Role of Veterinarians and livestock Sector for Viksit Bharat
Dr Sonali Prusty1, Dr Kumaresh Behera2, and Dr Vandana Bhagat3
1Assistant professor, Animal Nutrition, College of Veterinary Science and A.H., Anjora, DSVCKV, Durg
2Assistant professor, LPM and Head, LFC, College of Veterinary Science and A.H., OUAT, Bhubaneswar
Bhagat
3Assistant professor, Animal Nutrition, College of Veterinary Science and A.H., Anjora, DSVCKV, Durg
Introduction:
The official launch of the Viksit Bharat Programme endeavoured to achieve the status of developed nation for India by 2047 i.e. centennial year of independence. The rapid technological and infrastructure development, self-reliance in the defence sector and other advancements in the financial sector, agricultural sector, animal husbandry sector etc in India serve as a testament to the vision. But the path ahead is challenging, as inclusive growth is essential for the overall economic development of India. One of the key factors contributing to the challenges is the low growth rate in the agricultural and animal husbandry sectors, as agriculture is the backbone of India. Addressing the key challenges in the Livestock sector could pave way to sustainable economic growth through employment generation, rural development, nutrition security and enhancement of livelihood standard.
Prospect of Animal Husbandry in India’s Vision for a Developed Nation
Animal husbandry used to be considered as a growing allied component of agriculture that plays a vital role in the Indian economy, contributing one-third of the gross value added by agriculture and allied sectors. Over the past decade (2011-12 to 2021-22), the contribution of agriculture and related sectors to the total national GVA has remained relatively constant at 19%, while the share of the livestock sector has steadily increased from 4% to 6%. The share of livestock sector in the GVA of Agriculture and Allied sectors increased to 30.47% in 2021-22 from 24.32% in 2014-15. The vast livestock wealth of the country provides livelihood to about 8 crore farmers and employment opportunity to over 300 million rural people and has a 12% share in the household income. The 2019 census showed an overall increase in livestock population, with the population of crossbred and exotic cattle rising by about 27% compared to the 2012 census, highlighting the growing trend among livestock owners to leverage animal husbandry as a source of income. Despite the huge population of livestock, the annual milk yield of Indian cattle is only about 50 per cent of the global average. In the present context, animal husbandry emerges to be both a complementary and supplementary sector of agriculture as well as health sectors for livelihood, nutritional security and one health avenues. This presents both a formidable challenge but a major opportunity for the livestock sector to contribute to economic growth through enhanced production.
Among the four “Amrit pillars” of Viksit Bharat, food producers, youth and poor are recounted, on whose growth the rate of development relies upon. About 88% of livestock is managed by marginal, small and semi-medium operational holdings. From a population of about 1.4 billion, about 64% reside in rural areas, where livestock rearing is a key enterprise. The above pictures underline the importance of livestock sector development in promoting more inclusive growth across society. The scope for enhancing the productivity through better breeding and feeding management ensure that the livestock sector will continue to play major role providing employment and improving rural income.
Animal-sourced foods, including milk, meat, and eggs, provide essential nutrients such as iron, zinc, calcium, and vitamin B12, which are either completely absent or less bioavailable in plant-based foods. These nutrients support growth, immune functions, hormonal balance, reproductive health and overall health of human. Compared with plant foods, they provide concentrated sources of energy, protein, minerals, and vitamins. The animal proteins have a balanced profile of amino acids whereas, plant proteins tend to be deficient in one or more essential amino acids. Despite an increasing trend over the past years, the per capita availability of milk in the year the 2022-23 averages 459 grams milk per day, 101 eggs per annum, and 7.10 kilograms per annum, respectively, which remains below the global consumption statistics. The total meat production is around 2.20% of the world’s, regardless of the impressive growth in meat production in India. The livestock sector offers significant potential for improvement, as the livestock production systems currently face substantial yield gaps. By adopting sustainable intensification strategies, we can enhance efficiency and productivity. Veterinarians play a vital role in this process, contributing their expertise to research and development efforts aimed at improving animal health and welfare, through implementation of disease management strategies and the promotion of best practices in animal husbandry.
