Ishfaq jamal drishfaqjamal@gmail.com India has a long and diverse history of livestock rearing. Traditionally known for its large populations of cattle, buffaloes, sheep, goats and poultry, that made animal husbandry an integral part of the rural economy for centuries. Livestock…
India has a long and diverse history of livestock rearing. Traditionally known for its large populations of cattle, buffaloes, sheep, goats and poultry, that made animal husbandry an integral part of the rural economy for centuries. Livestock have been not merely ahe social and economic fabric of rural India
However, the sector is undergoing a profound transition, once dominated by traditional, small scale and largely subsistence-oriented, livestock keeping is steadily giving way to more intensive and commercially driven systems of production. Contributing 5.5 per cent to India’s total GVA in FY2022–23, livestock has emerged as an important engine of agricultural growth and rural livelihoods. Rising demand for milk, meat and other animal-source foods, alongside advances in breeding, nutrition, veterinary care and technology, is pushing Indian livestock farming towards greater productivity and efficiency.
To meet the nutritional needs of a growing population and a rising income middle class with changing dietary preferences, particularly the increasing demand for protein rich foods, India has made considerable progress over the years in improving livestock productivity. These gains have played an important role in strengthening food and nutritional security and are increasingly regarded as important indicators of agricultural and national progress.
Yet it’s important to note that productivity alone cannot, by itself, define the future of livestock farming in India. Higher production must also be weighed against animal welfare and environmental sustainability with an aim to find a balance between productivity, profitability, animal welfare and environmental responsibility.
India’s future livestock economy will have to produce more with fewer resources. More milk, meat and eggs from healthier and more productive animals by making better use of feed, water, land and energy. This requires a sustained investment in research, innovation and appropriate technologies on genetic improvement, scientific nutrition, disease prevention, precision feeding, improved farm management and efficient waste utilization. Such an approach can improve farm profitability at the same time reducing the environmental intensity of production.. Productivity and sustainability, therefore, need to complement and reinforce each other.
As livestock production becomes increasingly intensive and commercialized , animal health and welfare must become part of routine farm management. Across dairy, sheep and goat farming, poultry and other livestock enterprises, housing, nutrition, water availability, disease prevention, stocking density, environmental comfort and humane handling influence both animal well being and production efficiency. Poor welfare can increase disease susceptibility, mortality, treatment requirements and antimicrobial use, ultimately adding to the costs faced by farmers. At the same time, welfare improvements must be economically viable and suited to different production systems. Modern livestock farming therefore needs to bring together productivity, profitability, animal health and welfare. Precision livestock technologies can increasingly help monitor health and behavioural indicators, making welfare a practical part of farm management rather than an abstract ideal.
The future of India’s livestock sector also depends on how well we support the farmers who keep it running. Much of the country’s livestock is reared by small and marginal farmers, for whom animals are an important source of income and livelihood. Animal welfare cannot be improved in isolation from the well-being and economic security of the farmer. Farmers need access to better genetics, scientific feeding, timely veterinary care and affordable technologies that can improve both productivity and animal welfare. New technologies must be practical, accessible, and well suited to the farmer conditions so that better care of animals also becomes economically beneficial for the farmer.
For a smallholder, adopting improved genetics, better feeding systems, digital monitoring or modern housing involves not only investment, but also knowledge and technical support. The focus should therefore be on technologies that solve real farm-level problems and deliver measurable returns, rather than on technology for its own sake. Public institutions, cooperatives, producer organizations and the private sector all have a role to play in making such innovations accessible beyond large commercial farms.
There is also a need to look beyond production itself. Higher productivity will have limited meaning if farmers remain vulnerable to fluctuating prices, rising input costs and weak market linkages. The next phase of India’s livestock growth must therefore strengthen the entire value chain, from production and collection to processing, value addition, storage, transport and marketing. Greater value addition in milk, meat, eggs and other livestock products has the potential to create more employment, at the same time improving returns to producers. Stronger farmer organisations, cooperative networks, better market information and efficient processing infrastructure can help ensure that the gains from a growing livestock economy are shared more widely.
At the same time, the livestock sector will have to prepare for a changing climate. Rising temperatures, water stress, fluctuations in fodder availability and changing patterns of infectious and vector-borne diseases can directly affect animal health and farm productivity. Climate resilience will therefore have to become part of livestock planning, through heat-resilient animals, better housing and ventilation, improved fodder systems, efficient water management and stronger disease surveillance. The aim should be to build production systems that can remain productive under changing environmental conditions.
India’s next livestock revolution, therefore, cannot be measured by production alone. It must also be measured by how efficiently resources are used, how healthy and well cared for animals are, how much farmers earn and how resilient the sector is to environmental and economic pressures. These goals should not be pursued separately. A healthy animal is more likely to remain productive ; a productive animal is more likely to be profitable; and a profitable farm is better placed to invest in better feeding, housing and management.
India does not need merely a larger livestock sector; it needs a more productive, efficient, resilient and responsible livestock economy. The real measure of progress will be whether growth can improve the lives of farmers while producing safe and affordable food without compromising the welfare of animals and the resources on which future generations will depend.
