There was an overall decline of 3.33 per cent in the total livestock population in the country, according to the 19{+t}{+h} Livestock Census (2012), compared to the 2007 census.

In 2012, the total livestock population, consisting of buffaloes, sheep, goats, pigs, horses and ponies, mules, donkeys, camels, mithun and yak, stood at 512.05 million in 2012 against 529.69 million in 2007.

However, some States showed an increase in livestock population, like Gujarat (15.36 per cent), Uttar Pradesh (14.01 per cent), Assam (10.77 per cent), Punjab (9.57 per cent) Bihar (8.56 per cent), Sikkim (7.96 per cent), Meghalaya (7.41 per cent), and Chhattisgarh (4.34 per cent). The census is published by the Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries. It was released here on Wednesday. The number of milch animals (in-milk and dry), cows and buffaloes, increased from 111.09 million to 118.59 million, up 6.75 per cent, while the number of ‘animals-in–milk’ increased from 77.04 million to 80.52 million, showing an increase of 4.51 per cent, the release said.

The population of female cattle (cows) also increased to 122.9 million, up 6.52 per cent over the 2007, along with a 7. 99 per cent rise in female buffalo population, which stood at 92.5 million in 2012. However, the goat and sheep population registered a decline of 3.82 per cent and 9.07 per cent respectively over the previous census. The camel and donkey population also decreased sharply by 22.48 per cent and 27.22 per cent in 2012, over the 2007 Census.

While exotic/crossbred milch cattle increased from 14.4 million to 19.42 million, showing an increase of 34.78 per cent, there was a decline in the male breed (by 12.75 per cent) against a 28.78 per cent rise in the female breed. The indigenous milch cattle, too, increased from 48.04 million to 48.12 million, with the number of milch buffaloes rising from 48.64 million to 51.05 million, up 4.95 per cent over the 2007 census.

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