Livestock trend in Cattle Population

The trend in cattle population has been arrived on the basis of livestock census data. The latest census was conducted during the year 1987.

It is observed that there has been a progressive increase in the number of breedable cross-bred females over the period of 5 years from 1982 to 1987. This represents an increase of 26.72%. The most notable increase was registered in the age group of cross-bred female cattle of 1 to 21/2years of age from 1.86 lakhs in 1982 to 2.68 lakhs in 1987, showing an increase of 44%. Meanwhile the male cattle population above 1 year had decreased by 8.3% over the period. It is also evident from the above data that there was a steep decline in the number of buffaloes and goats despite the developmental efforts undertaken. The contribution of buffalo to the agrarian economy is quite substantial. Also, the role of goat for supplementing the income of the vulnerable sections of people is enormous. In this context, it is worth while to draw attention to this problem at this stage and introduce measures that could be taken to remedy the situation.
Kerala Livestock Development Board, an Agency responsible for the supply of inputs for the cattle breeding activities in the State, produced 19.77 lakh doses of frozen semen. (cattle and buffalo) against 15.37 lakh doses in the previous year, and distributed 13.67 lakh doses in the state, compared to 13.79 lakh doses in frozen semen to the neighbouring States as well. Under the progeny testing programme, the Board could assess the genetic potentials of 53 bulls with fair degree of accuracy.
The total number of artificial insemination carried out through different state agencies were only 13.49 lakhs compared to 13.93 lakhs in the previous year. The shortfall was due to inadequate in the number of artificial insemination centres. However, by bringing out an overall development in the genetic quality of the indigenous stock, their upkeep and maintenance in sound health etc, the milk production target for 1989 was fully achieved.

Health cover
Greater attention was given for providing an effective health cover for the livestock in the state mainly through activities of the Department of Animal Husbandry. This was achieved through a net work of veterinary institutions strengthened at different levels to provide veterinary aid. These institutions comprise veterinary poly clinic (51), Veterinary Hospitals (105), Mobile veterinary hospitals (12), Mobile Farm Aid Units (18), Sub centres (92), and District Veterinary centres (7).
Veterinary clinical aid was provided through clinical Laboratories attached to the Veterinary poly clinics diagnostic facilities for identifying contagious and emerging diseases were provided by the Regional clinical Laboratories and Avian Disease Diagnostic Laboratory. The Chief Disease Investigation Laboratory at Palode liaises with other diagnostic laboratories in the study and investigation of the incidence of contagious and emerging diseases. Preventive veterinary medicines for most contagious diseases is supplied by the Institute of Animal Health and Veterinary Bi-ologicals, Palode, which meets the State's requirement of cell culture, rinder pest vaccine, poultry and duck disease vaccine and other common bacterial vaccines.
Rinder pest eradication was taken up as a massive programme covering the entire state. Due to timely vaccination compaign, only stray cases of infection have been recorded during the period under review. A time-bound 'operation Rinder Pest Zero' for a total eradication of the disease from Kerala is on the anvil.
A total of 5.2 lakhs cross-bred calves were subjected to deworming against the common helminths prevalent in the state. The total number of cases treated during 1989 was 41.46 lakhs. This is in addition to the 1.56 lakhs cases handled by the Kerala Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation (MCMMF) through their regular veterinary centres. Under mass vaccination programme, the Department of Animal Husbandry had arranged to vaccinate 16.69 lakh livestocks and 32.42 lakhs of fowls during the year. The Institute of Animal Health and Veterinary biologicals, Palode produced 98.92 lakh doses of vaccine for avian and cattle disease against 92.91 lakh doses in the previous year.

Veterinary Public Health has not been well established in the State. Regular meat and milk inspection on scientific lines is practically non-existent. The urgency for building up an efficient veterinary public health in the state cannot be over emphasised as rural masses have their activities closely linked with the livestock.

The estimated milk production in the State was 15.07 lakh tonnes (provisional) against 14.26 lakh tonnes in the previous year.This represented an increase of 5.68%.

Poultry
Production of eggs increased from 1440 million numbers to 1480 million (provisional) showing an increase of 2.63% over previous year. Though the production has been on the increase, it was not commensurate with the demand within the State. The main sources of production are backyard units. This requires regular and systematic replacement of quality parent materials.

Broiler production is fact developing in the state. Total broiler production during 1989 was 80 lakh birds which is equivalent to 8000 MT meat. Cobs, Poona Birds, and Hubs were the three different improved broilers reared in the state for meat production.
The departmental livestock farms produced 4.4 lakh layer chicks, 5.8 lakh broiler chicks, 0.25 lakh ducklings and 0.75 lakh quail chicks and distributed* them among farmers.

Meat
The recorded production of meat in the state in 1989 was 29462 MT which was 4.48% more than the previous year's production of 28197 MT. Meat products of India Ltd., Koothat-tukulam had produced 199.750 MT meat and meat products as against the previous year's production of 165.23 MT. The company could reduce the loss of Rs. 23.83 lakhs from Rs. 26.56 lakh in the previous year.

Dairy Extension
Livestock Management Training Centres under the Department of Animal Husbandry .and Training Centres run by the Department of Dairy Development and KLD Board, continued to provide in service training to para veterinary personnel, extension training to farmers, in service training to cattle improvement Assistants etc. The Training centre at Mattupatti, and by the Kerala Livestock Development Board (KLD Board) offered specialised training courses connected with the cattle breeding and allied subjects. The Board in its organised course of training programme, trained 165 personnel mostly from outside the state including those from Bhutan. The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairy Development imparted training to 1074 farmers, 1374 Scheduled caste and Scheduled Tribe farmers, 23 women, 93 unemployed youth and 143 pre-service candidates as Livestock Inspectors. As regards weaker sections, the Department of Dairy Development assisted 1169 families to construct model cattle sheds. The personnel from department of dairy development visited 58772 houses, organized 4952 seminar involving the participation of 58,090 dairy farmers, 115 cattle shows by making assemble 6702 cattle, 125 film shows, and provided 300 MT Mineral mixture, 600 litres Trivax, and purgatives to 40,000 calves.

Fodder Development
The Kerala Livestock Development Board produced 15.13 MT seeds of exotic varieties of fodder and legume, through registered seed growers in the state and distributed the entire quantity of the seed. The Department of Dairy Development raised nurseries in 1757 hectare of land and conducted 320 demonstrations in cultivator's field to demonstrate the cultivation aspects of exotic fodder, its nutritive value and other added advantages of raising fodder for higher milk production. The sewage farm, Valiyathura continued its activities of fodder production to cater to the needs of the dairy farmers of Trivandrum city. An area of 86 acres of land was brought under fodder cultivation and 3032 MT fodder was procured. Sewage Farm, Kottayam brought 2 acres of land under fodder and about 35 tonnes of fodder was procured. KCMMF undertook fodder production enhancement programme through dairy co-operative societies. The Federation runs two cattle feed factories in the state at Thuravoor and Malampuzha. These factories produced 33840 MT of feed of good quality and distributed 34,173 MT of feed including the carry over stock. The Meat products of India, Koothattukulam had produced 485 MT quality feed for pigs, rabbits, poultry etc.