Animal Husbandry Department

Policy Note 2005-2006

Demand No.6

INTRODUCTION

Livestock plays a vital role in rural life and economy even today. In fact, animal husbandry and agriculture are twin occupations, which are practiced by the rural households since ancient times. Livestock rearing being 'a way of life' in rural areas and with more than 70% of the people relying on the above activities, it forms the backbone of the rural economy. In fact, combination of livestock rearing and crop production enables fuller utilisation of farm by-products, conserves soil fertility and increase the household income. It provides productive employment especially self-employment and the most valuable supplementary income to the vast majority of rural households, majority of whom are small and marginal farmers and landless labourers.

Livestock provides nutritious protein rich balanced food viz., milk, egg, meat and value added products to the population. In fact, the milk and milk products are the major protein source to the vegetarian population. Organic fertiliser produced by this sector is an important input to crop production and dung from livestock and draught power are chief sources of energy in rural areas. Livestock is not only intricately associated with the social, cultural and traditional values of the region but also serves as an insurance substitute, especially for poor rural households since it is an asset that can be encashed during times of distress. Livestock also provides the basic raw material namely, raw hides and skin for leather industry, which has great employment and export potential.

The contribution of livestock sector to the gross domestic product is immense. Between 1980-81 and 2002-03, the share of livestock sector has increased from 4.82% to 5.37% to the gross domestic product and from 13.88% to 26.51% to the agriculture sector. The dairy and poultry sectors contributed significantly to this growth. The annual growth rate of the dairy and poultry sector is 4.08% and 7.09% respectively, which have a positive impact on the rural economy. Among, the major items, milk alone accounts for almost 2/3rd of the total value of output from livestock sector.

The Animal Husbandry Department plays a major role in providing veterinary health services and in improving the production potentialities of livestock and poultry reared in the State. In addition, the Department also implements various beneficiary oriented schemes for the economic upliftment of the poor, downtrodden and weaker sections of the society. Apart from this, the Department is also involved in various extension activities to enlighten the farmers on best practices in animal husbandry. The sustained efforts of the Department in the above activities and effective and judicious utilisation of animals and natural resources in an eco-balanced way have contributed to growing commercial vibrancy of the sector in the State.

The significant contribution made by the Department is reflected in the impressive increase in production of livestock products. The estimated milk production which was 35.24 lakh MT during 1993-94 has increased to 47.53 lakh MT during 2003-04, an increase of 35%. Likewise, during the same period, the estimated egg production has increased from 2,919 million numbers to 3,784 million numbers, an increase of 30%. During the same period, the per capita availability of milk per day went up from 173 gms to 209 gms and eggs per annum from 52 numbers to 61 numbers respectively.

Growth in human population, increase in urbanisation, rising domestic incomes and changing lifestyles have led to increased demand for livestock products. This means the animal husbandry sector has a high potential for growth, which can provide the much-needed gainful employment for the rural poor and youth and can become the basis for the necessary invigoration of rural economy without which sustainable aggregate growth is not possible. This will also contribute to many other social spin offs like slowdown of rural-urban migration, the empowerment of women and protection of the environment. Livestock, in short, can contribute significantly to achieving the Millennium Developments Goals of eradicating extreme poverty and hunger.

The Department, which had its origin in 1892 as Civil Veterinary Department to provide veterinary aid to needy farmers, was subsequently renamed as Animal Husbandry Department in 1948, with the main objectives of treatment and prevention of livestock diseases. Since then, this Department has widened its activities.

At present, the Animal Husbandry Department is under the overall control of the Commissioner and Director of Veterinary Services and Director of Animal Husbandry with allocation of different subjects. The State is divided into 25 regions each headed by a Regional Joint Director of Animal Husbandry and 65 administrative divisions each headed by an Assistant Director of Animal Husbandry. Field veterinary institutions consist of Polyclinics, Clinician Centres, Veterinary Hospitals that are under the direct control of the Regional Joint Director and Veterinary Dispensaries, which are under the control of the Assistant Directors.

One Director in the cadre of Additional Director is in charge of the Institute of Veterinary Preventive Medicine (I.V.P.M) 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. The Central Referral Laboratory also coordinates the work of the Animal Disease Intelligence Units headed by Assistant Directors functioning in various parts of the State engaged in disease surveillance and monitoring.

The Department also manages 8 Livestock Farms, 3 Sheep Farms, 20 Cattle Breeding and Fodder Development units and 2 Poultry Disease Diagnostic Laboratories.

