Animal Husbandry Department

Policy Note 2003-2004

Demand No.6

INTRODUCTION

Animal Husbandry and Agriculture are the twin occupations, which from time immemorial have played a significant role in improving the rural economy.  Livestock rearing provides meaningful occupation both full time and subsidiary at the location itself and provides assured income and ensures better utilisation of human resources.  It provides employment especially self-employment to a substantial number of rural and urban population, many of whom are women who play a major role in the care and management of livestock.  The employment in Animal husbandry sector is estimated to be 9.8 millions in principal status and 8.6 million in subsidiary status which accounted for 5% of the total working population.  About 75 million women as against 15 million men are engaged in dairying.  Women contribute 71% of the labour force in Livestock farming. Livestock contributes in improving the national nutritional standards by providing valuable balanced animal protein in the form of meat, milk, egg and dairy products.  Bullocks that are mainly used for draught power, also provide bio-friendly organic manure and boost soil fertility. They are associated culturally with wealth and an array of social ceremonial activities of man.

Livestock form an important resource next to family labour for the landless agricultural labourers. Livestock rearing forms the backbone of the livelihood of the landless rural poor and is the only major asset for them.  Livestock rearing offers substantial income to poor rural people particularly during non-agricultural seasons, which can create an impact in the shortest period on the rural economy.

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.  Apart from this, various beneficiary oriented schemes are also being implemented to supplement the income of rural people. Various Veterinary Institutions spread over the length and breadth of the State are providing the Veterinary Services.  The Department has a significant role on the judicious utilisation of animals and natural resources in an eco-balanced way.  Due to the successful implementation of various welfare measures by the department, the production of animal products like milk and egg have recorded an increase of 48.5% and 56% respectively over a period of ten years.  The dairy industry is growing at a rate of 5% annually, broiler industry by 10% and layer industry by 5% with a positive impact on rural economy.

The estimated milk production, which was 33.75 lakh Metric Tonnes during 1990-91 has increased to 49.90 lakh Metric Tonnes during 2001-2002.  Likewise the estimated egg production, which was 2,551 million numbers 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 numbers to 68 numbers.   With the implementation of cross breeding programme and disease control by the department, the recommended level of 220 gms. of milk per day and 183 numbers of egg per annum by Indian Council for Medical Research, will be reached shortly.  In our State, there has been an appreciable increase in broiler and layer rearing leading to the increase of poultry meat and egg production. The share of livestock sector towards Gross Domestic Product at current rates is 5.51%.

Increasing population, decreasing land holding, shrinking agricultural lands, failure of monsoon and the increasing demand for foods are some of the serious issues faced by our country.  With this in mind, the department has plans to produce livestock with high production potential suited to any climatic condition.  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, unemployment and rural transformation besides reducing the migration of human population to urban areas from rural areas.  This will go a long way in improving the rural economy.

GENERAL ADMINISTRATION

The Animal Husbandry Department is under the overall control of the Director of Veterinary Services and Director of Animal Husbandry.  The Director of Veterinary Services is assisted by two Additional Directors, one Joint Director and one Deputy Director at the Directorate with the allocation of different technical subjects on functional basis.  The Director of Animal Husbandry is assisted by one Additional Director and one Deputy Director with allocation of different technical subjects.  In respect of administrative and accounts matter, the Directors are assisted by Deputy Director (Personnel) and Financial Advisor and Chief Accounts Officer respectively.

The State is divided into 25 regions and each is under the control of one Regional Joint Director of Animal Husbandry, who is responsible for all the activities of the department in that region.  The 25 regions are divided into 65 administrative divisions each headed by one Assistant Director of Animal Husbandry who is responsible for all the activities of the department in that division.

One Director in the cadre of Additional Director is in charge of the Institute of Veterinary Preventive Medicine, located at Ranipet, which is engaged in the production of various kinds of livestock and poultry vaccines and other biologicals.  One Central Referral Laboratory for disease diagnosis, confirmation and monitoring is functioning at Chennai.

In the Department, 8 Livestock Farms, 3 Sheep Farms, 20 Cattle Breeding and Fodder Development units and 2 Poultry Disease Diagnostic Laboratories are managed each by one Deputy Director.

For better utilisation, the posts available in the cadre of Animal Husbandry Assistants, Livestock Inspectors and Ministerial staff need to be redeployed and the proposals are under consideration.

