India’s population of buffaloes is more than 50% of the world and constitutes roughly 20% of the total live stock of India. Buffaloes thrive best in areas of warm and humid climate. In India, buffaloes are reared mainly for milk but some buffaloes are also used as draught animals in certain parts of the country.
The prominent breeds of the buffaloes are the Murrah, Bhadawari, Jaffaraabadi, Surti, Meshana, Nililavi and Nagpuri. India had an acute shortage of milk but now has emerged as the largest milk producing country in the world. The transformation has taken place on account of better varieties of cows and buffaloes and also better management of animal husbandry sources.
India has the potential to become a major exporter of milk and milk products and earn precious foreign exchange. The negative image of the Indian management of its cattle population is mainly responsible for the developed world’s reluctance to import milk products from India.
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We do not have world-class cattle sheds and automatic milching stations. The cows and buffaloes are reared in conditions of total filth amid stagnant pools of water, cow-dung and sometimes even carcasses. The dairies unions developed by the State Governments have succeeded in stalling deteriorating image.
The credit goes to the Aniul, Verka, Anik, Vita and similar cooperatives elsewhere in the country. The important breeds of cows are Holstein, Jersey, Swiss Brown, Gurnsey and Ayreshire.
India also has a sizeable sheep population, roughly 5% of the world’s stock. Most of the Indian sheep’s are of poor quality yielding inferior wool in less quantity. Good varieties of sheep are to be found in the higher altitudes and provide the local population with much needed economic sustenance.
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Bharat Merino is a fine wool sheep breed produced indigenously by cross-breeding. The imported and the indigenous variety produce an average of about 4 kilograms fleece per year; wool is of fine apparel quality and also the mutton is of excellent quality.