Abstract

Examining Methods for Sustainable Livestock Production in Rural India

Dr. J. Swami, Dr. K. Vijay Prasad Rao, K. Sugunavathi, Dr. P. Anuradha

Volume: 15 Special Issue: 6 2025

Abstract:

Livestock is an important factor in the expansion of the economy in rural areas, and it provides assistance to rural families in the form of employment, poverty reduction, and sustenance for agricultural operations. Additionally, it provides protein to rural residents in the form of meat, eggs, and milk. Nonetheless, because of the progressive rise in the number of animals, the alteration of the rural structure has created a situation that is difficult for livestock farming in India. As a result, the primary goal of this study is to analyze the livestock population in India, with a particular emphasis on the number of cattle, buffaloes, and goats from 1951 to 2019, as well as to examine the advantages of integrating crop production with animal husbandry. The Livestock Census report, which was published by the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying, served as the source for the collection of the secondary data. The findings of the study indicate that the buffalo and goat populations were experiencing a consistent growth rate, and that the growth rate of cattle populations was subject to some degree of variability. In comparison to the year 2011, the overall population of livestock dropped by a margin of 3.32 percent in the year 2012, with both the goat and cow populations showing a negative fall. The research came to the conclusion that the significant disparity that exists between the demand and availability of green and dry feed for livestock is indicative of the challenges that are faced by those who raise cattle. Therefore, the implementation of the idea of merging firms in livestock raising will result in greater economic benefits, including the provision of manure for crop development, feed for animals, value-added goods, and additional revenue, among other things. This paper draws the conclusion that the integration of crop cultivation (specifically, green fodder) and livestock rearing is a complementary form of production. It will increase the income of rural households, make the traditional practice of using cow dung manure in agricultural activities more efficient, decrease the amount of chemical fertilizers that are used, increase the cultivation of green fodder, and pave the way for the sustainable nurturing of livestock.

DOI: http://doi.org/10.37648/ijrssh.v15i06.012

Back Download

References

• Basic animal husbandry statistics. (2023). Ministry of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries, Government of India. https://dahd.nic.in/sites/default/filess/BasicAnimalHusbandryStatistics2023.pdf
• Birthal, P. S. (2022). Livestock, agricultural growth and poverty alleviation (NABARD Research and Policy Series No. 7). Department of Economic Analysis and Research, National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development.
• Government of Punjab. (2014). The Punjab Livestock Breeding Act, 2014. https://faolex.fao.org/docs/pdf/pak143420.pdf
• Motet, A., & Tempio, G. (2017). Global poultry production: Current state and future outlook and challenges. World's Poultry Science Journal, 73(2), 245–256.
• Otte, J., Costales, A., Dijkman, J., Pica-Ciamarra, U., Robinson, T., Ahuja, V., Ly, C., & Roland-Holst, D. (2012). Livestock sector development for poverty reduction: An economic and policy perspective—Livestock's many virtues. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
• Sonavale, K. P., Shaikh, M. R., Kadam, M. M., & Pokharkar, V. G. (2020). Livestock sector in India: A critical analysis. Asian Journal of Agricultural Extension, Economics & Sociology, 38(1), 51–62.
• Yasmeen, Patil, S. S., Hiremath, G. M., Ram, J., & Koppalkar, B. G. (2019). Growth performance of livestock population in India, Karnataka, and north-eastern region of Karnataka. Economic Affairs, 64(4), 783–787.