Assessment of sustainability of livestock farming system in Punjab
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Date
2020
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Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana
Abstract
The present study was conducted to examine the role of livestock sector in national economy, interaction between crop & livestock sector and assessment of sustainability of livestock sector with particular reference to the state of Punjab. The secondary data on the variables pertinent for the examination of role of livestock sector were culled from various published sources. The other objectives were accomplished by using the primary data for 2017-18, collected through personal interview method from 180 mixed farm holders of three agro climatic zones (Sub Mountainous Zone referred to as Zone 1: 45; Central Plain Zone as Zone 2: 90; South Western Zone as Zone 3: 45) of Punjab, equally spread over three land holding categories (Small: <5 acres; medium: 5-10 acres; large: >10 acres) selected with Four Stage Sampling Technique. The contribution of Punjab, home to only 1.6 per cent of country’s livestock resources, stands at 7 per cent in case of milk production, 5.4 per cent in case of eggs and 3.4 per cent in case of meat. The strength of Punjab’s livestock sector lies in the fact that it contributed 8.1 per cent to total GSDP in relation to only 4.6 per cent at all India level in TE 2016-17. As regards the narratives of crop – livestock production in selected mixed farms, the cropping intensity was observed to be the highest in case of Zone 2 (210.7 %) followed by that in Zone 3 and Zone 1 (203.6 %). The fodder area irrespective of agro- climatic zones, has been observed as 1.20 acres in case of small, 1.51 acres in case of medium and 2.21 acres in case of large farms, which is in direct proportion to the herd size (ACUs) of 3.92 for small, 4.30 for medium and 5.38 for large farms. The dependence on tree leaves as a source of green fodder in Zone 1 got reflected in comparatively smaller area allocated to fodder crops (0.26 acre/ACU) contrasted to 0.39 acre/ACU in Zone 2 and 0.37 acre/ACU in Zone 3. As regards the fodder consumption on per ACUs basis in Zone 1, it was lower than that in maximum fodder endowed Zone 2 by 35 per cent in case of small farms, 26.8 per cent in case of medium and 11 per cent in case of large farms. However on dry matter (DM) basis, Zone 1 was statistically (p< 0.05) at par with Zone 2 and Zone 3 attributed primarily to high DM content of tree leaves in comparison to commonly cultivated fodder crops. The annual methane emission (enteric and manure) from livestock component of mixed farms was estimated as 237.0 kg CH4/farm in Zone 1, 408.25 kg CH4/farm in Zone 2 and 314.18 kg CH4/farm in Zone 3, with buffalo and crossbred cattle taken together accounting for 92.3 per cent in Zone 1, 94.7 per cent in Zone 2 and as high as 98 per cent in Zone 3. As regards the quantification of crop livestock synergy beyond the farm level by way of fodder sale, a total of 31 farms per 100 mixed farms were synergized in Zone 1, the corresponding figure for Zone 2 and Zone 3 being 22 and 24 respectively. Irrespective of Zones, the area synergized by way of FYM application stood at 29.04, 30.15 and 28.07 per cent of GCA in case of small, medium and large farms. The assessment of sustainability of milk production established the supremacy of crossbred cattle as being environmentally most sustainable in case of Punjab, the methane emission intensity being the lowest in case of crossbred cows (24.62 g/kg) in comparison to buffalo (29.88 g) and indigenous cattle (31.73 g). It needs to be highlighted that the methane emission rate has been the lowest in case of indigenous cattle in comparison to buffalo and crossbred cattle. The conspicuously higher emission intensity in case of indigenous cattle can be attributed to poor genetic potential leading to lower milk productivity. The quantitative assessment of sustainability of livestock component of mixed farms accomplished through Composite Index of Livestock Sustainability, CILS (based on Livestock Production Efficiency and Livestock Ecological Sustainability dimension) conclusively established Zone 2 as the contender of first position in terms of sustainability. It was enunciated by CILS value of 70.0 attained by Zone 2, which was significantly (p<0.05) higher than that recorded in case of Zone 1 (57.2) and Zone 3 (61.4). The analysis points towards prioritized attention to Zone 1 and Zone 3 and particularly so to the small farmers by creating conducive policy environment to enhance the sustainability.