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Pakistan country paper

M. Afzal
Animal Health Institute
NARC, Park Road, Islamabad 45500, Pakistan

Introduction

Pakistan, which lies between latitude 23°N and 37°N and longitude 60°E and 76°E, is geographically diverse, with coastal beaches, lagoons and mangrove swamps in the south; sandy deserts, desolate plateaux, fertile plains and dissected upland in the centre; and valleys, snow-covered peaks and glaciers in the north. It has an estimated population of 135.3 million people and a population growth rate of 2.77%. Agriculture is the largest sector of the economy, contributing 24% of GDP, although this represents a decrease from 29% in 1984–85. It accounts for half of the employed labour force and is the largest source of foreign exchange earnings. Its growth rate over the last five decades has remained at around 4% per annum. Available annual animal protein per capita is 18 kg of meat, 155 litres of milk and 44 eggs, which, although one of the highest in South-East Asia, is still far below requirements. Demand for livestock products exceeds supply and milk powder, baby foods and live sheep are imported. This report describes the animal resources, production systems, development constraints and research priorities for livestock and poultry production.

Agro-ecological zones

Pakistan has been divided into 10 agro-ecological zones (AEZs) (Table 1): Indus Delta, southern irrigated plain, sandy desert, northern irrigated plains, Barani (rainfed) areas, wet mountains, northern dry mountains, western dry mountains, dry western plateau and the Sulaiman Piedmont (PARC 1980).

Land

Pakistan has a total area of 79.61 million hectares, 27% of which are cultivated and 8% of which are in forests. There are 8.9 million hectares of uncultivated land and 24.4 million hectares not available for cultivation (MINFAL 1995). The ratio of cultivated land to population is 0.16 ha per person. Most of the 17.2 million hectares of cultivated land are irrigated, with 70% of the water coming from canals and the rest from wells. The Indus Basin, the largest continuous irrigation system in the world, provides most of the canal irrigation. Summer monsoons in July and August and winter rains in January and February provide additional water for both irrigated and rainfed, or Barani, land (PARC 1997).

Crops

Food grains are grown on 56% of the cropped area, cash crops on 17%, pulses on 7%, oilseeds on 3%, fruits on 2%, vegetables and condiments on 1% each, and other crops, including fodder, on 13% (MINFAL 1995). There are two main crop seasons: cotton, rice, sugarcane, maize, jawar and bajra are grown during kharif, which starts between April and June and ends between October and December, and wheat, gram, barley, tobacco, rapeseed and mustard during rabi, which starts between October and December and ends between April and May. Minor crops include pulses, potatoes, onions, chillies and garlic. Punjab Province alone produces about 65% of cereals, 85% of cotton, 50% of sugarcane and 68% of pulses (MINFAL 1995).

Table 1. Agro-ecological zones (AEZs) in Pakistan.

AEZ Climate Temperature (°C)   Rainfall (mm)   Major crops Animal grazing
    Summer max. Winter min. S W    
I Arid tropical 34–45 5–20 75 5 Rice, pulses, sugarcane, berseem, banana Summer best grazing season, autumn poorest
II Arid subtropical continental 30–50 0–12 55 0 Cotton, wheat, sugarcane, rice, sorghum, berseem Summer best grazing season
III A Arid subtropical 39–45 2–7 46 0 Guar, millet, wheat Land use mainly grazing
III B Arid to semi-arid, subtropical continental 40–46 1–5 71 18 Gram, wheat, cotton, sugar-cane, guar Land use mostly grazing
IV A Semi-arid (eastern part) to arid (south-west) and subtropical continental 39–46 2–6 100 22 Wheat, sugar-cane, melons, oilseeds, cotton, maize, berseem, citrus, mango Grazing available
IV B Semi-arid and subtropical continental 36–44 1–5 32 29 Sugar-cane, maize, tobacco, wheat, berseem, sugar-beet, gram, groundnut Grazing available
V Humid, hot summers and cold winters (in foothills), semi-arid (south-west) 38–45 0–6 200 36 Wheat, millet, maize, rice, oilseeds, pulses, fodder Good grazing in summer, poor in winter
VI Humid, mild summers and cold winters (east), subhumid mediterranean 35–44 0–4 236 116 Maize, rice, wheat, apples, fodder Land use mostly forest or grazing
VII Snow-covered high mountains, mild summers and very cold winters 30–35 –13–1 20 75 Maize, wheat, rice, fruit orchards Land use mainly pasture, alpine pastures in summer
VIII Semi-arid highland 30–44 –10–8 95 35 Wheat, maize, fruit orchards Land use mostly grazing, alpine pasture in summer in same district
IX Arid desert 33–44 –4 to15 4 37 Wheat, sorghum, millet, melons, orchard fruits Land use mainly pasture, low carrying capacity
X Arid and hot, subtropical continental 40–48 1–7 38 1.3 Wheat, sorghum, millet, gram Land use mainly grazing, low carrying capacity pasture
I=Indus Delta; II=Southern irrigated plain; III–A=Sandy desert, III–B=Sandy desert; IV–A=Northern irrigated plains; IV–B=Northern irrigated plain; V=Barani (rainfed) areas, VI=Wet mountains; VII=Northern dry mountains; VIII=Western dry mountains; IX=Dry western plateau; X=Sulaiman Piedmont

