The History of Livestock in Bangladesh

Livestock in Bangladesh

The history of Livestock in Bangladesh is an important topic for livestock lovers. We are interested to share some information about the history of livestock for farmers.

From ancient times animals have been used for human needs. At that time people hunted animals for food, clothing, and other necessities. Then people gradually settled in different parts of the world. And then the animal began to be reared by adapting to their own needs.

The origin of animal rearing

The origin of animal rearing is from keeping wild animals at home. Therefore, those pets that are used for the needs of human domestic life and can be benefited are called livestock. Such as cow, goat, sheep, buffalo, horse, etc.

It is unknown at this time what he will do after leaving the post. However, reviewing the history, it can be seen that the domesticated animals and birds are in the indigenous forests. Primitive people lived in the forest of animals. In those days people depended on animals for food and clothing.

They used to satisfy their hunger by eating meat, wearing clothes to ward off cold and shame. They used leather tents to protect themselves from wild animals and natural disasters. When the Stone Age came and people started building houses, they started hunting animals from the jungle and bringing them home.

They had to face some obstacles. Such as natural disasters, storms, rains, not finding prey in all seasons, wild animal attacks, etc. To overcome these difficulties, he would later bring live animals and birds from the forest and bring them home and keep them.

Thus began the keeping of animals and birds at home. Even in the Middle Ages, livestock contributed to agriculture, transportation, and food production. In the current era of the industrial revolution, apart from agro-industrial food production, livestock has also contributed to earning foreign exchange and creating self-employment.

Bloating in cattle

Livestock in Bangladesh

There are many kinds of animals and birds in the world. Due to the economic importance of these animals, people who keep them permanently and breed them are called domesticated animals. Many people call livestock and poultry livestock.
Among the domesticated animals and birds in our country, cows, buffaloes, goats, sheep, ducks, chickens are especially known.

Livestock is considered to be a very important factor in the economic development of agrarian Bangladesh. Generally, cattle refers to domestic animals such as cows, buffaloes, goats, sheep, etc., which are raised under the supervision of human beings to earn food and money.

Milk and meat are available from cattle. Besides, the role of cattle in land cultivation, threshing, transportation, fertilizer, and fuel production is immense. Cattle waste such as dung can be used as organic fertilizer.

Therefore, the role of cattle in the daily life of the people and the economic development of the country is undeniable. Cattle play a vital role in alleviating poverty and creating employment. With the proper use of resources, it will be possible to solve our current national problems such as unemployment and lack of meat.

It is also expected that in the future it will be possible to earn more foreign exchange from domestic animals and birds by alleviating poverty in the country.

Geographical spread of livestock in Bangladesh

Bangladesh is a major agricultural country. Where 70 to 80 percent of the people live on agriculture. The food security of the large population of this country is therefore directly related to the progress of agriculture in the country. Livestock is a very important part of agriculture. Limiting this partnership to the production of only animal feed such as milk, meat, eggs, etc., will devalue the contribution of livestock.

About 20% of the population of Bangladesh is engaged in full-time employment by raising cattle and poultry. According to the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, the contribution of the livestock sub-sector to the GDP in the fiscal year 2016 to 2017 is 1.60 percent.

Although the share of livestock sub-sector in GDP is small, it plays a vital role in meeting the needs of the human body in daily diet, creation of employment, production and export of leather and leather products, and especially in food security.

If energy, fuel, organic manure production, rural transport, etc. are included in agriculture, then the contribution to GDP will be more than 15 percent. Moreover, the role of animal products such as leather, fur, feathers, bones, etc. in earning foreign exchange is significant.

Reviewing history, it can be seen that the livestock in this country has always been neglected. In the sixties, the influence of West Pakistani thought acted as an obstacle in the development of animal resources in this country. After independence, the development of animal resources in this country began to reflect its thinking. The national plan was not achieved due to a lack of priority.

In the context of agricultural development, both successes in agriculture and poverty alleviation have been achieved in the past as a result of prioritizing agriculture solely on food grains. It should be noted that most of the nutrients that are essential for a healthy life are present in animal proteins.