The budget estimate for 2004-05 was Rs.164.48 crores, which included a plan outlay of Rs.28.88 crores and non-plan outlay of Rs. 135.60 crores while the revised estimate was Rs.152.22 crores, which included a plan expenditure of Rs.36.33 crores and non-plan expenditure of Rs.115.89 crores. The activity wise distribution of budget estimate for 2004-2005 and 2005-2006 is as follows:

The total outlay of funds for Animal Husbandry Department in the Budget 2005-06 is Rs.165.87 crores.

The census on livestock, poultry, agriculture implements and fisheries is conducted once in 5 years since 1951 considering the shorter life span of livestock. Till the last census i.e., 16th livestock and poultry census conducted in 1997 the work was carried out by the Department of Economics and Statistics. The 17th Quinquennial Livestock and Poultry Census however, was carried out by the Department of Animal Husbandry in 2003-04 with a financial allocation of Rs.8.64 crores with 15.10.2004 as the reference date. According to the 17th Livestock and Poultry Census (provisional), the species wise distribution of livestock and poultry, their percentage to the total livestock and poultry and density in the State are as follows.

Some of the salient features of Census 2003-04 are:

• Livestock population has marginally increased by 3.38%, from 241.26 lakhs in 1997 to 249.42 lakhs in 2004

• Poultry population has substantially increased by 137.16%, from 365.11 lakhs in 1997 to 865.91 lakhs in 2004.

• The share of crossbred milch cattle in total milch cattle population has increased from 28.67% in 1997 to 63.15% in 2004.

• Sheep population has increased by 6.35 %, from 52.59 lakhs in 1997 to 55.93 lakhs in 2004.

• Goat population has increased by 27.45%, from 64.16 lakhs in 1997 to 81.77 lakhs in 2004.

• Buffalo population has decreased from 27.41 lakhs in 1997 to 16.58 lakhs in 2004.

• Pig population has decreased by 47.29% , from 6.09 lakhs in 1997 to 3.21 lakhs in 2004.

DISTRICTWISE DISTRIBUTION OF CROSSBRED & GRADED MILCH BOVINES IN THE STATE

The feed given to cattle comprises dry fodder, green fodder and concentrates of which dry fodder forms the major share. Though forage production is a crucial link in the food chain, it is still deemed ancillary to agriculture production. Livestock production is almost dependent on crop residues like straws, stalks, tops and crop by products like bran, husk, expeller cakes, cotton seed, etc., Crop residues, mainly sorghum and paddy straw, which are poor in nutritive value constitute the major fodder for cattle and buffalo. Cultivation of hybrid varieties of paddy to enhance grain production has changed the grain-foliage ratio more favourable to humans, thus affecting the production and availability of straw. Besides this, the decrease in paddy cultivation due to drought and water shortage has also affected the availability of straw. The green fodder resources for livestock are mainly derived from grazing in grasslands and pastures, fodder crops from cropped lands, weeds, bund grasses, tree leaves and mixed forages. The availability of green fodder is restricted to selected areas and seasons.

Feed and fodder are the major limiting factors in enhancing farm animal productivity. In fact, the economic viability of livestock husbandry depends on sources of feed and fodder as feeding cost constitutes about 65-70% of the total cost of livestock farming. Moreover, adequate supply of feed and fodder is a critical factor affecting performance of animals. The total estimated requirement of dry fodder and green fodder for the bovine population of the State for a year is 157.67 lakh M.T and 591.27 lakh M.T respectively. A total of 16.99 lakh hectares of Common Property Resources (CPR) and 16.20 lakh hectares of open forest are available for grazing.

The area of permanent pastures and other grazing lands are only 1.13 lakh hectares, which constitute only 0.91% of the total geographical area of the State. Over grazing of animals more than what the land can sustain, year after year, has progressively led to its depletion. 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 alternate 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.6,000/- per acre or Rs.15,000/- per hectare should be deposited in the Local Fund Account. This Department is involved in increasing the grazing facilities in all districts under the Wasteland Development Programme along with other line departments.

The following fodder development activities are also 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 in Veterinary Institutions, which are highly drought resistant and rich in protein.

• Cultivation and distribution of aloes in veterinary institution is being encouraged.

• Under the drought relief measures, to meet out the green fodder shortage, 560 acres of land in 8 livestock farms were brought under fodder cultivation. In addition, 2,725 acres of grazing land in villages were developed.

• 120 MT. of maize and jower seeds were distributed to members of Milk Producers' Cooperative Societies free of cost to cover 3,000 hectares at a cost of Rs.24.00 lakhs.

• 2,250 MT feed concentrates covering 75,000 animals were distributed to landless agricultural labourers at a total cost of Rs.180.00 lakhs with 50% subsidy.