Livestock

Pakistan has a large livestock population, well adapted to local conditions, and some of the best tropical breeds. Between 1955 and 1996, the buffalo population increased by 248%, cattle by 75%, sheep by 277%, goats by 530%, camels by 33% and poultry by 4255%. There are an estimated 20.7 million buffaloes, 17.9 million cattle, 30.5 million sheep, 47.6 million goats, 1.2 million camels and 380 million poultry. Buffaloes are kept mainly in the northern and southern irrigated plains, and cattle are raised throughout the country. More than 50% of sheep are reared in the western dry mountains, western dry plateau and northern dry mountains. Goats are raised in all AEZs, but larger herds are common in areas with forage and grazing. Table 2 gives the distribution among provinces. Annual production is 1.029 million tonnes of beef, 1.003 million of mutton, 385,000 of poultry meat and 20.95 million of milk, in addition to 5.915 billion eggs (Livestock Wing 1997).

Table 2. Livestock population (in thousands) in the provinces of Pakistan, 1996–97.

Species Punjab Sindh North West Frontier Baluchistan Northern areas Total
Goat 17,102 10,741 6,673 11,606 1493 47,615
Sheep 8,765 3,430 2,925 14,568 844 30,532
Buffalo 14,719 4,251 1,678 83 1 20,732
Cattle 9,007 3,957 3,355 1,182 415 17,916
Camel 397 270 87 432 1 1,187
Poultry 215,160 79,132 63,460 21,676 572 380,000

There are two breeds of dairy buffaloes, the Nili–Ravi and Kundi (Shah 1991), and 10 breeds of cattle: the Sahiwal and Red Sindhi dairy breeds, the dual-purpose Cholistani and Dhanni, and the draft breeds Thari, Dhajal, Bhaghnari, Lohani, Rojhan and Konkrej. There are also 2 million cross-bred cattle. Of the 31 breeds of sheep, the most important are Baltistani, Bibrik, Cholistani, Kachhi, Kajli, Lohi and Lati, or Salt Range. Isani and Baloch (1996) have described 34 breeds of goat, of which the most important are Beetal, Dera Din Panah, Kamori, Nachi and Teddy. There are 15 breeds of camel, including both riverine and mountain types.

Animal production systems

Except for nomadic sheep, goats and camels, peri-urban dairying and commercial poultry, animal production is closely integrated with crop production. Most farms are fully integrated mixed units with cattle, buffaloes and sometimes sheep or goats or both. Traditionally, cattle were kept as draft animals, with milk as a by-product, and buffaloes as milking animals. With the mechanisation of agriculture, however, cross-bred cattle are replacing the poorer breeds.

Dairy production

There are four main types of system (FAO 1987) for the production of milk from cows or buffaloes:
  • Rural subsistence smallholdings, producing milk for the family at minimal cost. The average subsistence unit consists of three buffaloes, including one or two adults. Grazing provides more than half of the feed requirement. Some green fodder and straw is provided and a small quantity of concentrate is given to milking cows. This traditional system makes heavy demands on family labour.
  • rural, market-oriented smallholdings, with satisfactory access to milk markets, producing milk in excess of family requirements for sale. These farmers usually keep better quality animals. A typical unit consists of fewer than six buffaloes and cattle, with two or three in milk. Milking animals are generally stall fed with seasonal green fodder, straw and concentrate, and dry cows and herd followers are grazed. There is usually no adult bull in the herd. Calves are retained during lactation, and then the males are disposed of and females are kept as replacements. This system is the main source of milk in Pakistan.
  • rural commercial farms, with more than 40 animals, 90% buffaloes and 10% cattle, on mixed crop–livestock farms or specialised farms for breeding and milk production. Fodder crops are grown and straw may be home grown or purchased. Concentrates are fed and dry females and heifers are, if possible, grazed. There is usually a bull for natural mating and the government artificial insemination service is also used. These farms are well organised and keep good records, but their contribution to the total milk supply is small.
  • Peri-urban commercial dairy farms, around all big cities, the largest being at the Landhi Cattle Colony, Karachi, where more than 150,000 milking animals are kept. Most herds in this sector have 15 to 50 animals and more than 90% are buffaloes, mostly adult lactating females. Turnover is very high. Animals close to calving or in calf are purchased, the calf is allowed to suckle for a few days and is then sold, generally for slaughter. Dry females are either sold for slaughter or returned to the rural areas for breeding. Most cows are not mated, as pregnancy reduces milk yield. Green fodder is purchased, but feed consists mainly of concentrate and straw. Since this is a high-cost system, only high-potential animals are kept.
    • In the cities, families sometimes keep one or two animals and sell the surplus milk, usually to neighbours.

