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LIVESTOCK SECTOR |
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Background
Livestock plays a very important role in supporting rural livelihood in Bumthang dzongkhag. This is evident from the fact that almost every household in rural area owns livestock and hence it has a high livestock population. Bumthang is considered as the livestock development priority area. This could be substantiated by existence of a number of livestock central farms viz. the National Feed and Fodder Development Programme (NFFDP), the National Horse and Brown Swiss Cross Breeding Programme, the National Sheep Breeding Centre (NSBC) and the Renewable Natural Resource Research Centre with the national mandate to coordinate livestock research in the dzongkhag. The dzongkhag, considering the topography and favorable environment condition for dairy most of the activities are focused towards development of dairy industry. Other livestock, i.e. poultry, horse, yak, sheep and piggery development activities are pursued based on the demand and interest of the farmers
Objectives:
To contribute to the national goals of poverty alleviation through enhancing livestock production and generation of cash income for farmers through sells of excess livestock products produced
Strategies:
- Improve local breed through cross breeding with imported semen (artificial insemination) and supply of exotic breeding stocks
- Enhance production through effective and efficient disease control and prevention measures (vaccination, deworming, sterilization etc)
- Lease government land for pasture development and encourage farmers in development of pastures in their private land
- Provide marketing support
- Render effective and efficient extension services on time
- Encourage adoption of less number of productive livestock with improved management practices ( backyard/community farm establishment)
- Encourage livestock group formation
- Strengthen institutional capacity (RNR construction, equipments, EAs and farmers training/study tour)
Livestock Population:
The Livestock Population for all the Gewogs is as follows:
1. L.Cattle- 4533 nos
2. Mithun Cross- 1620 nos
3. Yak- 3043 nos
4. Jersey x- 1336 nos
5. Brown Swiss x- 2583 nos
6. Local Horses- 1112 nos
7. Imp. Horses- 226 nos
8. Local Poultry- 376 nos
9. Imp.Poultry-599 nos
10. Local Sheep- 502 nos
11. Imp. Sheep- 397 nos
12. Dog- 1096 nos
13. Cat- 797 nos
Livestock production:
The Livestock production for all four Gewogs is as follows:
1. Total Milking cows- 2194
2. Milk Production- 827520.5 litres
3. Butter Production- 120505.8 Kgs
4. Cheese Production- 311160 balls
5. Eggs- 238832 nos
Existing improved pasture area:
Today, the Dzongkhag has about 2268 acres of improved pasture owned by 1700 farmers. However, given a large cattle population the existing pasture merely meets the fodder requirement; thus the natural grassland still plays as important feed and fodder resources. To substantiate feed and fodder shortage especially in the lean season, we encourage farmers to feed the animals with concentrate/commercial feeds. For easy access to those feeds a feed agent was set –up in the dzongkhag.
Existing Farmers’ Associations:
1. Chokor gonor Gongphel Chithuen Tshogpa
2. Shingneer Dorji Dradule Tshogpa
3. Chungphel Yathra Gongphel Tshogpa
4. Tang Welfare Association Dairy Farm (TCWA)
Existing infrastructure:
The existing infrastructures present in the Livestock Sector are as follows:
1. Veterinary Hospital at Batpalathang
2. Staff Quarter(Unit)
3. Livestock Extension Centre at Thangbi
4. Livestock Extension Centre at Tang
5. Livestock Extension Centre at Ura
6. Livestock Extension Centre at Chumme
Ongoing major activities:
1. Construction of dzongkhag veterinary hospital – Centrally executed
2. Construction of staff quarter at RNR-EC, Thangbi
3. Construction of Milk Processing Unit (MPU), Tamshing, Chokor geog
4. Construction of MPU at Chumey geog
5. Water supply and construction of 1 unit toilet at RNR-EC, Thangbi
6. FMD and BQ vaccination
7. Sterilization and anti-rabies campaign
8. Rendering regular extension services as and when required
9. Rendering artificial insemination (AI) services for breed improvement
Field Issues on Livestock Development:
1. Feed and fodder shortage
2. Non availability of a quality breeding heifers/cows
3. Yak husbandry is constraint by frequent outbreak of Gid disease
4. Inadequate skills and knowledge of the staff in the management of the group
5. Inadequate HRD support for the field staff
6. Livestock depredation by wild animals.
Staff present in Livestock Sector:
1. Jigme Wangdi- Dzongkhag Livestock Officer
2. Dawa Dorji- Asst. Livestock Officer
3. Yeshi Dema- Jr. Extension Officer
4. Pema Chophel- Pasture Supervisor (VH)
5. Tashi Penjore- AIT(VH)
6. Jai Narayan Sharma-LEO(VH)
7. Tawa Gyeltshen-LHS-1(VH)
8. Phurpa Namgyel- AIT (Thangbi)
9. Karma Wangda- AIT(Tang)
10. Pema Wangchuk- AEO(Tang)
11. Jigme- AEO(Chumme)
12. D.B Gurung -AHA(Chumme)
13. Tashi Jamtsho- Jr.Ext Officer (Chhokhor)
14. Phurba Thinley – AHS(Chhokhor)
15. Kezang Tshering- Attendent
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