PAKISTAN MEAT & LIVESTOCK
Pakistan produces 52.996 million tons of meat during 2021-22. Most of the meat is consumed locally and only about 2% of the meat is exported. The total exports earning from meat during the last year accounted to USD 333.4 million. Beef, mutton, poultry, camel, goat meat are the main productivity. Pakistan is the 11th top producer of poultry meat. The country has extensive cattle and goat farming due to the availability of pasture in Norther Areas, Cholistan and Thar with natural animal rearing capability, meat producing breeds and favorable climatic conditions. The main exports are to six GCC countries, Vietnam, Afghanistan, Indonesia and China.
Livestock contributes 62 percent of agriculture value added and 14.0 percent to the national GDP. More than 8 million rural families are engaged in livestock production and are deriving around 35-40 percent of their income from this sector.
Animal Population
Animal Population
Cattle
Buffalo
Sheep
Goat
Camels
Horses
Asses
Mules
Poultry
In million
51.5
42.4
31.6
80.3
1.1
0.4
5.6
0.2
1,577
Meat Product (%) 2021-22
3.77
2.97
1.18
2.71
1.30
0.58
1.85
1.76
9.0
Animal Population
Sahiwal Cattle
- This breed is medium-sized, and has a fleshy body.
- Females have reddish dun colour; males may have a darker colour around the orbit, neck, and hindquarters.
- The hump in the male is massive, but in the female it is nominal.
- This is tick resistant breed because its skin naturally keeps on shivering
- Milk yield is 1500-2200 litres per lactation with a fat content of 4.5 %.
Red Sindhi Cattle
- This is a medium-sized breed with a compact build and red body colour.
- It is stress and disease resistant with adult male weight of 400 – 500 kg while females weigh 300-350 kg.
- Red Sindhi animals are hardy and adapt very well to stressful environments.
- Milk yield per lactation varies from 1200 to 2000 litres
- Average lactation length is 265 days
Cholistani Cattle
- Large-sized flabby animals with small horns.
- Udder is medium-sized with milk yield varying from 1200 to 1800 litres/lactation
- Average body weight is 450 to 500 and 350 to 400 kg in male and female animals respectively.
- Males are a good source of beef and may be used as draught animals
Achai Cattle
- Achai Cattles are found in hilly areas. They have a well developed hump and males are used for as a source of meat.
Crossbred Animals
- Crossbred animals are the combination of two or more breeds. In the process of cross breeding characteristics of two or more good breeds are combined. In Pakistan crossbreeding is recommended for non descript breeds with semen of local high producing breeds like Sahiwal, Cholistani, Red Sindhi etc. or exotic breeds like Holstein Friesian, Jersey etc. These crossbred animals have more milk production, less calving interval, early age of maturity and more lactation period. period as compared to local animals.
Holstein/Friesian (Exotic Breeds)
- Frame and carcass is large
- Calf weighs 90 pounds or more at birth.
- Mature male weighs 1000 Kg and mature female weighs 550-650 kg.
- Milk production is 7200-9000 Litres per lactation. Animals with 12000 litres and more per lactation are also found. Range of average daily milk production may be 22-30 Litres. Super milking cows may produce 80-112 liters per day
Jersey (Exotic Breeds)
- Small carcass
- Mature female weighs 380-450 Kg and mature male 540-820 Kg
- Medium volume of milk production. 3600-6800 litres per laction (305 days).
- Daily milk production 18-22 litres. Super milking may produce upto 65 liters per day
- High fat and protein yield (4.0-5.0% fat and 4.0% protein)
- Yellow color milk due to high fat
BUFFALO BREEDS
Nili Ravi Buffalo
- These buffaloes are massive, somewhat wedge-shaped animals.
- They have all curly horns, wall eyes, and a large and strong udder.
- Milk yield is 1800-2500 litres per lactation (322 days) with 6.5% butter fat.
- Adult males weigh 550-650 kg, while females weigh 350-450 Kg.
- Males may be used for draught purposes, especially for preparing land for paddy cultivation and are a good source of beef.
Kundhi Buffalo
- These are massive, jet-black animals.