Animal proteins play an effective role in the physical growth of human beings, in the formation of a nation full of depletion and nutrition. Therefore, the key to building a healthy and strong nation is to take a balanced amount of animal meat. The overall economic development of a country depends on the optimal utilization of domestic resources.

And ensures the best use of resources on healthy and strong people. In the last two decades, the need for eggs, milk, and meat has increased manifold to increase human awareness. The amounts of eggs, milk, and meat produced in Bangladesh are much less than the current population. Because egg, milk, and meat production are not increasing in proportion to the rate at which the population is increasing.

However, the production of eggs, milk, and meat have increased more than before. But the amount that is increasing is due to the shortage of meat. It may be mentioned here that the number of landless small farmers and marginal farmers in the country is 67 percent. The overall development of the country through investment and development in the industrial sector is not possible without improving the source of their law, self-employment, and quality of life.

Department of Livestock in Bangladesh

Agriculture in Bangladesh is basically a mixed system. Where farmers cultivate crops as well as raise cattle and birds. The Department of Livestock has been making a significant contribution in building a meritorious nation through the production of milk, meat, and eggs.

The contribution of livestock in Bangladesh to our society and economy is wide and multifaceted. Livestock in Bangladesh also plays an important role in land cultivation, threshing, transportation of goods, production of organic fertilizers, and supply of fuel.

In this land and scarcity country, livestock is an important means of alleviating poverty and creating employment. Millions of unemployed youth, young women, landless and marginal farmers of the country have continued their efforts to change their destiny by raising livestock. Livestock is an indicator of the security and social status of the poor as well as their source of economic development.

Goat farming

Density of livestock in Bangladesh

Bangladesh has a higher density of livestock than other countries in the world. The density of cattle in Bangladesh is 145 per sq km, 94 in India, 30 in Ethiopia, and 20 in Brazil.

Although the density of cattle is high in the country, their production rate is very low. Even much less than the neighboring countries. While the annual milk production of cows is 500 liters in India, 800 liters in Pakistan, and even 700 liters in Asia, Bangladesh is only 200 to 205 liters.

In our country, there is a huge opportunity to increase the production of animal bones. To this end, the Department of Livestock is continuing its efforts to increase livestock production through various extension activities including Veterinary Regulatory Service DJ Services and innovation of research technology.

Bangladesh’s livestock has already begun a number of positive changes. The poultry sector in particular has undergone groundbreaking changes over the past decade.

Department of livestock services

Department of livestock services in Bangladesh plays an important role in the export trade of the country. Especially in the last 2016 to 2017 Fiscal Year, the country has earned Rs. It is possible to increase the export income of the country many times more by increasing the quality and quantity of leather. Besides, it is possible to save hundreds of crores of hard-earned foreign currency by increasing milk production and reducing imports.

Especially in the last two years, the fattened cattle of the farmers and breeders at the Korbani market across the country are meeting the demand for cattle for sacrifice and this activity has gained much acclaim in various quarters. Animal resources have immense potential to increase export earnings through export diversification of the country.

Opportunity of livestock in Bangladesh

There is ample opportunity to export products such as meat, bones, intestines, fats, and other products. It is not only possible to earn foreign exchange through increased exports, but also to create employment opportunities and improve the quality of life of the people. This change has been noticed in the livestock sector in the world in the last decade.

Many call this change the Livestock Revolution. As a result of various scientific researches and technological developments, the production rate of livestock has increased manifold. The key area of ​​the livestock revolution is today’s developing world. Previously the role of livestock in the developing world was largely limited to meeting domestic demand.

At present, besides meeting the domestic demand of the country, the position of livestock in Bangladesh in the export trade is getting stronger and stronger.

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1 thought on “The History of Livestock in Bangladesh”

  1. Md. Rezaul Islam

    This is a site to visit. I am pleased to get such information from this site. I want to get more information about cattles’ history of Bangladesh. Your publishing paper may be helpful for my writings and would be glade to the senders, you are.
    Thanks a lot.

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