Abstract

India has vast resource of livestock and poultry, which play a vital role in improving the socio-economic conditions of the rural masses. India has the largest livestock populations in the world. The total livestock population consisting of cattle, buffalo, sheep, goat, pig, horses & ponies, mules, donkeys, camels, mithun, yak and rabbit in the country is 512.65 million numbers in 2012. The total livestock population has decreased by about 3.33% over the previous census. Out of total livestock in the country, 37.24 % were cattle, 21.20 % buffaloes, 12.69 % sheep, 26.37 % goats and 2.01 % pigs. All other animals such as mithun, yaks, horses, ponies, mules, donkey and camels are 0.49 % of the total livestock. As per the figures of 2012 livestock census, India has 190.90 million cattle out of which 39.73 million were crossbred. The livestock sector alone contributes nearly 25.6 % of value of output at current prices of total value of output in Agriculture sector. The overall contribution of Livestock Sector in total GDP is nearly 4.11 % at current prices during 2012 -2013 (Table 1).

Keywords: Livestock; Poultry; Socio-economic conditions; Populations; Cattle; Buffalo; Sheep; Goat; Pig; Horses; Ponies; Mules; Donkeys; Camels; Mithun; Yak; Agriculture; Animals; Milk Products; Eggs