    Sheep and goats

    The vast majority of small ruminant flock owners are small-scale farmers, sometimes landless. Mixed flocks are common, although separate flocks of sheep or goats can also be seen. The production systems (Ishaque 1993) are:
  • nomadic, found mostly in parts of Sindh and Baluchistan. These flocks, with more than 100 animals, move constantly throughout the year in search of grazing. Most of the lambs and kids are born between January and April, when flocks are at lower elevations. Females are retained for flock replacement or enlargement, but males are sold before they are one year old. Grazing is mainly free, but in some areas grazing or fodder may have to be purchased. Sheep are mostly shorn twice. There is some milking to provide for family consumption and for sale in the local market.
  • transhumant, where flock owners have a fixed base but move with their families to another grazing area for a major part of the year. This system is prevalent in tribal areas in parts of the North West Frontier Province and Punjab, in parts of Sindh and Baluchistan and throughout the northern areas. Average flock size is about 100 animals. Grazing is mainly on rangeland or crop residues, and sometimes areas have to be rented. The flock owners have easy access to the market and sell the male progeny, often at low weight. Sheep are shorn two or three times each year. There is some milking for family consumption or for the sale of milk or milk products.
  • sedentary–household, where flocks remain in the same locality throughout the year, are taken out to graze during the day and brought back in the evening. Flocks are small, usually between 20 and 40 animals, and graze stubble, roadsides, canal banks, waterlogged areas, rangeland and weeds. Women frequently keep a few animals, mostly goats, near the house and feed them on household scraps, weeds and nearby grazing. Before the feast of Eid-ul-Azha, at the end of the annual pilgrimage to Mecca, some entrepreneurs purchase 50–100 male sheep and goats, which they fatten and sell at a high price.

    • Poultry

    Rural poultry contributes 56% of total egg production and 25% of poultry meat (Government of Pakistan 1997). There is strong preference for eggs and meat from rural poultry and market prices for these are high compared with commercial eggs and broiler meat. There are two distinct production systems:
  • the traditional rural system, where almost all rural and about 20% of urban households keep flocks of between 5 and 10 birds, with a cock. These birds are scavengers, living on crop residues and kitchen waste, and are confined to the house at night. Common breeds are Desi, Lyallpur Silver Black, Aseel, Fayoumi, Rhode Island Red and crosses. Cockerels and old hens are eventually eaten or sold. Raising poultry is traditionally women’s work, which not only provides eggs and meat for family consumption but also meat for guests.
  • Commercial poultry production, which started in 1963 to supply the Karachi market and now has an investment of over 23 billion rupees. The average size of a layer flock is 2500 and a broiler flock 2200 birds. Concrete and brick houses are used, often with cooling during summer in hotter areas. Both broilers and layers are reared on a deep litter of rice husk or sawdust. About 10% of farmers use battery cages for layers. Broiler farms raise between four and six batches per year. Day-old chicks are purchased and reared for five to seven weeks for sale at 1.25 to 1.5 kg live weight. Layers start egg production at 20 weeks and are usually kept for a further 45 weeks. Commercial poultry feed is usually purchased, although some farmers use home-mixed feed.

    • Constraints to livestock production

    Akhtar (1986) identified the following biological, technical, social and policy constraints on livestock development in Pakistan:

    Biological

  • The lack of proven bulls and a good artificial insemination service have resulted in a large number of animals with low genetic potential. This is a major problem in setting up dairy and small ruminant development projects.
  • Estimated feed and fodder resources meet only 70% of the calculated feed requirements of the livestock population. Although sufficient in quantity, the quality of poultry feed is questionable.
  • Infectious diseases and parasites—vaccination against infectious diseases ranges from 0.5% to 10% and the quality of available vaccines needs to be improved. The animal disease surveillance and monitoring system is poor and diagnostic facilities are inadequate.

