BASICS OF LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT

POULTRY : SOME IMPORTANT FACTSZoological classification:Kingdom : AnimaliaPhylum : Chordata (with bone)Sub-Phylum : Vertebra (Animal having spinal column)Class : Aves (Feathered, warm blooded vertebrates with 4-chambered heart)Sub-class : Neorniths (without teeth)

Biological data of different poultry species & common terms

BASICS OF LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT

S.No Species Incubation period (days)

Chromosome number (pairs)

Age at sexual maturity (weeks)

1. Chicken 21 39 18-202. Duck 28 40 28-30

3. Muscovy duck 33-35 40 28-30

4. Goose 28-32 40 28-305. Guinea fowl 27-28 39 28-326. Turkey 28 40 28-307. Quail 17-18 39 6-78. Pigeon 18 39 10-129. Ostrich 42 40 5210 Emu 52-55 40 52

Species Young(0-8 weeks)

Young(9-18 weeks) Adult

Male Castrated

Male Female Male Female

Chicken Chick Cockerel Pullet Cock/Rooster Hen Capon

Duck Duckling Drakelet Ducklet Drake Duck

Turkey Poult Tom Hen

Quail Chick Cock Hen

Guinea fowl Keet Cock Hen

Goose Goosling Gander Goose

Pigeon Squab Pigeon Pigeon

Swan Cygnet Swan Swan

The livestock provides food and non-food items to the people.

1. Food: The livestock provides food items such as Milk, Meat and Eggs for human consumption. India is number one milk producer in the world.

2. Fibre and skins: The livestock also contributes to the production of wool, hair, hides, and pelts. Leather is the most important product which has a very high export potential.

BASICS OF LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT

3. Draft: Bullocks are the back bone of Indian agriculture. Despite lot of advancements in the use of mechanical power in Indian agricultural operations, the Indian farmer especially in rural areas still depend upon bullocks for various agricultural operations. The bullocks are saving a lot on fuel which is a necessary input for using mechanical power like tractors, combine harvesters etc. Pack animals like camels, horses, donkeys, ponies, mules etc are being extensively used to transport goods in different parts of the country in addition to bullocks. In situations like hilly terrains mules and ponies serve as the only alternative to transport goods. Similarly, the army has to depend upon these animals to transport various items in high areas of high altitude.

4. Dung and other animal waste materials: Dung and other animal wastes serve as very good farm yard manure and the value of it is worth several crores of rupees. In addition it is also used as fuel (bio gas, dung cakes), and for construction as poor man's cement (dung).

5. Storage: Livestock are considered as “moving banks” because of their potentiality to dispose off during emergencies. They serve as capital and in cases of landless agricultural labourers many time it is the only capital resource they possess. Livestock serve as an asset and in case of emergencies they serve as guarantee for availing loans from the local sources such as money lenders in the villages.

6. Weed control: Livestock are also used as Biological control of brush, plants and weeds.

7. Cultural: Livestock offer security to the owners and also add to their self esteem especially when they own prized animals such as pedigreed bulls, dogs and high yielding cows/ buffaloes etc.

8. Sports / recreation: People also use the animals like cocks, rams, bulls etc for competition and sports. Despite ban on these animal competitions the cock fights, ram fights and bull fights & bull racing (jalli kattu) are quite common during festive seasons.

9. Companion animals: Dogs are known for their faithfulness and are being used as companions since time immemorial. When the nuclear families are increasing in number and the old parents are forced to lead solitary life the dogs, cats are providing the needed company to the latter thus making them lead a comfortable life.

The livestock plays an important role in the economy of farmers. The farmers in India maintain mixed farming system i.e. a combination of crop and livestock where the output of one enterprise becomes the input of another enterprise thereby realize the resource efficiency. Livestock production and agriculture are intrinsically linked, each being dependent on the other,and both crucial for overall security. Livestock sector is an important sub0sector of the agriculture of Indian economy.It forms an important livelihood activity for most of the farmers,supporting agriculture in the form of critical inputs, contributing to the health and nutrition of the household, supplementing incomes, offering employment opportunities and finally being a dependable “bank on hooves” .It also acts as supplementary and complementary enterprise.

The livestock serve the farmers in different ways.

BASICS OF LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT

1. Income: Livestock is a source of subsidiary income for many families in India especially the resource poor who maintain few heads of animals. Cows and buffaloes if in milk will provide regular income to the livestock farmers through sale of milk. Animals like sheep and goat serve as sources of income during emergencies to meet exigencies like marriages, treatment of sick persons, children education, repair of houses etc. The animals also serve as moving banks and assets which provide economic security to the owners.

2. Employment: A large number of people in India being less literate and unskilled depend upon agriculture for their livelihoods. But agriculture being seasonal in nature could provide employment for a maximum of 180 days in a year. The landless and less land people depend upon livestock for utilizing their labour during lean agricultural season.

