Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Major Discussion Points FOR Livestock
Major Discussion Points FOR Livestock
Major Discussion Points FOR Livestock
________________________________
This type of farming (also known as pastoral farming) is concerned with rearing of
animals, whose products are then sold. The products include milk and meat of
cattle/goats/sheep, and poultry etc. The processes involved are:
Feeding
Milking
Breeding
Slaughtering
OUTPUTS
Milk (Cattle/Goats/Sheep)
Hides (Cattle and Goat)
Wool (Sheep)
Eggs (Poultry)
Poultry Farming
In Pakistan, most of poultry farming consists of chicken. Poultry farms are mostly
found around dense centres of population (Karachi, Quetta, and Lahore) and cooler
areas (Murree, Abbottabad). Nearness to population centres reduces cost of
transportation and cooler areas are preferred for optimal growth of chickens.
Nomadic farming
It is carried out by people living in desert areas of Thar and Kharan. They move
place to place with their animals (goats, sheep and camels only) and their
belongings in search of food and water. Where their animals find land to graze, they
settle at that place temporarily so their animals can fatten up. Once the pasture is
gone (due to seasonal rainfall accompanied with high rates of evapotranspiration)
they start moving again in search of newer pastures. Animals provide milk, meat,
hides, bones (for sewing) and can be used as a mode of transport. Nomads are
usually found in those areas where crop cultivation and subsistence farming is
impossible due to unfavourable conditions for plant growth. This means that
permanent settlement of people at a single place is very rare.
Subsistence farming
In it animals are kept to do daily tasks and provide daily food requirements usually
by a subsistence farmer (agriculture one). Animals include chicken, buffalo, cow,
sheep and goats albeit on a very small scale. Chicken provide eggs and meat, cows
provide milk whereas the bull (male cow) is used for ploughing and transport
(during planting, growth and harvest of crop). The manure is also used as fertilizer
for crops. A pair of two bulls is known as a bullock.
1
the milk can be processed and packed too thus adding value to it. When the cow
stops producing milk it is slaughtered along with other bulls for their meat, which
is then sold in the market to earn a profit
Dairy farms are important in Pakistan around big cities like Karachi etc. These
farms provide milk regularly and cheaply due to the small distances involved. Meat
and hides are also provided. Hides are used by leather industry and milk is used to
make ghee. Furthermore, the dung can be sold and used in place of firewood etc
Yields of dairy animals can vary thus more focus needs to be showered upon
animal husbandry techniques to achieve good reliable yields
The existing breed of cows and buffalo produce low amount of milk or beef when
slaughtered, resulting in low turnover for the owners
Many dairy animals are susceptible to diseases including malaria. With poor
veterinary facilities the yield of animals is fairly low due to weakness. To further
compound the problem the animals may die early providing no returns
whatsoever
Monopolization and price fixing mean that the farmer receives a very low
percentage of the actual price of the milk which is sold in market. So, the
farmer has a very low turnover and he has little money to re-invest in his
business to try to improve it
2
Biogas and electricity generation facilities must be established. Decomposing
manure produces methane, which can be burnt to produce electricity. This can
be used to power refrigeration and milk processing facilities etc
Milk collection units must be setup to collect milk from different areas and
bring it to one main processing facility
Machinery can be leased to farmers like tractors. They are used to grow fodder
or transport fodder etc, as for a small farmer these are expensive to buy
Buffaloes are found mostly in canal fed areas of Pakistan, especially the doab
between Ravi and Sutlej. Nilli-Ravi breed is found in Punjab, which is known for its
high milk production. In Sindh, Kundi breed is found along both banks of Indus
but mostly in Northern and central Sindh. Other breeds are found in areas of
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa
Presence of water is very important as this animal needs to cool itself by smearing
mud on its body. Water is also used for drinking and for cleaning the farm etc. A lot
of fodder is also required (which becomes expensive to buy in non-agricultural
areas) and thus buffaloes are not found in Balochistan as this would be too
uneconomical. There are less urban areas there and thus less demand for beef
.
Buffaloes are considered to be black gold of Pakistan because the milk they
produce has a higher fat content than that of cows and goats etc. At present,
buffaloes provide almost 70% of the milk produced in Pakistan. Also, their meat is
white and desirable due to the low cholesterol level as compared to cow’s meat.
Pakistan is the 2nd largest buffalo milk producer in the world after India. Also,
Pakistan has one of the best breeds for producing milk (like Nilli and Ravi).
On the other hand, the consumption of mutton is also increasing in Pakistan due
to increasing population. Much of meat produced in Pakistan is also exported to
countries like Saudi Arabia, Oman and UAE.
Sheep along with poultry are the backbone of small rural households, which use
eggs and meat along with milk for their sustenance. But no real attention is being
paid toward this sector; there is no proper system of breeding at organizational
level, shortage of fodder and droughts in areas of Balochistan and Sindh means
that supplies of fodder are being exhausted. Thus farmers are forced to make sure
that their animals survive by grazing a same piece of land again and again. This
leads to desertification and subsequent problems of erosion that wreck agricultural
fields
3
Describe the distribution of goat rearing in Balochistan. [3]
Widespread / low and moderate in most areas
Main area in SE / E / Sindh border / Kalat / Khuzdar / Central Brahui Range
/ Kirthar
Range / Indus Plain (allow up to 2 named areas)
Main area in North / NW / NWFP border / Zhob
Low in West / Western borders / Chagai Hills / Ras Koh / Kharan desert
No information for coastal and some other areas
(ii) Suggest why the government of Pakistan discourages the rearing of goats.
[2]
Overgrazing
Loss of vegetation / deforestation
Soil erosion / soil loose
Meat provides a valuable source of protein in food, and there are many other
useful products from animals. Explain the advantages and disadvantages of
developing livestock farming in Pakistan. [6]
Advantages (res. 2)
More food / healthy food / great demand – with e.g.
Other products – with example (hides, horn)
Exports (with example)
Employment / earnings
Manure / dung / gobar / for burning
Processing industries (with example)
Sustainable e.g. animals reproduce, traditional skills
Disadvantages (res. 2)
Loss of land / water for food crops.
Overgrazing problems.
Less investment in other forms of farming.
Low income / low profit.
Disposal of waste / problems of cleanliness / pollution (with example)
Cost of setting up / fodder / vets bills etc (max 2)
Disease transfer to humans
Some products not of export quality / banned by western countries
Not sustainable e.g. (may refer to above)