Animal Husbandry and
Dairy Development
The animal husbandry and dairy sector in Gujarat contributes significantly to socio-economic
development and provides sustainable livelihood to approximately 42 lakh families. Gujarat has
the highest number of milk producer members (29.70 lac) in dairy co-operative societies with the
highest milk procurement (94.58 lakh liters per day) in the country.
The State has made a long term strategic plan for enhancing production and productivity of
indigenous livestock through scientific breeding with modern technologies. It is envisaged to
establish three new Bull Mother Farms for Gir cow, Jafarabadi and Banni buffaloes to improve
local cattle breeds gradually and to cover more than 18 lakh animals under scientific breeding.
Animal Hostel
Live Stock Breed Improvement in the
tribal areas
The concept of Animal Hostel is the first-of-its-kind in the country which has been successfully
commissioned in Gujarat. This is a revolutionary step in co-operative management of cattle along with
conservation of natural resources. The Govt. plans to establish five more animal hostels during the
current year.
Animal Hostel is a large-scale community facility for milch animals of a village where the animals are
reared scientifically and managed on a co-operative basis. The facilities in the hostel includes in-house
fodder production & storage, electricity generation through bio-gas plants, vermi-compost production,
milk collection room, in-house veterinary & breeding services and water harvesting system. There is an
increase in milk yield by 15% of animals of Animal Hostel within a few months of commissioning.
As a pragmatic and scientific approach to create attractive livelihood opportunities for the
economically challenged tribal communities, a special project of livestock breed improvement
programme in tribal areas of Gujarat under one time Additional Central Assistance has been
sanctioned for Rs.106.31 Crores in the year 2011-12.
The project envisages to render benefits to 11.21 Lakh tribal families. It will encompass infrastructural
development for better and scientific livestock breeding services, health coverage and information
education campaign along with the participation of non-governmental, voluntary and private sector
organizations.
