Micro-livestock based livelihood options in

hill farming systems of Himachal

Pradesh : An overview

Department of Veterinary and AH Extension

Education, CSK Himachal Pradesh Agricultural

University Palampur

Micro-livestock based livelihood options in hill

farming systems of Himachal Pradesh: an overview

Micro-livestock Species

"Micro-livestock" is a term coined for species that

are inherently small, such as rabbits and poultry,

as well as for breeds of cattle, sheep, goats and

pigs that are less than half the size of the most

common breeds.(FAO,1992), (Angba et al., 2012 )

The present presentation is restricted to two

major micro-livestock species i.e. sheep and goat .

Do we know that sheep and goat growth rate has

been faster than the major livestock species?

0

50

100

150

200

250

1977 1982 1987 1992 1997 2003

Po

pu

lati

on

in

milli

on

Cattle Buffalo Sheep Goat

Source: Department of Animal

husbandry, Ministry of Agriculture

Last few years showed phenomenal growth in micro-

livestock species than the major ones

Species 2003 2007 Growth rate

Cattle 185.2 199.1 7.50

Buffalo 97.9 105.3 7.58

Sheep 61.5 71.6 16.41

Goat 124.4 140.5 13.01

Pigs 13.5 11.1 -17.65

Mutton (sheep and goat meat ) demand has skyrocketed:

Thanks to increasing disposable income and urbanization

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

1993 2000 2010 2020 projected

Mutton demand

Mutton Supply

Production in million tonnes

Source: NCAP

Among all type of meats average Indian consumer

spends maximum on mutton

47.4

14.33.4

34

0.9

Goat Meat

Buff./Beef

Pork

Chicken

Others

Source: Gandhi and Zhou, 2010

Australian Agribusiness Review

Per capita expenditure on meatconsumption is 10.98 Rs per month,out of which a sizeable expenditure(47.4%) is spent on sheep and goatmeat.

Consumption led demand of meat/mutton domestic

and international markets (Asia, Africa)

Source: FAO, 2012

International mutton markets remain

untapped opportunity ?

7

17

9

38

53

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Meat Export Value in Rs Million

1. Meat export from Sheep

and Goat only 3% of

total meat exported from

India.

2. GOI imposed ban on

export citing rising prices

and unmet domestic

demand. (SAPPLP 2011)

Source: APEDA 2012

Hill and mountains farming systems are suitable for sheep

and goat based farming

Concentration of Goat population has been in marginal regions(mountainous/rainfed-dryland/deserts) of developing countries (Kumar& Chander, 2004).

Microlivestock (Small ruminant )rearing is suitable for semi arid andmountainous regions of India (Draft 12th five year plan, 2012).

Goats are found across all agro-climatic zones in the country, withhigher densities in irrigated eco-systems, followed by hill and mountaineco-systems (SAPPLP, 2011).

Further, sheep rearing is a feature of the arid and semi-arid regions ofwestern India, the Deccan plateau and western Himalayas (SAPPLPP,2011).

Advantages of Sheep and Goat enterprises in

hill farming systems

Generally wide adaptation tomost environments

Suitability to small farmsystems

Less affected by drought, withno after effects on reproduction

Browse fodder and feeds moreeffectively

Use marginal land effectively

Advantages of Sheep and Goat enterprises in

integrated farming systems

Utilize non-marketable

crop residues / grazing

areas to generate value-

added products (meat,

milk, fiber and skins)

Dung and urine promote

soil fertility.

Micro livestock and Sustainable

Agriculture

Sustainable agriculture

emphasis on resource

conserving technology and

enterprises.

Microlivestock sp. are

undemanding in their

feeding requirements,

easy to house, manage

Have we paid adequate attention to Sheep and goat

development ?

At the national level, small ruminants account for 14% of the meat

output, 4% of the milk output and 15% of hides and skin production

in the country.

Estimated contribution is 24,000 million per annum in rural economy

Paradoxically sheep and goat development receives only a paltry

2.5% of the public spending on livestock sector.

Absence of serious goat meat development programmes till date

(Working group 12th plan A.H.)

Himachal Pradesh context: Goat rearing potential (Chegu, Gaddi)

still unharnessed ? (12th five year plan draft, 2012)

Poor awareness regarding the

importance of small ruminants in the

livelihood system

Knowledge sharing platforms needed

between

SDAH, Researchers, Veterinary

Colleges,forest dept., NGO’s.

Improvement in knowledge of AHD

staff on understanding on small

ruminant production systems

Absence /lack of active rearer

organizations

At village level: Organizing goat

rearers into common interest

groups (institutionalizing services

health care, knowledge transfer,

management, credit,insurance

through them)

Pressure on fodder resource base Regeneration of fodder in common

lands.

Supplementation through feed

(Indo-swiss goat project

Rajasthan,Alwar goat project

PRADHAN, Semi-intensive Goat

production systems in Kerala

CRITICAL ISSUES AND APPROACHES FOR MICRO-LIVESTOCK

ENTERPRISES(SHEEP AND GOAT) IN SUSTAINABLE LIVELIHOOD

SYSTEMS

Inadequate veterinary

health services

Strengthening primary health care

services (WASSANExperience, Andhra

Pradesh)

Interventions like stall feeding and

basic knowledge of primary health care

(such as de-worming) can raise the

body weight substantially(SAPPLPP

2011)

Reduced access to credit and

insurance

Community Managed livestock

insurance of sheep and Goat

Lack of efficient

marketing mechanisms

Contractual agreements between

farmers and traders/buyers.

Pooling and dissemination of market

information/

Establishing Rural abatoirs

CRITICAL ISSUES AND APPROACHES FOR MICRO-LIVESTOCK

ENTERPRISES(SHEEP AND GOAT) IN SUSTAINABLE LIVELIHOOD SYSTEMS

This business of goats -

Sometimes it flourishes,

Sometimes it yields only a

handful of chickpeas,

And sometimes even that is

denied.