Animal Husbandry and Fisheries Department
(Animal Husbandry)

POLICY NOTE -2002-2003

 DEMAND No. 6

1.    INTRODUCTION 

Livestock rearing has been practised since time immemorial in the rural households. It plays an important role in supplementing the income of rural households. It also provides fulltime occupation in some cases at the location itself with better utilisation of human resources.  Moreover it provides balanced nutrition in the form of milk, egg and meat besides farm power. Cattle wealth is still considered as an index of wealth among rural community. Among rural employment sectors, Animal Husbandry plays a major role in providing employment especially self-employment with high participation of women. Livestock rearing offers employment throughout the year to agricultural labourers, small and marginal farmers irrespective of seasons. 

The Animal Husbandry Department plays a major role in providing veterinary health services and increasing the production potentialities of the livestock and poultry in the State.  Various veterinary institutions spread over the length and breadth of the state provide these services. With the implementation of cross breeding programmes and various other related schemes by the department, there is an increase in cross bred population and decrease of unproductive animals.  This has resulted in decline in the total cattle population, but the milk production is steadily rising mainly due to increase in per animal production.  In fact, the contribution from crossbred cows to total milk production has increased from 6.05 lakh MT during 1990-91 to 19.04 lakh MT during 2001-2002. 

The estimated milk production, which was 33.75 lakh MT during 1990-91 has increased to 49.90 lakh MT during 2001-2002.  Likewise the estimated egg production, which was 2,551 million nos. during 1990-91 has increased to 4,223 million numbers during 2001-2002. The per capita availability of milk per day has increased from 166 gms. during 1990-91 to 219 gms. during  2001-2002  During the same period, the per capita availability of eggs per annum has gone up from 46 nos. to 68 nos.  With the implementation of cross breeding programme and disease containment by the department the recommended level of 220 gms. of milk per day and 183 nos. of egg per annum by ICMR will be reached shortly.  In Tamilnadu there has been an appreciable increase in broiler and layer rearing leading to the increase of poultry meat and egg production. 

To increase the supplementary income of people in rural areas. additional avocations like cattle and poultry rearing will be encouraged. With the participation of private, cooperative sectors and continued patronage of the Government for various beneficiary oriented schemes for the poor and downtrodden, the unexplored potentials of this sector can be effectively tapped. Animal husbandry will be a lucrative occupation for alleviating poverty and unemployment in rural areas. This will go a long way in improving the rural economy.