Animal Husbandry:
Animal husbandry is a farm practice in which livestock are reared for milk, eggs, meat, wool, silk, honey, dung (fuel), etc.
Animal husbandry is also known as "livestock raising and selective breeding".
Animal husbandry includes the following:
- Mixed crop-livestock farming.
- Poultry farming.
- Cattle rearing.
- Fisheries
- Dairy farming
- Silk rearing
- Bee-keeping
- Others livestock rearing
In India, farmers in rural India use a mixed crop-livestock farming system. which means livestock are raised along with the crops as a side business. Poultry, cattle, goats, fowl, and camels are widely held animal species in rural areas.
The following are the distribution of livestock in India in 2019:
- Poultry (The largest share of livestock in India is Poultry, it accounts for 61% of the total livestock population)
- Cattle and Buffalo ( Cattle such as cow, ox, camel, buffalo are 22℅ of the total livestock population, India has a total of 303 million cattle including 110 million Buffalo in 2019.)
- Sheep and goats (Account for 16℅ of the total livestock population)
- Pigs(It accounts for 1℅ of the total livestock population)
- Other livestock(16 %)
Significance of animal husbandry in the Indian Rural Economy:
The following are the significance of animal husbandry in the Indian Rural economy:
- Livestock increases the income of farmers and provides stability in income. Most of the farmers do not incur the additional costs of raising animal husbandry because animal husbandry is done along with crops.
- Animal husbandry provides food security (milk, meat), transportation (livestock used to carry goods), fuel (cow dung), and nutrition for the family without disrupting food processing activities.
- It is an alternative option of livelihood for more than 70 million rural people. The problems of seasonal unemployment of rural people can be solved by holistic animal husbandry because farmers have to face seasonal unemployment only by growing crops but animal husbandry provides employment throughout the year.
- It is a tool to increase the income of women and empowerment of women as the employment of women in animal husbandry is high.
- Animal husbandry can be done even in less fertile soil and water consumption is also less as compared to growing crops. Animal husbandry is a very promising option in arid, semi-arid regions. It is a major means of livelihood in the rainfed areas of India.
- It plays a major role in poverty alleviation programs in rural India.
Challenges of animal husbandry:
The following are some challenges in animal husbandry:
- Non-availability of a better quality of breeding.
- Lack of animal husbandry infrastructure.
- Lack of new skills and quality services.
- Poor control of animal diseases.
Government initiatives to boost animal husbandry:
- Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund(2020)
- Rashtriya Gokul mission
- National Livestock Mission(2014-15)
- National Artificial Insemination program
- National Animal Disease control program
Try to solve the following questions:
- Explain in brief the role of animal husbandry in human welfare.
- Bring out the importance of animal husbandry as a source of diversification
- What is the significance of animal husbandry in the Indian rural economy? ( 66th BPSC)
Answer the following multiple-choice questions on Animal Husbandry:
1. Which of the following livestock has the largest share in livestock in India?
a) Poultry
b) Cattles such as cow and Buffalo
c) Pigs
d) Sheep and Goats
Answer. a) Poultry( 61%)
2. Which of the following is most prominent in animal husbandry in India?
a) Commercial dairy farming
b) Nomadic herding
c) Sheep and goat rearing
d) Crop and livestock association
Answer. d) Crop and livestock associations
3. Which of the following activities does not come under animal husbandry?
a) Beekeeping
b) Silk rearing
c) Fisheries
d) Horticulture
Answer. d) Horticulture
4. About how many people in India get alternative livelihood from animal husbandry?
a) 50 million
b) 70 million
c) 110 million
d) 150 million
Answer. b) 70 million
5. Who is the father of animal husbandry in India?
a) Dr. Kurien
b) Robert Bakewell
c) Sir Albert Howard
d) Subhash Palekar
Answer. a) Dr. Kurien
6. Who is the father of animal husbandry?
a) Dr. Kurien
b) Robert Bakewell
c) Sir Albert Howard
d) Subhash Palekar
Answer. b) Robert Bakewell
7. What is the other name of Animal Husbandry?
a) Poultry farming
b) Sheep rearing
c) beekeeping
d) Livestock raising and selective breeding
Answer. d) Livestock rearing
8. Which of the following operation was launched in 1970 to help dairy farmers direct their own development, and increase milk production?
a) Operation milk
b) White revolution
c) operation cooperative society
d) Operation flood
Answer. d) Operation flood
9. Which of the following country has the largest number of livestock in the world?
a) India
b) China
c) U S A
d) Australia
Answer. a) India; India is home to 20 % of the world's livestock.
10. As per the Livestock survey, which of the following animals are the largest number?
a) Cattle
b) Buffaloes
c) Goats
d) Sheeps
Answer. a) cattle(192 million)> buffaloes( 109 million)> Goat(148 million)> sheeps(74 million)
11. As per the Livestock survey, which of the following animals are in the largest number?
a) Cattle
b) Buffaloes
c) Goats
d) Poultry
Answer. d) Poultry( 851 million)
12. Which of the following country has the largest number of Buffalos in the world?
a) India
b) China
c) U S A
d) Australia
Answer. a) India
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