Animal Genetic Resources of India – An Overview

Abstract

A very few nations of the world are bestowed with huge resources and India is one of them. India is aptly placed in one of the 12 mega-biodiverse countries of the world contributing about 11.6 percent to the world livestock population, accounting for immense contributions from the livestock sector to its GDP (4.1%). The local indigenous livestock having evolved over thousands of years cooperates to the low management inputs exhibiting unique traits of productivity, feed utilization, disease resistance and adaptability. However, the indigenous livestock germplasm is often threatened to be diluted with the approach of cross-breeding and some other complexities of our breeding policy, including frequent shifts and poor resource base. The Indian government and the agencies concerned are steadfast in the process of making a fool proof and perfect breeding policy. These attempts are often associated with efforts for the conservation of different breeds at their native tracts. By establishing breeding units, national research centres and other such initiatives along with various other missions taken up at ground level, the only aim is to better the productivity and conservation of indigenous livestock resources.