- Their horns are broad at the base and taper upward and inward, giving them a fishhook shape, hence the name `Kundhi'.
- Adult males weigh 500-600 kg, and females 300-400 kg.
- The milk yield per lactation is 1700-2200 litres with over 6.5% butter fat.
Azi-Kheli Buffalo
- Colour variation in Azi-Kheli is quite pronounced, varying from complete albino animals to piebald to even black.
- Horns are small semi-sickled in shape.
- Estimated live weight is 350 to 450 kg.
- The udder in lactating animals is fairly developed.
- Milk yield per lactation is about 1800 litres.
- Azi‑Kheli buffaloes are generally docile.
GOAT BREEDS
Beetal
- Beetal goats are one of the most popular breeds of goat in the subcontinent. Their population size is very large in the Punjab provinces of both India and Pakistan.
- Beetal goats are fairly large in size and this also helps them stand out from other breeds of goats.
- Beetal goats can be found in many different colors. The most common colors of the Beetal goat are dark brown and black, which does not stand out a lot. However, their skin colors suit them well and complement their appearance.
Kamori
- The Kamori goat is another popular breed of goats in the subcontinent. It is widely seen in the Sindh province in Pakistan but is also seen in some parts of India.
- In Sindh, Kamori goats are primarily found in the regions of Nawabshah, Larkana, and Dadu.
- Purebred Kamori goats are very rare in the world and can be distinguished from their striking colors. Purebred Kamori goats are recognized by the coffee-colored spots on their otherwise dark brown bodies.
Dera Din Panah
- The Dera Din Panah is a species of goat primarily found in Pakistan. Inside Pakistan, the Dera Din Panah is found chiefly in the Muzaffargarh and Multan regions in the province of Punjab.
- The Dera Din Panah is black in color and also has exceptionally long ears. Despite the color of this breed being a very common one, it possesses other physical attributes that help it stand out.
- One of its most defining features are its horns, which are a marvel to behold. The horns on a Dera Din Panah are very long and spiral upwards from its head in a handsome pattern.
Barbari
- The Barbari is a very popular breed of goat in the subcontinent and is found in large numbers in both India and Pakistan. In Pakistan, the Barbari is found chiefly in the provinces of Sindh and Punjab.
- The Barbari is a historic breed of goat. It has a unique name that it adopted from a city known as Berbera in the country of Somalia.
- As far as color goes, the Barbari is largely found in a white color across the country. However, it does possess solid patches of different shades of brown on its body.
Kaghani
- The Kaghani goat gets its name from the valley that it originates from. The home of the Kaghani goat is the Kaghan valley that runs through the Swat, Mansehra, Kohistan, and Abbotabad regions in Pakistan.
- The Kaghani are raised primarily so that they can be used for the production of meat, since their meat is of a very high quality.
- The hair on their body is also as useful as it is abundant. An average Kaghani can produce around 2 kilos of hair and half a kilo of meat per year.
Nachi
- The Nachi is another breed of goat that is found primarily in the Punjab province in Pakistan. To be more specific, the Nachi is most commonly found in Muzaffargarh, Multan, and Jhang districts in the southern half of Punjab. It is also common in the Bahawalpur and Layyah Districts.
- The Nachi breed got its name from the fact that they have a dancing gait, and can be used as entertainment. According to research, this gate has something to do with their genetics.
- The Nachi breed is a hairy one, having long and thick hair all over their bodies. They are also mainly found in a dark black color with white spots over their bodies and faces.
Gulabi
- The Gulabi goat is very popular in Pakistan and is found in significant numbers all over the country. The word Gulabi is an Urdu word that translates to the color pink in English.
- Even though Gulabi goats make for good pets, they are also useful as a source of meat and milk. A fully grown male can produce around 70 kilos of meat on average.
Teddy
- Teddy goats are one of the most famous and widely raised breeds of goats in Pakistan. Although they originated in Punjab, their versatility and adaptability has meant that they have spread to every region in the country.
- They can survive in harsh climates where other breeds of goats cannot. This has even resulted in them spreading to northern regions of Pakistan, such as Azad Kashmir.