Role of Veterinarians in Livestock Health and disease management
Veterinarians play a crucial role in safeguarding livestock health; the expertise of veterinary specialist is fundamental to maintaining high standards in veterinary medicine and supporting the country’s efforts to control and eliminate animal diseases. Veterinarians perform routine health checks, monitor for diseases, and conduct laboratory tests to identify issues for early intervention that help in reducing the spread of diseases. Early diagnosis of diseases and conditions such as mastitis in dairy cattle or parasitic infections in goats and sheep is crucial for maintaining animal health. The expertise of veterinarians in areas such as vaccination, treatment, and surveillance is sought when developing guidelines and advisories for controlling disease outbreaks.
There are huge economic losses due to diseases. Animal diseases negatively impact livestock production systems causing decreased productivity, loss of income from animal linked enterprises and huge distribution of fund on prevention or control costs. The diseases of causing major economic disruptions are the highly contagious diseases such as foot and mouth disease (FMD), haemorrhagic septicaemia (HS), mastitis, peste des petits ruminant (PPR) etc. The Livestock Health and Disease Control Programme (LHDCP) implemented by Govt. of India mandates vaccination against Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD), Brucellosis, Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR), and Classical Swine Fever (CSF).
Role of specialists in the field of Veterinary Biochemistry, Microbiology and Biotechnology is essential for the quality control testing of vaccines for safety, sterility, purity and potency. Veterinary researchers at ICAR institutes such as ICAR-NIFMD, ICAR-NIVEDI, ICAR-IVRI, and the CCS National Institute of Animal Health in Baghpat are actively involved in testing FMD vaccine batches. Vaccination efforts by field veterinarians have significantly reduced both the frequency and severity of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) outbreaks, despite its endemic nature. These regular vaccination programs are supported by national initiatives such as the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY), the National Animal Disease Control Programme (NADCP), and the Assistance to States for Control of Animal Diseases (ASCAD). Under NADCP, both routine and strategic vaccinations are mandated to control FMD and Brucellosis.
The viral epidemic of Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) has emerged as a serious threat to livestock and the economy in the Indian subcontinent. In India, the deadly LSD outbreak of 2022 resulted in nearly 100,000 deaths and affected over 2 million animals, causing significant economic losses for dairy farmers. In response, the National Centre for Veterinary Type Cultures in Hisar, in collaboration with the Indian Veterinary Research Institute in Izatnagar, developed a live-attenuated LSD vaccine for cattle, buffaloes, including lactating and pregnant animals, and bulls, which was proven safe through clinical trials. Guidelines and advisories for controlling LSD were distributed by field veterinarians to farmers. The field veterinarians are key grassroots workers, offer essential services directly to animal owners at their doorstep. The goat pox vaccine has been shown to be effective against the LSD virus, with over 11.96 crore animals vaccinated so far, and the vaccination campaign is still ongoing.
Animal Biotechnologists plays a crucial role in improving animal health and welfare through developing new vaccines, treatments, and diagnostic tools. A deep understanding of the molecular biology of organisms is essential for creating vaccines against bacterial infections. Biotechnological tools have been instrumental in decoding the genomic DNA of species like Clostridium, which has contributed to the development of vaccines for its associated infections. Genetic engineering has also been pivotal in viral research. The advancement of highly sensitive molecular biological tools is vital for detecting, characterizing, and differentiating virus strains for accurate diagnosis. These biotechnological tools have been effectively applied in molecular research for diseases such as Bovine Herpesvirus-1, Bluetongue, IBD, RP, Capripox, and FMD.
Several zoonotic diseases are endemic in India that cause significant health and economic losses. Veterinarians contribute tremendously to preventing the spread of zoonotic diseases like rabies, brucellosis, leptospirosis, and avian influenza. These diseases affect both humans and animals, with veterinarians serving as key players in managing the risk. Veterinarians play a crucial role in educating animal owners about the risks of zoonotic diseases, recognizing symptoms, and managing the culling of affected animals. They also ensure the safe disposal of animal carcasses to prevent the spread of infection. The success of the animal component of the National Rabies Control Programme (NRCP) relies on the efforts of both government field veterinarians and private veterinary practitioners. Despite the zoonotic nature of few animal diseases their infection is controlled at livestock level due to the fast action mechanism of veterinarians in taking proper measures, sensitize the public regarding the graveness of the situations and to stay vigilant and keep away from intake of animal foods.