    • Social and policy

  • There is a lack of government investment. Total allocation for livestock in most of the five-year development plans has not exceeded 1% and is less than 8% of the agriculture sector allocation.
  • Most livestock raised on smallholdings by poor, landless farmers, who are not organised and have no political voice. In many areas, keeping livestock is a matter of prestige rather than an economic activity.
  • An unplanned marketing system with too many middlemen reduces producers’ profits.
  • The mandates of research and development institutions lack clarity and are too broad in relation to available resources.
  • There is a lack of well-documented, site-specific management guidelines for different livestock operations.
  • Rangelands are deteriorating because of unplanned and excessive grazing. There is no land tenure and no investment in the common rangeland.
  • With no price premiums for quality milk and meat, the viability of the commercial dairy and meat industries is questionable.

    • Priorities for livestock and poultry research

    Because of scarce financial resources and limited human resources, setting priorities for research has always been important in Pakistan. From its inception, the Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) has had a technical committee on animal health and production, composed of members from PARC, the universities, the provinces and the farming community, with the revision of national research priorities in agriculture and animal sciences as one of its main functions. Recently, a major exercise was carried out by all four provinces and PARC, resulting in the publication of the National Master Agricultural Research Plan (1996–2005) which lists high-, medium- and low-priority research projects (PARC 1997). The research areas for immediate attention are
  • Breeding
  • Nutrition
  • Reproduction
  • Health
  • Dairy science

    • Research capacity

    Research is carried out by PARC at the federal level, at the Animal Sciences Institute in Islamabad and at the Arid Zone Research Institute in Quetta. Research is conducted at eight centres, including veterinary research, in the province of Punjab, and at three centres each in the North West Frontier Province, in Sindh and in Baluchistan. There are also three agricultural universities. Liaison between animal scientists in Pakistan and international centres has been minimal and needs to be increased. The only significant efforts have been in collaboration with the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) on interactions between range and livestock, with the German Agency for Technical Cooperation (GTZ) on planning and epidemiology, and some development projects sponsored by the Food and Agriculture Organization and the United Nations Development Programme (FAO/UNDP) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

    Funding for agricultural research in 1993–94 was about half that of 1984–85, after adjusting for inflation. Future livestock improvement will be possible only through investment in research and development, with funding at five to six times the current level (PARC 1997). Livestock production offers the best use of vast areas of uncultivated land in Pakistan. There is an increased demand for livestock products because of population increase and rising income. An increase in productivity can be achieved only by well-balanced research on breeding, reproduction, nutrition and health, which addresses the needs of farmers in different production systems (Amir et al 1987). This not only will give an insight into their problems but will enable scientists to search for practical and socially acceptable solutions. The past mistake of putting emphasis on one discipline and ignoring others should not be repeated.

    References

    Akhtar A.S. 1986. Livestock Development: Issues and Policy Options. Pakistan Agricultural Research Council, Islamabad.

    Amir P., Akhtar A.S. and Dawson M.D. (eds). 1987. Livestock in Pakistan Farming Systems Research. Pakistan Agricultural Research Council, Islamabad.

    FAO (Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations). 1987. Pakistan, Livestock Sector Study. Report of the FAO/ADB Cooperative Programme Investment Centre, vol. 1 & 2. FAO, Rome.

    Government of Pakistan. 1997. Economic Survey 1996–97. Finance Division, Economic Adviser’s Wing, Islamabad.

    Isani G.B. and Baloch M.N. 1996. Sheep and Goat Breeds of Pakistan. Press Corporation of Pakistan, Karachi.

    Ishaque S.M. 1993. Sheep management systems. In: Mackintosh J.B. (ed), Sheep Production in Pakistan. Pakistan Agricultural Research Council, Islamabad.

    Livestock Wing. 1997. Livestock Distribution in Pakistan. Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock, Government of Pakistan, Islamabad.

    MINFAL (Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock). 1995. Agricultural Statistics of Pakistan 1994–95. MINIFAL, Government of Pakistan, Islamabad.

    PARC (Pakistan Agricultural Research Council). 1980. Agro-ecological Regions of Pakistan. PARC, Islamabad.

    PARC (Pakistan Agricultural Research Council). 1997. National Master Agricultural Research Plan 1996–2005. PARC, Islamabad.

    Shah S.K. 1991. Buffaloes of Pakistan. Pakistan Agricultural Research Council, Islamabad

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