3. Food: The livestock products such as milk, meat and eggs are an important source of animal protein to the members of the livestock owners.

4. Social security: The animals offer social security to the owners in terms of their status in the society. The families especially the landless which own animals are better placed than those who do not. Gifting of animals during marriages is a very common phenomenon in different parts of the country. Rearing of animals is a part of the Indian culture. Animals are used for various socio religious functions. Cows for house warming ceremonies; rams, bucks and chicken for sacrifice during festive seasons; Bulls and Cows are worshipped during various religious functions. Many owners develop attachment to their animals.

BASICS OF LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT

BASICS OF LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT

Standings of India in the worldRanking Sector

1st

Total Livestock Population, Milk Production, Cattle Population, Buffalo Population, Carabeef Production, Goat Milk Production, Total Bovine Population

2ndGoat Population, Bristle Production (a pig industry by-product), Fish Production

3rd Sheep Production, Egg Production4th Chicken Production5th Poultry Meat Production, Poultry Production8th Duck Production9th Camel Population, Wool Production

Animal Products StatisticsCommodity Total Production (per

year) Per Capita Availability ICMR Recommendations

Milk 165.4 MT 355 grams/day 280 grams/dayMeat 7.4 MT 2.96 kg/year 11 kg/yearEggs 88.1 billion 69 eggs/year 182 eggs/year

Total Wool Production in India: 43.5 million Kg

Leading States in India for Livestock Production

BASICS OF LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT

Feature State

BASICS OF LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT

Highest milk producing state Uttar Pradesh (25,198 L)

State with highest per capita availability of milk Punjab (1075 g)

State with highest per capita availability of eggs Andhra Pradesh (312 eggs)

Highest meat production Uttar Pradesh

Highest goat meat production West Bengal

Highest poultry and sheep meat production Andhra Pradesh

Highest wool production Rajasthan

Highest indigenous milch cows Madhya Pradesh

Highest Cross-bred or exotic cows Tamil Nadu

Highest number of poultry birds Andhra Pradesh

Highest number of mules Jammu & Kashmir

Highest number of livestock Uttar Pradesh

Highest cattle population Madhya Pradesh

Highest buffalo population Uttar Pradesh

Highest sheep population Andhra Pradesh

Highest goat population Rajasthan

Highest pig population Assam

Highest camel population Rajasthan

Highest mithun population Arunachal Pradesh

Highest yak population Jammu & Kashmir

Highest horses and ponies population Uttar Pradesh

Highest donkey population Rajasthan

Share of Uttar Pradesh in Total Milk Production in India: 16.8% Share of Tamil Nadu in Total Egg Production in India: 18.9%

Share of Uttar Pradesh in Total Meat Production in India: 18.23% Share of Rajasthan in Total Wool Production in India: 32.9%

BASICS OF LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT

Growth Rates of Livestock ProductsProduct Growth Rate

Meat 5.21 per cent

Broiler production 11 per cent

Egg production 6.28 per cent

Milk production 5.3 per cent

Wool production -0.08 per cent

Highest growth rate in milk production: Andhra Pradesh (12.6%) Highest growth rate in egg production: Himachal Pradesh (18.2%)

Highest growth rate in meat production: Daman & Diu (65.4%) (Among states: Maharashtra (25.2%))

Highest growth rate in wool production: Arunachal Pradesh (63.17%)

Value Output from Livestock RearingSector Percentage of total output

Milk and Milk Products 65.05 per cent

Meat and Meat Products 19.83 per cent

Dung 6.93 per cent

Eggs 3.77 per cent

Increment in Livestock 3.35 per cent

Wool and Hair 0.2 per cent

Percentage Distribution of Total LivestockSpecies Percentage

Cattle 37. 28 per cent

Buffalo 21.23 per cent

BASICS OF LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT

Sheep 12. 71 per cent

Goat 26.40 per cent

Pigs 2.01 per cent

Others 0.37 per cent

Species Wise Milk Contribution to Total Milk Production in India

Species Percentage of Total Milk

Buffalo indigenous 35 per cent

Buffalo non-descript 14 per cent

Cow indigenous 11 per cent

Cow non-descript 9 per cent

Cow cross-bred 26 per cent

Cow exotic 1 per cent

Goat 3 per cent

Species Wise Egg Contribution to Total Egg Production in India

Species Percentage of Total Eggs

Improved fowl 86.80 per cent

Desi fowl 11.96 per cent

Desi duck 0.96 per cent

Improved duck 0.28 per cent

BASICS OF LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT

Species Wise Meat Contribution to Total Meat Production in India

Species Percentage of Total Meat

Poultry 47.05 per cent

Buffalo 19.80 per cent

Goat 14.25 per cent

Sheep 7.68 per cent

Pig 6.50 per cent

Cattle4.72 per cent

BASICS OF LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT

 **Reasonable efforts are made to ensure the accuracy of the data used in the notes, however the students are requested to check latest data and figures released by different govt. agencies time to time .