Why in News?

• Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying releases 20th Livestock Census; Total Livestock population increases 4.6% over Census-2012, Increases to 535.78 million

Livestock Census:

• The Livestock Census has been conducted in the country periodically since 1919-20.
• The Livestock Census covers all domesticated animals and its headcounts.
• So far 19 such censuses have been conducted in participation with State Governments and UT Administrations.
• The 20th Livestock Census was conducted in participation with all States and Union Territories.
• The enumeration was done both in rural and urban areas. Various species of animals (Cattle, Buffalo, Mithun, Yak, Sheep, Goat, Pig, Horse, Pony, Mule, Donkey Camel, Dog, Rabbit and Elephant)/poultry birds (Fowl, Duck, Emu, Turkeys, Quail and other poultry birds) possessed by the households, household enterprises/non-household enterprises and institutions have been counted at their site.

Features of 20^th Livestock Census:

• The major thrust given to 20^th Livestock Census is the collection of data through tablets computers. The 20^th livestock census is indeed a unique attempt as for the first time such a major initiative has been take to digitise household level data through online transmission from the field. National Informatics Centre (NIC) has developed a mobile Application software and was used for data collection as well as online transmission of data from the field to the NIC server.

20^th Livestock Census:

• The total Livestock population is 535.78 million in the country showing an increase of 4.6% over Livestock Census-2012
• Total Bovine population (Cattle, Buffalo, Mithun and Yak) is 302.79 Million in 2019 which shows an increase of about 1% over the previous census.
• The total number of cattle in the country in 2019 is 192.49 million showing an increase of 0.8 % over previous Census.
• The Female Cattle (Cows population) is 145.12 million, increased by 18.0% over the previous census (2012).
• The Exotic/Crossbred and Indigenous/Non-descript Cattle population in the country is 50.42 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 26.9 % in 2019 as compared to previous census.
• There is a decline of 6 % in the total Indigenous/ Non-descript cattle population over the previous census. However, the pace of decline of Indigenous/ Non-descript cattle population during 2012-2019 is much lesser than as compared to the 2007-12 which was about 9%.
• The total buffaloes in the country is 109.85 million showing an increase of about 1.0% over previous Census.
• The total milch animals (in-milk and dry) in cows and buffaloes is 125.34 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 148.88 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 other livestock including mithun, yak, horses, ponies, mule, donkeys, camel together contribute around 0.23% of the total livestock and their total count is 1.24 million.
• The total poultry in the country is 851.81 million in 2019, registered an increase of 16.8% in the total poultry.
• The total birds in the backyard poultry in the country is 317.07 million. The backyard poultry has increased by around 46% as compared to previous Census.
• The total Commercial Poultry in the country is 534.74 million in 2019, increased by 4.5% over previous Census.