LIVESTOCK POPULATION

The total livestock population of the State is 259.39 lakhs, accounting to 5.40% of the country's and 0.60% of the world's livestock population.  According to the 16th livestock and poultry  (1997) census, the species wise distribution of livestock and poultry and their percentage to the total livestock and poultry population in the State are as follows:

The livestock and poultry population trends during the last 47 years is as follows:

The total livestock population of the State has marginally increased by 3.22% during the past 47 years.  There has been a decline of about 11.45% in cattle and 34.41% in sheep population.  The buffalo population has increased by 19.13% during the same period the goat and pig population has almost doubled.  There has been a phenomenal increase of 336.20% in poultry population during the same period.  This has been mainly achieved by Government's support for establishing poultry units, widespread immunization against Ranikhet disease, easy availability of quality feed, improved health care, adoption of latest management practices and evolving improved strains of layers and broilers for commercial rearing.  Poultry rearing which had been a cottage industry all along has now become a big industry by itself in many places in the districts of Namakkal, Salem, Erode and Coimbatore.

Though there has been a decline in cattle population, there is a steady rise in milk production.  This is mainly due to the effective implementation of cross breeding programmes using exotic breeds like Jersey and Holstein Friesian and various other related schemes by the department, which have led to an increase in crossbred population and decrease in unproductive animals.  This has resulted in decline in the total non-descript cattle population, but the milk production is steadily rising mainly due to the improved and superior germ plasm. In fact, the average milk yield per day per crossbred cow has increased from 4.497 Kgs during 1991-92 to 6.320 Kgs during 2001-2002, with an increase of 40%.

A livestock policy in line with the National Livestock Policy is followed in the State. The salient aspects of the Livestock Policy are:

• Providing veterinary health services at the farmer's doorsteps.

•  Intensifying the Artificial Insemination Coverage.

•  Encouraging backyard poultry among women folks in rural areas.

• Development of pastureland.

• Privatisation and Commercialisation of Veterinary Services.

• Modernising slaughterhouses to provide hygienic meat to public.

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FEED AND FODDER

The growth in human population with awareness for better standards of living and also due to the expanding industry, commerce, transport, recreation etc., have created an increased demand for land both in rural and urban areas.  This has affected the feed, fodder production and grazing facility for livestock.

The feed given to cattle comprises of dry fodder, green fodder and concentrates of which dry fodder forms the single largest share. Livestock production is almost dependent on crop residues like straws, stalks, tops and crop byproducts like bran, husk, expeller cakes, cottonseeds, etc. At present only 15-20% of cattle population is fed with concentrates.  Green fodder is normally fed only to animals yielding milk.  The availability of green fodder is extremely restricted to seasons and selected areas.  The estimated requirement of dry and green fodder per year for the bovine population in the state is 2,15,127 lakh Metric Tonnes and 6,45,382 lakh Metric Tonnes respectively assuming that an average cow weighing 400 Kgs. requires 5 Kgs. of dry fodder and 15 Kgs. of green fodder per day.

About one third of the total feed intake by the ruminants is by way of grazing on permanent pastures, current and permanent fallows, waste lands, tank bunds, poromboke lands, on road sides and cultivated field margins where green herbage is available.  Grazing facilities last only 3 to 4 months after the Northeast monsoon.  During off-seasons, the animals graze in harvested fields.  Wherever reserve forest and reserve lands are available, the animals are permitted to graze by the authorities.

The area of permanent pastures and other grazing lands is only 1.23 lakh hectares which constitutes only 1% of the total geographical area of the State.  The maximum area under permanent pastures and other grazing lands is found in Kancheepuram district with 18428 hectares followed by Dharmapuri district with 13618 hectares. To avoid degradation and depletion of grazing land by using it indiscriminately for other purposes, the Government have ordered not to transfer the grazing land for other purposes unless suitable land of the same extent is developed as grazing land in the same district.  For the above purpose development charge at the rate of Rs.6000/- per acre or Rs.15,000/- per hectare should be deposited in the Local Fund Account.

This department is involving itself to increase the grazing facilities under the Wasteland Development Programme being implemented in Salem, Namakkal, Vellore, Theni, Thanjavur, Dindigul, Tirunelveli, Thiruvannamalai, Ramanathapuram and Thiruchirappalli districts, along with other line departments.