Veterinarians’ Contribution to Economic Growth through Livestock Production
The livestock sector is growing fast, evident from its sustainable increase in contribution to national GDP. But still India has not achieved the optimum production potential of utility livestock. So, there is waste of lot of resources on unproductive livestock making the probable growth in livestock sector too challenging. Here comes the role of research and development in addressing the emerging challenges related to low production, improving the efficiency of the livestock sector through sustainable intensification practices and boost economy. Key interventions in research and development for improving production in the livestock sector are:
- Breeding management for better livestock performance
- Feeding Strategies for sustainable production
Breeding management for better livestock performance
The preservation of biological diversity is crucial for the sustainable development of livestock species, and breed characterization plays a pivotal role in this process. Domesticated animals are an essential genetic resource in the country, contributing significantly to food security and livelihoods. Despite their importance, a large portion of Animal Genetic Resources (AnGR) across the country remains undescribed, undocumented, and scientifically unassessed. Proper breed characterization is vital not only for enhancing genetic diversity but also for strengthening the livestock sector, which is a key driver of the economy. Documenting and evaluating these resources, reveals their full potential, benefiting both agriculture and rural economies. So “Registration of Animal Germplasm” has been initiated at National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources (NBAGR), Karnal by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). The Researchers in the field of Animal Genetics and breeding are responsibly undertaking the goal. None the less role of filed veterinarians can’t be overlooked in the process of gathering the data related to the key concerns for breed registration viz. recognizing domestic livestock with definable and identifiable external characteristics as well their geographical and/ or cultural separation from phenotypically similar groups. Of late the complementing effort of filed veterinarians and animals geneticist have led to registration of cattle breeds like Kathani (Maharashtra), Sanchori (Rajasthan), Masilum (Meghalaya); buffalo breeds like Purnathadi (Maharashtra); goat breeds like Sojat (Rajasthan), Karauli (Rajasthan) and Gujari (Rajasthan), Anjori ( Chhattisgarh) and Andamani goat; pig breeds like Banda (Jharkhand), Manipuri Black (Manipur) Wak Chambil (Meghalaya) and Andamani pig and poultry breed like, Andamani duck, Aravali chicken of Gujarat and others like Bhimthadi horse of Maharashtra and Macherla sheep of Andhra Pradesh.
Adoption of breeding technologies can generate high returns for dairy enterprises. Despite over three decades of crossbreeding efforts, the crossbred population remains relatively low—16.6% in cattle, 21.5% in pigs, and 5.2% in sheep. Artificial insemination (AI) has revolutionized the dairy industry by providing farmers with a powerful tool to improve the genetics of their herds, leading to higher milk production and, ultimately, increased income.
The nationwide AI programme, launched in September 2019, offers free AI services for livestock, with veterinarians playing a crucial role in delivering AI directly to farmers. To ensure high-quality semen, skilled specialist veterinarians are involved in selecting high genetic merit (HGM) bull and buffaloes based on techniques like whole genome sequencing and genomic chip for DNA. Sex-sorted semen technology is an advancement to AI that increase the number of superior heifers However, a lot of work is yet to be done for popularisation and adaptation of the technology as it is way far expensive and has shown lower conception rates compared to conventional semen.
Feats of animal physiologists, geneticists and biotechnologists in improving the genetic quality of livestock through breeding management and increased production exemplary. Successful implementation of techniques like embryo transfer, ovum pickup and in vitro fertilization have increased the selection intensity and reduced generation intervals during breeding of cattle and buffalo. The adoption of the technologies to multiply superior bovine germplasm is expected to revolutionize the dairy industry in India. The most recent advancement in breeding is the application of somatic cell nuclear transfer in buffalo breeding. ICAR-NDRI, Karnal has become the pioneer institute in producing cloned buffalo calves in the Country. It has opened the possibility of conserving and improving the population of endangered species. The successful production of “Deepika” the cloned calf of endangered Chhattisgarh Wild buffalo, in collaboration with Chhattisgarh Wildlife Sanctuary offers great promise for the future. Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agriculture Sciences and Technology of Kashmir, Srinagar has also successfully cloned the first Pashmina goat.
