggs and milk apart from using the skins (leather) and hair of some animals for blankets, clothing, shoes, and brushes. Hoofs and horns are used for buttons, combs, glue and knives.  Manure from these animals will be used to make plants grow better. Poultry farming is raising chickens, turkeys, ducks and other fowl for meat or eggs. India is the fourth largest market worldwide in poultry with growth expected up to US$11.3 billion by 2015.Dairy farms are farms where cows are raised to make milk and milk products like cheese, ice cream, butter and whipping cream. Today, poultry raising and dairy farming are big business. India has a high potential in the sheep industry and also a very diverse genetic resources through which, if scientifically bred the production in sheep industry can be enhanced.

India is endowed with livestock resources of vast genetic diversity and accounts for about 11 percent of the world livestock population. The country boasts of 55 per cent of the world buffalo population, 20 per cent of the goat population and 16 per cent of the cattle population in the world. India has the largest cattle and buffalo population in the world and holds the second rank with respect to goat and sheep world population.

Major live animals which are being exported from the country comprise goats, sheep, horses, asses, mules, ducks, goose, turkeys and swine. At present, India accounts for about one sixth of the world’s cattle and half of the buffalo population. While cattle and buffalo are reared for producing milk and milk products, other species of livestock like pig, sheep, poultry birds and goat are raised for meat production.Indian beef and buffalo meat (cara-beef)product is preferred in many destinations due to its’ cost competitiveness, high water retention capacity and good blending properties

India’s exports of live animals like sheep and goat over the years continued to dominate with a registered growth of 9.98 per cent over the last three years. The other animals like horses, asses, mules, hinnies etc. also overs the years have registered a profitable growth rate of 3.94 per cent over the last three years. According to recent export news India’s murrah buffaloes are capable of meeting the increasing demand for them is multiplying fast on the national and international front who are capable of meeting the increasing demand for milk. Indian cara-beef exports have remained stable during last year and rise in 4 per cent will be seen in the coming years, mainly the result of a stable 5 per cent rise in production and growing domestic consumption (out of the 20 per cent strictly vegetarian population). Most of the increase in local product will account for buffalo meat, as the buffalo population percentage out of total cattle has rapidly increased in recent years due to high milk yields, less fat and bone and no slaughter restrictions in most states when compared to cows. The government is making concerted efforts to tap the vast export potential of the country’s huge livestock population.