Role of Livestock in Farmer’s Economy

There is huge role of livestock in farmer’s economy The farmers maintain mixed farming system i.e. a combination of crop and livestock where the output of one enterprise becomes the input of another enterprise thereby realise the resource efficiency.

The livestock serve the farmers in different ways:

1. Income
2. Employment
3. Food
4. Social Security
5. Draft
6. Dung

Income

Livestock is a source of subsidiary income for many families especially the resource poor who maintain few heads of animals.

Cows and buffaloes if in milk will provide regular income to the livestock farmers through sale of milk.

Animals like sheep and goat serve as sources of income during emergencies to meet exigencies like marriages, treatment of sick persons, children education, repair of houses etc.

The animals also serve as moving banks and assets which provide economic security to the owners.

Employment

A large number of people being less literate and unskilled in villages and depend upon agriculture for their livelihoods. But agriculture being seasonal in nature could provide employment for a maximum of 180 days in a year.

The land less and less land people depend upon livestock for utilising their labour during lean agricultural season.

Food

The livestock products such as milk, meat and eggs are an important source of animal protein to the members of the livestock owners.

Social Security

The animals offer social security to the owners in terms of their status in the society. The families especially the landless which own animals are better placed than those who do not.

Gifting of animals during marriages is a very common phenomenon in different parts of the world.

Rearing of animals is a part of the culture in some states. Animals are used for various socio religious functions. Cows for house warming ceremonies; rams, bucks and chicken for sacrifice during festive seasons; Bulls and Cows are worshipped during various religious functions. Many owners develop attachment to their animals.

Draft

The bullocks are the back bone of agriculture in some countries. The farmers especially the marginal and small depend upon bullocks for ploughing, carting and transport of both inputs and outputs.

Dung

In rural areas dung is used for several purposes which include fuel (dung cakes), fertilizer (farm yard manure), and plastering material (poor man’s cement).