Poultry farming in India, despite several constraints, has progressed considerably during the last decade to became one of the most specialized enterprises in many parts of the country. Backyard poultry production has shown a tremendous growth rate of 45.79% in the 20th Livestock Census from the last census. Augmenting incomes and self-employment opportunities in rural area is possible by making the rural poultry sector organised. Developing and introducing superior strains of backyard poultry Vanaraja, Giriraja and Gramapriya etc. have significantly improved the nutritional status and income of rural communities. Genetic selection in broilers has resulted in improved growth performance, meat yield, and feed conversion efficiency. Indian government’s National Livestock Mission (NLM) is running a scheme for breed improvement of poultry under its Sub-Mission on Breed Development of Livestock and Poultry to make rural poultry farming more organised and promote rural poultry entrepreneurship sustainable manner with adaptation of alternative non-conventional low-cost feeding. Under these schemes, the researchers/ veterinary professionals at leading Poultry establishments of the country viz. Central Poultry Development Organisation, Central Avian Research Institute, Directorate of Poultry Research, state veterinary universities and other private organizations play pivotal role in producing birds for supply to the entrepreneurs.
Feeding Strategies for sustainable production
Animal nutrition has a significant direct impact on animal health, as well as an indirect effect on human health through animal products and on the environment through animal waste. In a livestock-dependent country, it is essential to provide precise, balanced rations—both in quality and quantity. The Breed Improvement and Balanced Rationing programmes are important attributes in the National livestock Mission run by DAHD which is hitting the ground by the unparalleled effort of Animal nutritionists and field veterinarians. To simplify the ration balancing process, making it time-efficient and easy for widespread adoption, animal nutritionists are collaborating with IT professionals to develop specialized ration-balancing software.
The sustainability of livestock Industry depends majorly on the feed and fodder supply. IGFRI Vision, 2050 envisages a deficit of 35.6% green fodder, 10.95% dry fodder and 44% concentrate feed materials in the country. The strategic inclusion of non-conventional or area-specific feed resources can significantly help bridge the gap between feed supply and demand. Animal nutritionists play a crucial role in determining the nutritional value and safe inclusion levels of such resources in livestock feed. Programs like the National Dairy Plan (NDP), initiated by the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB), aim to educate farmers on the effective utilization of nutrients through ration balancing to enhance dairy cattle productivity. These efforts have had a visible impact on farmers’ economies. The implementation of NDP-I led to increased milk yield and fat content, along with a reduction in feeding costs. On average, there was a daily increase of Rs 25.50 per animal in net income of farmer, driven by a reduction in feed costs (Rs 16.30) and higher milk yield and fat content (Rs 9.20).
India is the largest emitter of methane, with a significant contribution from its vast livestock population. Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the livestock sector primarily stem from enteric fermentation in herbivores and manure management practices. Between 2005 and 2018, emissions from the livestock sub-sector grew at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 0.01%, with a higher growth rate of 0.07% between 2012 and 2018.
Research by animal science experts focuses on improving nutrition, optimizing nutrient digestibility, and implementing nutritional interventions such as the use of probiotics and secondary plant metabolites to reduce methane production. Additionally, enhancing productivity is a key area of study aimed at mitigating methane emissions. India is a Party to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), and its Kyoto Protocol (KP), and the Paris Agreement (PA) mandates adaptation of climate resilient practices.
Conclusion
India’s extensive resources of livestock and poultry significantly contribute to the socio-economic upliftment of rural communities, providing vital nutrition and food security through the growing production of meat, milk, eggs, and wool. However, challenges such as low productivity, inadequate feed availability, and frequent disease outbreaks must be addressed to unlock the full potential of the sector. These issues can be addressed to optimize the productivity of each animal. Veterinarians, whether in the field, educational institutions, or area of research, play a key role in enhancing the genetic potential of animals, improving their nutritional status, and reducing disease incidences. Their work not only increases the profitability of the livestock sector but also ensures that the sector becomes more sustainable, resilient, and aligned with global standards. The continued collaboration between veterinarians, researchers, and policymakers will guide the livestock sector of India to play a substantial role in the Viksit Bharat campaign.
