Livestock Development

Livestock often form the major capital reserve of farming households and, in general, enhance the economic viability and sustainability of a farming system. Livestock integrated into farming is an age old traditional practice of many farming communities in semi-arid regions. In the tribal region of southern Rajasthan there is a large stock of cattle population but the returns are very poor due to weaker breeds, poor rearing practices, lack of veterinary services and poor market linkages. GSS has implemented an innovative dairy development program 'Heifer Project ' in tribal dominated Sarada block of Udaipur district. GSS's interventions in the Heifer Project were extended through the introduction of better quality of breeds by providing two heifers with different pregnancy period to each beneficiary, training of beneficiaries in feeding and husbandry practices, development of cadre veterinary care and the creation of systems for effective marketing. Through this intensive dairy development program, farmers in this tribal area were introduced to the cross breeding of animals for the first time successfully. This program not only resulted in a rapid growth in milk production but also a substantial change in the structure of cattle population has been observed in the target areas and because of which now this area has become a major milk supplier in the Udaipur district. GSS is also promoting goat rearing due to its suitability to semi-arid regions and goat rearing provides a household with numerous products like milk, skin, meat and manure. Despite goat-rearing being a rarity, earnings are low due to poor husbandry practices in our area. Currently we are focusing on our watershed area by promoting small flocks with breed improvement, feed supplementations and veterinary care. Apart from this, animal husbandry camps are being organized in association with Government Agencies.