Priority Areas of Livestock Sector for Strengthening

Food & Nutrition Security in Nepal

Tek B Gurung and Bimal K Nirmal

Nepal Agricultural Research Council

ILRI workshop on transforming livelihoods in South Asia through sustainable livestock research and
development
Kathmandu, Nepal, 13-14 November 2018
 Objectives
To give an overview on status and priorities of livestock sector

2
 Nepal : Altitude & Animal Breeds Distribution
Total Area: 1,47,181 sq km
Mt. Everest 8848 m

Upper limit of
5000 ARCTIC grazing
HIMALAYA Upper limit of Yak,
ALPINE
Chauri, Sheep,
4000
SUB Horse
ALPINE ( Holstein-Friesian,
HIGH
Jersey

Meter
MOUNTAIN Lulu, Achhami &
3000
COOL other cattle, goat,
TEMP-
Longitude: 850 E, Latitude: ERATE sheep, poultry
birds
270 N Lowest Altitude: 64 2000 Holstein-Friesian,
MIDDLE
m China WARM Jersey
TEMP- MOUNTAIN
ERATE
Parkote, Lime,
Murrah, Poultry, Pig
1000
SUB SIWALIK
Holstein-Friesian,
India TROPIC
Jersey, Murrah, goat,
AL
TERAI sheep, pig poultry

Population : 29.73 million (2018), 36 million by 2050.

 Livestock sector in Nepal
• Per capita income 1000US$
• Livestock contributing ~11% to NGDP
(MoLD 2017).
• Population growth rate 1.13% (2016)
• Population in Agriculture 65.6%
• Without livestock small farmers
cannot sustain
• ~10-20% of livestock farmers may be
commercial
• The highest ratio of livestock to
humans in Asia (5.8 heads of livestock &
poultry/ household).
• Cattle - as sacred animal
• Goat, poultry & pig- sacrificed in
ceremonies.
4
 Malnutrition in Nepal
• ~36% of children suffer from stunting,
• ~10% from wasting,
• ~ 53% from anemia,
• ~ 41% of women of reproductive age suffer from anemia,
• ~ 17% from long term energy deficiencies (source : http://www.nnfsp.gov.np/)

• Malnutrition slows economic growth and perpetuate for poverty

through direct losses in productivity (World Bank 2017).
• GDP lost due to malnutrition can be reach as high as 2-3%.
• The GoN targets to reduce the rate of stunting from 36 to 24% by
the year 2025 and to 14% by 2030.
Source: https://www.wfp.org/countries/nepal/overview

5
 Cow

Buffalo

Buffalo

Cow
 Challenges & Priorities : Livestock Sector
• Import substitution is the Min. temp trend in 3 Eco Zones

Annual Ave Min Temp

great challenge. 18
13

(oC)
• Despite of high number of 8 Mountain min Hill min Terai min
animals, poor genetics,
3
nutrition, value chain,

1980
1982
1984
1986
1988
1990
1992
1994
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
2006
2008
2010
Year
health and small holdings
etc. causing low Annual Ave. Max. Tem (0C)
Max Temp Trend in 3 Eco-Zones
31
productivity.
Mountain Max Hill Max Terai Max
26
• Climate change impacting
feed availability, animal 21
health and reproduction.
16 Source : NASRI (2014)
1980
1982
1984
1986
1988
1990
1992
1994
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
2006
2008
2010
Year
7
 Priorities
• 58 directives by Hon. Minister 5 Pillars of Breeding Policy
• Self sufficiency in egg, meat &
milk production
• Genetic improvement by:
• Doubling the improved breeds
by 2020.
• Promotion of AI activities
• Prioritizing frozen semen
production of improved breed
• Value chain promotion
• Emphasis on pasture based
livestock development
• 4 mission programs, forage,
goat, pig & pork
• DCIP, BGIP Collaboration (DLS &
NARC)
 • 11 Cost Centers
Livestock Research in NARC • 8 Research Units

• National Cattle Res. Program RARS Tarahara

• National Buffalo Res. Program • Swine Unit,
• Mountain Agriculture Research • Poultry Unit,
Institute • Pasture Unit
• Pasture & Fodder Res. Station, ARS. Pakhribas, Dhankuta
Rasuwa • Goat, Swine, Poultry, Rabbit
• Goat Res. Station, Bandipur RARS Parwanipur
• Sheep & Goat Res. Program • Poultry Unit
• Swine and Poultry Res. Program RARS Lumle
• Animal Breeding Division • Sheep, Goat, Rabbit,
• Animal Nutrition Division RARS Nepalgunj
• Pasture & Forage Division • Goat, Sheep, Pasture
• Animal Health Res. Division RARS, Doti
• Fisheries Res. Division • Cattle
 26 native breeds identified, contributing high; but
neglected; thus conservation & promotion required
Cattle (7) : Lulu, Siri, Acchami,
Pahadi, Terai, Khaila, Yak

