Question : Livestock Census-2019

(a) whether the Government has recently released the Livestock Census2019 and if so, the details thereof;
(b) whether the Government is aware that the numbers of indigenous cattle continue to decline in spite of Government’s efforts to promote conservation of desi breeds through the Rashtriya Gokul Mission (RGM), if so, the details thereof including the Government’s reaction thereto;
(c) whether due to farmers preference shift to animals yielding more milk, the crossbred cattle population has jumped to 50.42 million in 2019 from 39.73 million in 2012 and if so, the details thereof;
(d) whether the poultry population rose nearly 17 per cent to 851.81 million and the total birds in the backyard poultry jumped 46 per cent to 317.07 million in 2019 and if so, the details thereof; and
(e) the other steps being taken by the Government in this regard?

ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR FISHERIES, ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND DAIRYING
(DR. SANJEEV KUMAR BALYAN)

(a) Yes, the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying has recently released the 20th Livestock Census 2019 results (provisional). The species-wise livestock population is given in the following table:
Category Population (In million) 2019
Cattle 192.52
Buffalo 109.85
Mithun 0.38
Yak 0.06
Sheep 74.26
Goat 148.88
Horses &Ponies 0.34
Mule 0.08
Donkey 0.12
Camel 0.25
Pig 9.06
Total Livestock 535.80














(b) As per the provisional data of 20th Livestock Census 2019, the total indigenous cattle population has declined to 142.11 million in 2019 from 151.17 million in 2012. However, Indigenous and Non-descript female cattle population has increased to 98.17 million in 2019 from 89.22 million in 2012 and indegenous and non-descript male population has declined to 43.94 million in 2019 from 61.95 million in 2012. This is due to increased mechanization in agriculture and promotion of sex sorted semen of indigenous breeds. This is also indicative of preference of farmers towards rearing of productive animals than unproductive animals. Increase in population of females of indigenous and non-descipt breeds is a positive sign of Rashtriya Gokul Mission.

(c) As per the provisional data of 20th Livestock Census 2019, the Exotic/Crossbred population of cattle has increased to 50.42 million in 2019 from 39.73 million in 2012. Exotic/crossbred female cattle population has increased to 46.95 million in 2019 from 33.76 million in 2012. The Exotic/Crossbred male population has decreased to 3.46 million in 2019 from 5.97 million in 2012.

(d) & (e) The total poultry population has increased to 851.81 million in 2019 from 729.21 million in 2012. The backyard poultry has increased to 317.07 million in 2019 from 217.49 million in 2012. The government through Rural Backyard Poultry Development component of National Livestock Mission (NLM) envisaged to cover beneficiaries from BPL families to enable them to gain supplementary income and nutritional support.

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