Animal Husbandry position improving in kashmir

Srinagar, July 20: The livestock population in the Kashmir division has shown a consistent decline for the last few years as compared to the position of milk and eggs that have shown a tremendous growth especially during the last decade as per the official statistics of Animal Husbandry department.
Statistics available from the Department show that livestock population in the state increased from 32.19 lakh in 1950-51 to 46.58 lakh in 1976-77. The figure however, dropped to 37.78 lakh in 1996-97 in Kashmir division which later on showed further decline to 32.93 lakh in 2006-07.
Providing the figures about cattle and poultry population, the statistics though show an increase from 13.19 lakh (total) cattle population in the state in 1950-51 to 21.38 in 1976–77. However, the figures show a decline from 15.52 lakh of cattle population in 1996-97 to 13.73 lakh in 2006-07 in the Kashmir division.
From zero in 1950-51 to 1.07 lakh cross bred cattle population in 1976-77 the official figures show population rising to 6.88 lakh in 1996-97 to furthermore (9.60 lakh) in 2006-07. However, percentage of cross bred cattle population rose from zero in 1950-51 to five percent in 1976-77 to 44.3 per cent in 1996-97 to 70 per cent in 2006-07.
Total poultry population in the state rose from zero in 1950-51 to 20.39 lakh in 1976-77. However, the number showed a decline in the Kashmir division from 34.33 lakh population of poultry in 1996-97 to 29.71 lakh in 2006-07.
However, the official figures show increase in number of poultry farms/ projects under government sector. From 10 lakh poultry farms/projects under government sector in the state in 1976-77 the number rose to 23 lakh in the Kashmir division in 1996-97. Later two lakh more farms were added in the next decade thus, rising the number of farms to 25 lakh in 2006-07.
From 300 lakh organized poultry farms under private sector with 20 GD to 10000 broiler output every month in the Kashmir division in 1996-97, the number rose four times (1350 lakh) in 2006-07.
The official statistics show 20 lakh Kg poultry meat production in 1976-77 in the state. The number however, rose from 30 lakh Kg in 1996-97 in the Kashmir division to 56 lakh kg in 2006-07. However, per capita availability (of poultry meat production) per person per year was reported to be 110 gms in 1976-77 in the state. In 1996-97 the availability in the Kashmir division was reported to be 470 grams in 1996-97 which was almost doubled (856 grams) in 2006-07.
Comparing the milk availability over these years, the document show 0.81 lakh tonnes of milk was available in the state in 1950-51 that rose to 1.60 lakh tonnes in 1976 -77. In 1996-97 Kashmir recorded the 4.10 lakh tonnes of milk availability that increased to two-fold (8.38 lakh tonnes) in 2006-07.
From 56 grams (per capita availability per person per day) in 1950-51 the availability rose to 100 grams in 1976-77 whereas the availability per person per day increased from 254 grams in 1996-97 to 351 grams in 2006-07.
From 11 million numbers in 1950-51 egg availability rose to 24 million numbers in 1976-77 in the state. In the Kashmir division, the number doubled from 192 in 1996-97 to 363.28 in 2006-07.
From 0.7 numbers (per capita availability per person per day) in 1950-51 the availability rose to 12 numbers in 1976-77 whereas the availability per person per day increased from 44 numbers in 1996-97 to 55 numbers in 2006-07.
Quoting figures, number of veterinary institutions rose from 154 numbers in 1950-51 to 763 numbers in 1976-77 in the state. The number rose from 843 in 1996-97 to 1044 in 2006-07 in the Kashmir division.
From 350 frozen semen centres in Kashmir division in 1996-97 the figure rose to 657 in 2006-07. Two hatcheries in the state were reported in 1976-77. However, number of hatcheries in the Kashmir division has remained constant from 1996-97 to 2006-07 (three in number).