Read the passage and answer the following questions:
Cattle Breeding Cross-breeding helps in the development of certain desired
characteristics in animals like, Increased milk production, Resistance against
diseases,
Breeds that require less amount of quality feed.
Exotic breed cattle (long lactation) are interbred with the locally bred cattle (high
resistance to the diseases) to produce high quality bred that contain both the
characteristics. In order to obtain a good quality of milk from the cattle, it is
important to manage shelter, food, breeding and disease control of cattle. Cattle
are prone to various internal and external parasites, bacteria and virus which are
likely to affect their milk production. Animals that produce milk are called milch
animals (the females of the herd). Animals that are used for carrying out
agricultural work like tilling, carting etc. are called draught animals (males and
the females that are poor in milk-yielding varieties).
Answer the following questions:
17) What are milch animals?
18) What are the draught animals?
19) How does cross-breeding help in cattle breeding?
20) Mention the preconditions for a good yield of milk?
Answers
Answer:
The livestock sector has emerged as a vital sector for ensuring a more inclusive and sustainable agriculture system. Evidence from the National Sample Survey Office’s (NSSO) 70th round survey showed that more than one-fifth (23 per cent) of agricultural households with very small parcels of land (less than 0.01 hectare) reported livestock as their principal source of income. Farming households with some cattle head are better able to withstand distress due to extreme weather conditions.
Growing population, changing lifestyles, expanding urbanization and accelerated climate changes are creating new challenges in Bovine breeding systems. In the past, the challenge was to ample feed, but now it is to provide essential nutrients to promote health especially reproductive health; and in the future, the challenge would be to provide optimal nutrients based on an animal’s genetic profile and productivity. Fortunately, along with challenges, the developments in science are creating new avenues for tackling the challenges.