StatsGuru: Decoding the state of bovines in India

In the wake of several states banning beef, the state of bovine husbandry sector, as shown in the livestock census of 2012, is worth noting

In the wake of several states banning beef, the state of the animal, and specifically bovine, husbandry sector, as shown in the last livestock census of 2012, is worth noting. 

As Table 1 shows, bovines together are almost half of India’s livestock, but of that cattle are almost two-thirds.

1: Buffaloes less in number than cattle...

     Distribution of livestock population in 2012 (%)

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However, as Table 2 suggests, buffalo milk is a much larger proportion of total milk consumption than the animals’ share of the livestock population would suggest.

2: ...but their milk output is more than indigenous cattle’s

      Animals which contribute towards milk production (% share in 2012)

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How many male buffaloes are culled or slaughtered for meat is also clear from Table 3, which shows the population imbalance between male and female buffaloes.

3: Culled males have led to population imbalance

      Male and female buffaloes during 1992-2012 (‘000)

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Some trends in the population of cattle are interesting: Over the past decade, the number of cows has sharply increased, as Table 4 demonstrates.

4: Number of cows has sharply increased... 

      Female cattle population during 1992-2012 (‘000)

  Many more of them are exotics or cross-breeds, as Table 5 shows.

5: ...and many of them are exotics or cross-breeds

      Share of indigenous and exotic/cross-bred cattle in total cattle population (% share)

The proportional share of states in the cattle and buffalo population is shown in Table 6 and 7. Note for example that Andhra Pradesh, where buffalo meat is common, has a higher share of buffaloes than cows.

6: UP among states with a bigger share of cattle

      Point your cursor on states to know their share in India’s total cattle population in 2012 (%)

(The other states account for 8.28% of India's total cattle population)

7: Andhra has a higher share of buffaloes

     Point your cusrsor on the states to know their share in India’s total buffalo population in 2012 (%)

(The other states account for 7.38% of India's total buffalo population)

Finally, the decadal variation in the populations of the two species is shown in Tables 8 and 9.

8: Gujarat has seen a big spike in cattle population

      State/UT-wise percentage variation in number of cattle (2007-2012) (% change)

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9: Uttar pradesh has seen a rise in buffaloes 

      State/UT-wise percentage variation in number of buffaloes (2007-2012) (% change)

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