For increasing the fodder production, this department has taken up many schemes and established fodder seed production units at the following places:

1. Padappai (Kancheepuram district)

2. Eachenkottai (Thanjavur district)

3. Chettinad (Sivagangai district)

4. Hosur (Dharmapuri district)

5. Chinnasalem (Villupuram district)

6. Abisekapatti (Tirunelveli district)

7. Pudukottai (Pudukottai district)

The following fodder development activities are also being  taken up:

• To enable the landless families and poor farmers to take up animal husbandry activities, establishment of community feed and fodder banks with the help of self-help groups is being encouraged.

• Cultivation of perennial high yielding fodder grass varieties like Napier, hybrid Co1, Co3, Para grass and Guinea grass is being encouraged.

• Cultivation of cowpea, stylosanthus, Co3 grass in coconut, and mango grooves as inter crop is being encouraged.

• Distribution of fodder seed minikits, free of cost.

• Distribution of Agathi seedlings, which is rich source of Iron and protein.

• Distribution of Subabul seedlings and cultivation of Subabul seedlings, which are highly drought resistant and rich in protein.

Under the drought relief measures it is proposed to strengthen the infra structure in the livestock farms to produce inputs required for fodder production.

Government have released a sum of Rs.2000.00 lakhs from calamity relief fund towards drought relief works for the Animal Husbandry Department.

There is a wide gap between the requirement and production of fodder in the State.  This has led to non-sufficient of grazing lands for the livestock reared in that area and hence animals are over grazed in the existing poromboke grazing lands.  It is more severe during the drought condition.

 To overcome this and to have a sustained improvement in fodder production, it is proposed to improve the infrastructure available for fodder inputs production in the livestock farms and other centres functioning in the department.  The amount provided for developing the infrastructure required for the production of fodder inputs in larger farms is Rs.400.00 lakhs and for smaller farms is Rs.400.00 lakhs and the poromboke grazing lands in the villages are to be improved by providing necessary safeguards like fencing, irrigation, etc. at a cost of Rs.200.00 lakhs.  This item of work includes land development, improvement in irrigation facilities, power supply, etc.  For the above work, local milk co-operatives and self-help groups will also be involved in the proper development and maintenance of grazing ground.

At present 447 acres of land are put to fodder production, which is sufficient for the animals, reared in the Livestock Farms.  Now it is proposed to bring 1340 acres of land under fodder cultivation in various farms in the drought-affected districts.  The anticipated fodder yield per acre for one year is 60 tonnes.  Hence 1340 acres of land will yield 80400 tonnes of fodder, which will benefit the livestock reared in that area.  Apart from this for propagation of green fodder cultivation, the required inputs like seeds, seedling and slips will be produced every year.  This will have a impact among livestock rearers about green fodder cultivation and feeding of the livestock with green fodder particularly in cross bred.

Apart from this the following activities are also to be carried out under the drought relief programme:

The Livestock are prone to suffer with contagious diseases due to the prevailing drought conditions leading to great economic loss to the farmers.  To protect these cattle from Foot and Mouth Disease, it is proposed to vaccinate them against this disease at a cost of Rs.530.50 lakhs.

Drinking water facility will be provided by digging borewells and related works like overhead tank, power connection, motor and water troughs in veterinary institution so that the livestock in that area can utilize these facilities during times of scarcity.  It is proposed to dig 939 borewells in 313 Panchayat Unions in 22 drought-affected districts at a cost of Rs.469.50 lakhs.

BREEDING

Cattle comprise 35% of the total livestock and 77% of the total bovine population in the State.  The exotic and crossbred account for 24%, native pure breed for 15% and indigenous for 61% to the total cattle population.

Nondescript animals have a higher age at first calving, low lactation period, low milk yield, lengthy dry and intercalving periods, but they are highly disease resistant and heat tolerant.  The exotic breeds have early maturity, lengthy lactation period, high milk yield, short dry and intercalving periods but they are less disease resistant and heat tolerant.  To improve these economic traits and also to preserve the desirable traits like disease resistance and heat tolerance of indigenous animals in a short time at an affordable cost, cross breeding was thought to be the only alternative.  Native Breeds are preserved in their home tracts under preservation of indigenous germ plasm.  The two draught breeds proposed to be preserved are Kangayam and Umblachery.

The ultimate aim of the department is to increase the number of productive animals viz. crossbreds preserving the native pure breeds like Kangeyam and Umblachery.