STRATEGIES FOR ENHANCEMENT IN FOOD PRODUCTION

With ever -increasing population of the world, enhancement of food production is a major necessity. Biological principles as applied to animal husbandry and plant breeding have a major role in our efforts to increase food production. Several new techniques like embryo transfer technology and tissue culture techniques are going to play a pivotal role in further enhancing food production. 

9.1 ANIMAL HUSBANDRY 
  • Animal husbandry is the agricultural practice of breeding and raising livestock. As such it is a vital skill for farmers and is as much science as it is art. 
Livestock: Livestock is commonly defined as domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to produce labor and commodities such as meat, eggs, milk, fur, leather, and wool.
  • Animal husbandry deals with the care and breeding of livestock like buffaloes, cows, pigs, horses, cattle, sheep, camels, goats, etc., that are useful to humans. 
  • Extended, it includes poultry farming and fisheries. 
Fisheries: Fisheries include rearing, catching, selling, etc., of fish, molluscs (shell-fish) and crustaceans (prawns, crabs, etc.). 
  • Since time immemorial, animals like bees, silk-worm, prawns, crabs, fishes, birds, pigs, cattle, sheep and camels have been used by humans for products like milk, eggs, meat, wool, silk, honey, etc. 
  • It is estimated that more then 70 per cent of the world livestock population is in India and China. 
  • However, it is surprising to note that the contribution to the world farm produce is only 25 per cent, i.e., the productivity per unit is very low. 
  • Hence, in addition to conventional practices of animal breeding and care, newer technologies also have to be applied to achieve improvement in quality and productivity.
  • 9.1.1 Management of Farms and Farm Animals A professional approach to what have been traditional practices of farm management gives the much needed boost to our food production. 
  • Let us discuss some of the management procedures, employed in various animal farm systems. 
9.1.1.1 Dairy Farm Management: 
  • Dairying is the management of animals for milk and its products for human consumption. 
  • Can you list the animals that you would expect to find in a dairy? 
  • What are different kinds of products that can be made with milk from a dairy farm? 
  • In dairy farm management, we deal with processes and systems that increase yield and improve quality of milk. 
Strategies:

1. Selection of good breeds:
  • Milk yield is primarily dependent on the quality of breeds in the farm. 
  • Selection of good breeds having high yielding potential (under the climatic conditions of the area), combined with resistance to diseases is very important. 
Breed of cow:

  • Indigenous: Gir, Shahiwal, Sindhi, Ongol.
  • Exotic: Holstein Friesian, Jersey, Brown Swiss, Ayrshire & Red Dane
  • Hybrids: Sunandini (composite breed), Karan Swiss (Brawn Swiss & Shahiwal)
Breed of Buffalo: Murrah, Nili Ravi, Jafrabadi, Surti, etc.
2. They have to be housed well:

  • For the yield potential to be realised the cattle have to be well looked after – they have to be housed well, should have adequate water and be maintained disease free. 
3. Fodder:

  • The feeding of cattle should be carried out in a scientific manner – with special emphasis on the quality and quantity of fodder. 
4. Cleanliness and Hygiene

  • Besides, stringent cleanliness and hygiene (both of the cattle and the handlers) are of paramount importance while milking, storage and transport of the milk and its products. 
  • Nowadays, of course, much of these processes have become mechanised, which reduces chance of direct contact of the produce with the handler. 
5. Record keeping:

  • Ensuring these stringent measures would of course, require regular inspections, with proper record keeping. 
  • It would also help to identify and rectify the problems as early as possible.
6. Veterinary doctor:

  • Regular visits by a veterinary doctor would be mandatory. 
  • You would probably find it interesting if you were to prepare a questionnaire on diverse aspects of dairy keeping and then follow it up with a visit to a dairy farm in your locality and seek answers to the questions. 
9.1.1.2 Poultry Farm Management:

  • Poultry Farm Management Poultry is the class of domesticated fowl (birds) used for food or for their eggs. 
  • They typically include chicken and ducks, and sometimes turkey and geese. 
  • The word poultry is often used to refer to the meat of only these birds, but in a more general sense it may refer to the meat of other birds too. 
  • As in dairy farming, selection of disease free and suitable breeds, proper and safe farm conditions, proper feed and water, and hygiene and health care are important components of poultry farm management.
Breeds:

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