Source: Press Information Bureau
Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying has released the 20th Livestock Census report.
Key Highlights
- Total Bovine population (Cattle, Buffalo, Mithun and Yak) is 302.79 Million in 2019 which shows an increase of about 1% over the previous census.
- The total number of cattle in the country in 2019 is 192.49 million showing an increase of 0.8 % over previous Census.
- The Female Cattle (Cows population) is 145.12 million, increased by 18.0% over the previous census (2012).
- The Exotic/Crossbred and Indigenous/Non-descript Cattle population in the country is 50.42 million and 142.11 million respectively.
- The Indigenous/Non-descript female cattle population has increased by 10% in 2019 as compared to previous census.
- The population of the total Exotic/Crossbred Cattle has increased by 26.9 % in 2019 as compared to previous census.
- There is a decline of 6 % in the total Indigenous/ Non-descript cattle population over the previous census. However, the pace of decline of Indigenous/ Non-descript cattle population during 2012-2019 is much lesser than as compared to the 2007-12 which was about 9%.
- The total buffaloes in the country is 109.85 million showing an increase of about 1.0% over previous Census.
- The total milch animals (in-milk and dry) in cows and buffaloes is 125.34 million, an increase of 6.0 % over the previous census.
- The total sheep in the country is 74.26 million in 2019, increased by 14.1% over previous Census.
- The Goat population in the country in 2019 is 148.88 million showing an increase of 10.1% over the previous census.
- The total Pigs in the country is 9.06 Million in the current Census, declined by 12.03% over the previous Census.
- The other livestock including mithun, yak, horses, ponies, mule, donkeys, camel together contribute around 0.23% of the total livestock and their total count is 1.24 million.
- The total poultry in the country is 851.81 million in 2019, registered an increase of 16.8% in the total poultry.
- The total birds in the backyard poultry in the country is 317.07 million. The backyard poultry has increased by around 46% as compared to previous Census.
- The total Commercial Poultry in the country is 534.74 million in 2019, increased by 4.5% over previous Census.
About the census
The History of Livestock census
- The Livestock Census has been conducted in the country periodically since 1919-20. The Livestock Census covers all dome
- sticated animals and its headcounts. So far 19 such censuses have been conducted in participation with State Governments and UT Administrations.
What all covered under the 20th census?
- The 20th Livestock Census was conducted in participation with all States and Union Territories.
- The enumeration was done both in rural and urban areas.
- Various species of animals (Cattle, Buffalo, Mithun, Yak, Sheep, Goat, Pig, Horse, Pony, Mule, Donkey Camel, Dog, Rabbit and Elephant)/poultry birds (Fowl, Duck, Emu, Turkeys, Quail and other poultry birds) possessed by the households, household enterprises/non-household enterprises and institutions have been counted at their site.
Digital Interventions in 2oth census
- The major thrust given to 20th Livestock Census is the collection of data through tablets computers.
- The 20th livestock census is indeed a unique attempt as for the first time such a major initiative has been take to digitise household level data through online transmission from the field.
- National Informatics Centre (NIC) has developed a mobile Application software and was used for data collection as well as online transmission of data from the field to the NIC server.
- Since India is a vast country endowed with huge wealth of livestock, it is really a challenge to collect data in an online platform especially with breed-wise and age–structure composition.
- Crossing these challenges, data of more than 27 Crores of households and non-households have been collected in the 20th Livestock Census to assess and arrive at the livestock and poultry count in the country.
