ABSTRACT
Animal husbandry has been an integral part of agrarian economy since time immemorial. For many Indian tribes, animal husbandry is the sole activity for survival. It provides multiple benefits to both farming and non-farming households, including provision of draught power, farmyard manure, nutrition, and income (Vaidyanathan 1988). Traditionally, animal husbandry in India was driven primarily by the consideration of producing good quality bulls/oxen — the most critical source of power for cultivation. In the process, it also met the consumption needs of milk and meat in various parts of the country. The commercial aspect of milk and milk products did not assume central importance in the traditional livestock sector in this context as corollary animals were fed mainly with crop residues thereby establishing complete complementarities between animal and crop husbandry within the agrarian economy (ibid.).
