20th Livestock Census – 2019: Key Highlights

 

About the census

• First livestock census in India was conducted as Dairy Cattle Census in 1919.
• First Livestock Census released by newly created Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying.
• The 20^th Livestock Census was launched during the month of October, 2018.
• 80,000 field staff including para-veterinarians and veterinarians were deployed for smooth conduct of 20^th Livestock Census.
• The 20^th Livestock Census was carried out in about 6 lakh villages and 89 thousand urban wards across the country covering more than 27 crores of households and non-Households.

What’s new compared to previous censuses?

• 20^th Livestock Census was designed to capture breed-wise number of animals and poultry birds.
• For the first time, livestock data were collected online in 20^th Livestock Census using digital means.
• Advanced technology was adopted to collect data through tablet computers. A special android app (named ‘20^th Livestock Census’) was developed for the purpose with two step validation process, one by the enumerator and other by the supervisor.
• Training was conducted at various levels for operating tablet computers and mobile apps starting from “All India Training Workshop for Trainers” at Delhi, followed by State, District level trainings.

Key Highlights

Livestock Population

Category	Population (In million) 2012	Population (In million) 2019	Percent growth
Cattle	190.90	192.49	0.83
Buffalo	108.70	109.85	1.06
Sheep	65.07	74.26	14.13
Goat	135.17	148.88	10.14
Pig	10.29	9.06	-12.03
Mithun	0.30	0.38	26.66
Yak	0.08	0.06	-25.00
Horses & Ponies	0.63	0.34	-45.58
Mule	0.20	0.08	-57.09
Donkey	0.32	0.12	-61.23
Camel	0.40	0.25	-37.05
Total Livestock	512.06	535.78	4.63

The table highlights that the population of pigs, yak, horses and ponies, mules, donkeys and camels have declined as compared to previous census.

Poultry Population

Category	Population (In million) 2012	Population (In million) 2019	Percent growth
Backyard poultry	217.49	317.07	45.78
Commercial Poultry	511.72	534.74	4.50
Total Poultry	729.21	851.81	16.81

As far as poultry is concerned, a phenomenal growth rate of 45.78 percent is noticed for backyard poultry.

Outlook on gross figures

Category	Population (in million)	Percent growth (compared to 2012 census)
Total livestock population	535.78	4.60
Total poultry population	851.81	16.81
Total bovine (cattle, buffalo, mithun and yak) population	302.79	1.00
Total cattle population	192.49	0.80
Total female cattle (cows)	145.12	18.00
Exotic/cross-bred cattle population	50.42	26.90
Indigenous/non-descript cattle	142.11	-6.00
Total buffalo population	109.85	1.00
Total milch animals (in-milk and dry)	125.34	6.00
Total sheep population	74.26	14.10
Total goat population	148.88	10.10
Total pig population	9.06	-12.03
Total mithun population	0.39	26.66
Total yak population	0.06	-25.00
Total horses and ponies population	0.34	-45.58
Total mules population	0.08	-57.09
Total donkey population	0.12	-61.23
Total camel population	0.25	-37.05
Total backyard poultry	317.07	45.80
Total commercial poultry	534.74	4.50

Percentage Distribution of Total Livestock

Species	Percentage (%)
Cattle	35.94
Buffalo	20.45
Sheep	13.87
Goat	27.80
Pigs	1.69
Others	0.23

As compared to previous census (2012), the percentage share of sheep and goat population has increased whereas the percentage share of cattle, buffalo and pig population has marginally declined.

Leading States in India for Livestock Population

Feature	Population (in million)	State
Largest livestock population	67.8	Uttar Pradesh
Second largest livestock population	56.8	Rajasthan
Largest poultry population	120.8	Tamil Nadu
Second largest poultry population	107.9	Andhra Pradesh
Largest cattle population	19.0	West Bengal
Second largest cattle population	18.8	Uttar Pradesh
Largest buffalo population	33.0	Uttar Pradesh
Second largest buffalo population	13.7	Rajasthan
Largest sheep population	19.1	Telangana
Second largest sheep population	17.6	Andhra Pradesh
Largest goat population	20.84	Rajasthan
Second largest goat population	16.28	West Bengal
Largest pig population	2.10	Assam
Second largest pig population	1.28	Jharkhand
Largest camel population	0.21	Rajasthan
Second largest camel population	0.02	Gujarat
Largest horse and pony population	0.07	Uttar Pradesh
Second largest horse and pony population	0.06	Jammu & Kashmir
Largest mule population	0.026	Uttarakhand
Second largest mule population	0.020	Himachal Pradesh
Largest donkey population	0.023	Rajasthan
Second largest donkey population	0.018	Maharashtra
Largest mithun population	0.35	Arunachal Pradesh
Second largest mithun population	0.03	Nagaland
Largest yak population	0.026	Jammu & Kashmir
Second largest yak population	0.024	Arunachal Pradesh

Source

Provisional Key Results 20th Livestock Census. 2019. Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying, Government of India. Accessed October 17, 2019 from http://dadf.gov.in/sites/default/filess/Final-Key%20results%2009.10.2019 .pdf

 

 

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