Buffalo (4): Gaddi, Lime, Parkote,

Terai

Goat (4): Terai, Khari, Sinhal,

Chyangra

Sheep (4) : Lampuchhre, Kage,

Baruwal, Bhyanglung

Pig (4) : Chwanche, Hurrah,

Bampudke, Bandel (wild)

Chicken (3): Saakini, Ghanti

Khuile, Pwankh Ulte
 Ex- & in-Situ Conservation of Lulu Cattle

Kathmandu Manang District

Photo: Bhola Shrestha (ABRD)

Highest milk yield : 3.7 L /d 11
 No food security without seed & breed security
Documentation of Native Farm Animal Genetic Characters
Molecular level genetic diversity of native animal breeds

Source: ABRD
Frozen semen for conservation
Goat Genetic Improvement Program

Boer

Saanen
 AI Technology in Goat
Using CIDR (progesterone) and Folligon
(PMSG) hormone female goat after
synchronization the conceiving rate
reached up to 55%.
 Local Pig Breed Improvement
Bampudke pig in far west/mid west

Photo: Bhola Shrestha (ABRD)

Ex-situ Conservation of Bampudke

pig

75% wild boar cross

 Use of fresh semen for AI in pigs
Use of fresh semen in pigs of
farmers achieved 84% success rate
performed in 115 pigs.
 Black Colored Pig Development
After Pakhribas Black Pig, Now (Duroc x Nagpuri) crossed black pig

18
Photo: ABRD
Poultry Breed Improvement
 Development of Dual Purpose Poultry

Sakini Bax (GR+Sa) (GR+Sa)xNH

(BA+Sa)xGR (NH+Sa)xGR NHx(GR+Sa)

Photo: Bhola Shrestha (ABRD) 20
Technological package of Turkey & Quail

21
Formula A
Maize flour – 41% - Feed - 25% (Formula A)
Rice - 20% - Green Grass - 55%
Mustard Cake - 25%
Min Mix – 1% - Rice straw 20%
Molasses – 10
Urea – 2%
Salt – 1%
Per day BW gain, in gm

827 866
677
528

A B C D
 Baseline Data on Zoonotic Diseases
60
50 mountains
40 hills
Frequency

30
terai
20
10
0
brucella

toxoplasmosis

LPAI
cysticercosis

leptosiporisis
bluetongue

disease
Photo: AHRD 23
 Recently Released Forage Crop (May 24th, 2015)
(Potential milk, meat, wool, production has been masked due to insufficient fodders & pasture)

Rye Grass Dhunche Oat Amritdhara

Berseem Green Gold Photo: Kishor Shrestha (PFRD) Oat Nandini 24

 Forage Varieties in Pipeline for Registration
(2015)

Oat-Swan Cocksfoot-Rasuwa

Teosenti-sirsa
Photo: Kishor Shrestha (PFRD)
Berseem-Mescavi 25
 Forage Varieties in Pipeline for Registration
(2015)

Oat-Swan Cocksfoot-Rasuwa

Teosenti-sirsa
Photo: Kishor Shrestha (PFRD)
Berseem-Mescavi 26
 Year-round Fodder Production Technological
Model (Season Based)

Photo: Kishor Shrestha (PFRD)

(Winter) (Summer) (Perennial)

• Oat, Berseem, Vetch & Saftal (Winter: Dec-Mar)
• Teosenti, sorghum, Sudan, cowpea (Summer: Apr-Sep)
• Napier, Setaria, Dinanath, Para, Rhodes, Mulato, Peanut, Stylo
(Perennial: July- Feb) 27
 Agro-forestry Models (Farming Based)

Terraces Agri silvi pasture Risers

Banana alley crop model Horti pasture Silvi pasture 28

Photo: Kishor Shrestha (PFRD)
 Hydroponic fodder production

Oat
Maize

Wheat

Hydroponic forage (maize) for

piglets feeding trial
 Sugarcane Silage & Baggase – for
Ruminant
- Sugarcane tops silage -
with 1 % urea (31%
increased in milk
production)
- Sugarcane baggase silage –
with 1-2 % urea + 0.5%
mineral mixture . Photo: ANRD

- Dry period feeding

in ruminant).

30
 Climate Resilient Technologies
Urea Molasses Mineral Block
(UMMB) reduces CH4 Gas in the
Rumen by > 2 times (7 Vs. 17%)

Total Mix Ration (TMR) Technology

• Integrated TMR block enhanced 15%

of milk production
• For TMR block 17% Maize flakes
• Rice bran 10%
• Soya powder 15%
• Grass 35%
• Straw 20%
• Lime 1%
• Salt 2%
31
Photo: ANRD
 Conclusion
• Modernization of R&D facilities along with quality human
resources.

• Urgent need to formulate a national livestock policy.

• So that Nepal can sustainably increase livestock

productivity and production by diversification,
commercialization and conservation etc.

• An ILRI office in Nepal could help in achieving Nepal’

livestock sectors priorities.
 Thanks
For further questions : tek_fisheries@hotmail.com