The Livestock Census started in the country in the year 1919. So far, 20 livestock censuses have been conducted. Livestock Census is a complete count of the livestock and poultry at pre-defined reference point of time. Similar to population census, primary workers are engaged to undertake house to house enumeration and ascertain the number, age, sex, etc., of livestock/poultry possessed by every household/ household enterprise/ non-household/ non-household enterprises and institutions in rural & urban areas of the country. For the first time tablet computers were used for conduct of 20th livestock census.
The production of major livestock products (MLP) namely milk, eggs, meat and wool is estimated on the basis of annual sample surveys conducted under the Central Sector Scheme “Integrated Sample Survey”. The scheme is implemented by the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying through State Animal Husbandry Departments. All States & UTs are implementing the scheme. Surveys conducted in entire rural and urban areas of the States and UTs. The survey period is from March to February and the entire period of one year is divided into 4 months each. This helps in bringing up progressive estimates of aggregates and also takes care of seasonality if any in the characters under study.
