1. Micro-livestock based livelihood options in
hill farming systems of Himachal
Pradesh : An overview
Department of Veterinary and AH Extension
Education, CSK Himachal Pradesh Agricultural
University Palampur

2. Micro-livestock based livelihood options in hill
farming systems of Himachal Pradesh: an overview

3. Micro-livestock Species
"Micro-livestock" is a term coined for species that
are inherently small, such as rabbits and poultry,
as well as for breeds of cattle, sheep, goats and
pigs that are less than half the size of the most
common breeds.(FAO,1992), (Angba et al., 2012 )
The present presentation is restricted to two
major micro-livestock species i.e. sheep and goat .

4. Do we know that sheep and goat growth rate has
been faster than the major livestock species?
Cattle Buffalo Sheep Goat
250
Population in million
200
150
100
50
0
1977 1982 1987 1992 1997 2003
Source: Department of Animal
husbandry, Ministry of Agriculture

5. Last few years showed phenomenal growth in micro-
livestock species than the major ones
Species 2003 2007 Growth rate
Cattle 185.2 199.1 7.50
Buffalo 97.9 105.3 7.58
Sheep 61.5 71.6 16.41
Goat 124.4 140.5 13.01
Pigs 13.5 11.1 -17.65

6. Mutton (sheep and goat meat ) demand has skyrocketed:
Thanks to increasing disposable income and urbanization
14
12
10
8
Mutton demand
6
Mutton Supply
4
2
0
1993 2000 2010 2020 projected
Production in million tonnes
Source: NCAP

7. Among all type of meats average Indian consumer
spends maximum on mutton
0.9
Goat Meat
34 Buff./Beef
47.4
Pork  Per capita expenditure on meat
Chicken
consumption is 10.98 Rs per month,
out of which a sizeable expenditure
Others
14.3 (47.4%) is spent on sheep and goat
3.4 meat.
Source: Gandhi and Zhou, 2010
Australian Agribusiness Review

8. Consumption led demand of meat/mutton domestic
and international markets (Asia, Africa)
Source: FAO, 2012

9. International mutton markets remain
untapped opportunity ?
Meat Export Value in Rs 1. Meat export from Sheep
Million and Goat only 3% of
60 53 total meat exported from
50 India.
40 38
30 2. GOI imposed ban on
20 17 export citing rising prices
7 9 and unmet domestic
10
0 demand. (SAPPLP 2011)
Source: APEDA 2012

10. Hill and mountains farming systems are suitable for sheep
and goat based farming
 Concentration of Goat population has been in marginal regions
(mountainous/rainfed-dryland/deserts) of developing countries (Kumar
& Chander, 2004).
 Microlivestock (Small ruminant )rearing is suitable for semi arid and
mountainous regions of India (Draft 12th five year plan, 2012).
 Goats are found across all agro-climatic zones in the country, with
higher densities in irrigated eco-systems, followed by hill and mountain
eco-systems (SAPPLP, 2011).
 Further, sheep rearing is a feature of the arid and semi-arid regions of
western India, the Deccan plateau and western Himalayas (SAPPLPP,
2011).

11. Advantages of Sheep and Goat enterprises in
hill farming systems
 Generally wide adaptation to
most environments
 Suitability to small farm
systems
 Less affected by drought, with
no after effects on reproduction
 Browse fodder and feeds more
effectively
 Use marginal land effectively

12. Advantages of Sheep and Goat enterprises in
integrated farming systems
 Utilize non-marketable
crop residues / grazing
areas to generate value-
added products (meat,
milk, fiber and skins)
 Dung and urine promote
soil fertility.

13. Micro livestock and Sustainable
Agriculture
 Sustainable agriculture
emphasis on resource
conserving technology and
enterprises.
 Microlivestock sp. are
undemanding in their
feeding requirements,
easy to house, manage

14. Have we paid adequate attention to Sheep and goat
development ?
 At the national level, small ruminants account for 14% of the meat
output, 4% of the milk output and 15% of hides and skin production
in the country.
 Estimated contribution is 24,000 million per annum in rural economy
 Paradoxically sheep and goat development receives only a paltry
2.5% of the public spending on livestock sector.
 Absence of serious goat meat development programmes till date
(Working group 12th plan A.H.)
 Himachal Pradesh context: Goat rearing potential (Chegu, Gaddi)
still unharnessed ? (12th five year plan draft, 2012)

15. CRITICAL ISSUES AND APPROACHES FOR MICRO-LIVESTOCK
ENTERPRISES(SHEEP AND GOAT) IN SUSTAINABLE LIVELIHOOD
SYSTEMS
Poor awareness regarding the Knowledge sharing platforms needed
importance of small ruminants in the between
livelihood system SDAH, Researchers, Veterinary
Colleges,forest dept., NGO’s.
Improvement in knowledge of AHD
staff on understanding on small
ruminant production systems
Absence /lack of active rearer At village level: Organizing goat
organizations rearers into common interest
groups (institutionalizing services
health care, knowledge transfer,
management, credit,insurance
through them)
Pressure on fodder resource base Regeneration of fodder in common
lands.
Supplementation through feed
(Indo-swiss goat project
Rajasthan,Alwar goat project
PRADHAN, Semi-intensive Goat
production systems in Kerala

16. CRITICAL ISSUES AND APPROACHES FOR MICRO-LIVESTOCK
ENTERPRISES(SHEEP AND GOAT) IN SUSTAINABLE LIVELIHOOD SYSTEMS
Inadequate veterinary  Strengthening primary health care
health services services (WASSANExperience, Andhra
Pradesh)
 Interventions like stall feeding and
basic knowledge of primary health care
(such as de-worming) can raise the
body weight substantially(SAPPLPP
2011)
Reduced access to credit and Community Managed livestock
insurance insurance of sheep and Goat
Lack of efficient  Contractual agreements between
marketing mechanisms farmers and traders/buyers.
 Pooling and dissemination of market
information/
 Establishing Rural abatoirs

17. This business of goats -
Sometimes it flourishes,
Sometimes it yields only a
handful of chickpeas,
And sometimes even that is
denied.