The Hindu Business Line : Farmers prefer to rear buffaloes over cows

Growing `tractorisation' of the rural economy, alongside the diffusion of cross-breeding technologies, has resulted in a depletion of the country's cattle population, even as buffalo numbers have shown a perceptible jump in recent decades.

The latest provisional 17th Livestock Census for 2003, released by the Union Agriculture Minister, Mr Sharad Pawar, here shows that the country's total cattle population has fallen from 20.46 crore in 1992 to 19.89 crore in 1997 and 18.52 crore in 2003. Correspondingly, the number of buffaloes has risen from 8.42 crore to 8.99 crore and 9.79 crore, respectively.

Since 1961, the total cattle population has marginally gone up from 17.56 crore to 18.52 crore, whereas the buffalo numbers have almost doubled from 5.12 crore to 9.79 crore over this period.

Experts attribute this trend largely to technology and also a marked change in the way farmers perceive bovines — more as milch animals and less as draught animals. With tractors penetrating the country, especially in the post-Green Revolution era, farmers see little value in maintaining bulls or oxen for carrying out agricultural operations. Instead, they prefer to keep animals for their milk yielding value.

An indication of this is that while the overall cattle population has shrunk from 20.46 crore to 18.52 crore between 1992 and 2003, the number of cross-bred cattle has shot up from 1.52 crore to 2.47 crore. On the other hand, the population of indigenous cattle breeds has reduced from 18.94 crore to 16.05 crore during this period.

Simply put, farmers are showing an increasing preference to rear buffaloes over cattle, more so female buffaloes that yield milk with higher fat value. Even if they do keep cattle, they would choose improved cross-breeds that give more milk than the desi breeds. And as far as draught power is concerned, there is little doubt that bullocks have been significantly elbowed out by tractors, power tillers, diesel engines and electric motors in the last 4-5 decades. In many parts, all farm operations other than ploughing and tilling have virtually given way to mechanical and electrical sources of power.

To the extent milk has become the predominant reason for farmers keeping bovines, it also means that the male cattle (or even buffalo) is viewed more as a liability than an asset. Unlike a tractor, which has to be provided fuel only when it is used, the farmer incurs expenses on fodder for his animals throughout the year, irrespective of whether or not it is employed for field operations. It is for this reason that he only rears animals that give milk, while the male bovines are usually disposed of in cattle fairs, from where they possibly end up in the slaughter house.

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