Livestock production and agriculture are intrinsically linked, each being dependent on the
      other, and both crucial for overall food security. Livestock sector is an important sub-sector of
      the agriculture of Indian economy. It forms an important livelihood activity for most of the
      farmers, supporting agriculture in the form of critical inputs, contributing to the health and
      nutrition of the household, supplementing incomes, offering employment opportunities, and
      finally being a dependable “bank on hooves” in times of need. It acts as a supplementary and
      complementary enterprise.
           India has vast resource of livestock and poultry, which play a vital role in improving the
      socio-economic conditions of rural masses. There are about 300 million bovines, 65.07 million
      sheep, 135.2 million goats and about 10.3 million pigs as per 19th livestock census in the
      country.
      Livestock Production
           Livestock production and agriculture are intrinsically linked, each being dependent on the
      other, and both crucial for overall food security. According to estimates of the Central Statistics
      Office (CSO), the value of output livestock sector at current prices was about ₹ 5,91,691 crore
      during 2015-16 which is about 28.5 per cent of the value of output from agricultural and allied
      sector. At constant prices the value of output from livestock is about 29 per cent of the value of
      the output from total agriculture and allied sector. India continues to be the largest producer of
      milk in the world. Several measures have been initiated to increase the productivity of livestock,
      which has resulted in increasing the milk production significantly from the level of 102.6 million
      tonnes at the end of the Tenth Plan (2006-07) to 127.9 million tonnes at the end of the Eleventh
      Plan (2011-12).
      Milk Production
           Milk production during 2015-16 and 2016-17 was 155.5 million tonnes and 165.4 million
      tonnes respectively showing an annual growth of 6.37 per cent. The per capita availability of
      milk was around 355 grams per day in 2016-17.
      Egg Production
           Poultry production has taken a quantum leap in the last four decades, emerging from an
      unscientific farming practice to commercial production system with state-of-the art technological
      interventions. Egg production at the end of the Tenth Plan (2006-07) was 50.70 billion as
      compared to 66.45 billion at the end of the Eleventh Plan (2011-12). Currently the total poultry
      population is 729.21 million (as per 19th Livestock Census) and egg production was around
      88.14 billion during 2016-17. The per capita availability (2016-17) was around 69 eggs per
      annum. The poultry meat production is estimated to be 3.46 million tonnes.
      Wool Production
           Wool production declined marginally at the end of Eleventh Five Year Plan (2011-12) to
      44.7 million kg from 45.1 million kg in the end of Tenth Five Year Plan (2006-07). Wool
      production in the beginning of Twelfth Plan (2012-13) was 46.05 million kgs and increased to
      48.1 million kgs in 2014-15 but declined to 43.5 million kgs in 2016-17.
      Meat Production