INTRODUCTION
The Indian dairy industry is contributing significantly to the country's economy, besides improving
the health standard by increasing the nutrition value of the food. The value of output from Dairy Sector
increased to Rs.5,00,510 million in 1994-95 from Rs.2,75,080 million in 1990 and is expected to reach
the level of Rs. 8,50,000 million by the year 2000 A.D.
India occupies first position in the world having a total bovine population of 288 million compared
to the world's total bovine population of 1420 million. As per 1992 livestock census, the country has
about 62.90 million breedable cows and 42.46 million breedable buffaloes (State wise and
species/breed wise figures are given in Annexure I). The cross bred cattle are predominant in Kerala,
Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu , Punjab and Uttar Pradesh, While buffaloes are very common in Uttar
Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Punjab, Bihar, Karnataka
, Haryana and Tamil Nadu
