Domestic Animals

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The first edition of this book appeared in print during April 1966. 'Domestic Animals' has provided information on the wealth and diversity of the animals whom man has domesticated successfully and put to a variety of uses e.g. food, work, transport etc. After the second edition which appeared in 1980, it has become necessary to extensively revise this book so as to provide the latest available data and its impact on society.

India has a large population-next only to China. India's equally large livestock population at 369.03 million means that there is at least one domestic animal for every two humans in the country.

Cattle constitute the most significant part of our live stock with a population of 241.96 million including 61.96 million buffaloes. Sheep and goats total 116.24 million whereas horses, mules, donkeys and camels constitute another 3.16 million heads. Pigs at 7.6 million are another important segment of the total livestock population.

Livestock contributes nearly 10.9 per cent of the country's National Income from agriculture. This estimate does not include the significant value of draught power supplied by working animals. In Rupee value the current livestock contribution exceeds Rs.10,000 crores per year.

India possesses nearly 12 per cent of the total livestock population of the world and if all these animals are made to stand in a single file, they will go round the world at the equator about eleven times and will easily cover the dis tance from the earth to the moon.

India's cattle population equals that of North America.

**Contents and Sample Pages**