Department of Animal Husbandry ,Dairying and Fisheries (DADF),GOI

Introduction

The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (AH&D) is one of the Departments of the newly created Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying vide Cabinet Secretariat’s Notification No.1/21/7/2019-Cab dated 17.06.2019 published in eGazette S.O.No.1972(E). The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (AH&D) renamed as Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying & Fisheries (DADF) was one of the Departments in the Ministry of Agriculture and came into existence w.e.f. 1st February 1991, by converting two divisions of the Department of Agriculture and Cooperation namely Animal Husbandry and Dairy Development into a separate Department. The Fisheries Division of the Department of Agriculture and Cooperation and a part of the Ministry of Food Processing Industries were later transferred to this Department w.e.f. 10th October 1997. The Department is located at Krishi Bhawan, New Delhi and parts of some Divisions of the Department are functioning from Chanderlok Building, Janpath, New Delhi.

The Department is responsible for matters relating to livestock production, preservation, protection from diseases and improvement of stocks and dairy development, and also for matters relating to Delhi Milk Scheme (DMS) and National Dairy Development Board (NDDB).

The Department advises State Governments/Union Territories in formulation of policies and programme in the field of Animal Husbandry and Dairy Development. The main thrust areas are:

  • Development of requisite infrastructure in States/ UTs for improving animal productivity.
  • Preservation and protection of livestock through provision of health care.
  • Strengthening of central livestock farms (Cattle, Sheep and Poultry) for development of superior germplasm for distribution to states.
Mandate: Livestock Census

Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying has conducted the latest i.e., 20th Livestock Census in 2019 in participation with all States and Union Territories. It covers all domesticated animals and its headcounts for total 16 species of animals like Cattle, Buffalo, Mithun, Yak, Sheep, Goat, Pig, Horse, Pony, Mule, Donkey Camel, Dog, Rabbit and Elephant and poultry birds (Fowl, Duck, Turkeys and other poultry birds) possessed by the households, household enterprises/non- household enterprises and institutions at their site. Moreover, the 20th livestock census is indeed a unique attempt as for the first-time data collected in using tablets computers to digitize household level data through online transmission from the field. Some of the significant findings of the 20th Livestock Census is summarized as under:

  • The total Livestock population is 536.76 million in the country showing an increase of 4.8% over Livestock Census-2012. The total Livestock population in rural and urban area is 514.11 million and 22.65 million respectively with percentage share of 95.78% for rural and 4.22% for urban area.
  • Total Bovine population (Cattle, Buffalo, Mithun and Yak) is 303.76 million in 2019 which shows an increase of 1.3% over the previous census.
  • The total number of Cattle in the country is 193.46 million in 2019 showing an increase of 1.3 % over previous Census.
  • The Exotic/Crossbred and Indigenous/Non-descript Cattle population in the country is 51.36 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 29.3% in 2019 as compared to previous census.
  • There is a decline of 6% in the total Indigenous (both descript and non-descript) Cattle population over the previous census. However, the pace of decline of Indigenous Cattle population during 2012-2019 is much lesser as compared to 2007-12 which was about 9%.
  • The total Buffalo in the country is 109.85 million showing an increase of about 1.1% over previous Census.
  • The total Milch Animals (in-milk and dry) in Cows and Buffalo is 125.75 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 148.89 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 total Mithun and Yak in the country is 3.9 lakh and 58thousandin 2019, increased by 29.5% and 24.9% respectively over previous Census.
  • The total Horses and Ponies in the country is 3.4 lakhs in 2019, decreased by 45.2% over previous Census.
  • The total population of Mules and Donkeys in the country is 84thousandand 1.2 lakhs in 2019, decreased by 57.1% and 61.2% respectively over previous Census.
  • The total Camel population in the country is 2.5 lakhs in 2019, decreased by 37.1% over previous Census.
  • The total Poultry in the country is 851.81 million in 2019, increased by 16.8% over previous Census.
  • The total Backyard Poultry in the country is 317.07 million in 2019, increased by 45.8% over previous Census.
  • The total Commercial Poultry in the country is 534.74 million in 2019, increased by 4.5% over previous Census.
  • Total number of Stray Cattle and Stray Dogs in 2019 is 50 lakhs and 153 lakhs respectively in the country.

Considering the number and past trends over last two decades, there is no livestock species which are on the verge of extinction. However, only Camel and Donkey population is showing declining trends over last four Livestock Censuses i.e., 17th (2003), 18th (2007), 19th (2012) and 20th (2019) Livestock Census.

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