| dc.description.abstract | Bangladesh is a densely populated and agro-based developing country where most of
the rural people are dependent for their livelihood mainly on cropping and livestock
farming. Livestock sub-sector is playing a crucial role in the traditional subsistence
farming, contributing about 6.5% of the GDP, 13% of the total foreign exchange
earnings and providing employment to 20% of the population (BBS, 2004). The total
cattle population of Bangladesh is 22.87 million of which 3.79 million is dairy cows
yielding 1.64 million metric ton milk per year which is only 14% of the total
requirement indicates the importance of the requirement for increasing the milk
production in Bangladesh. Dairy cattle population in Bangladesh ranks 12
in the
world and 3
th
rd
in Asian countries. About 92 percent of the dairy cattle is nondescriptive
indigenous and only 8 percent is reported to be crossbred (BBS, 2006). The average
milk yield per cow per day is 1.5 liters for indigenous and 2.5 liters for crossbreds.
Dairying is nearly always part of a mixed farming system in Bangladesh (Saadullah,
2001). The majority of the rural households in Bangladesh have 2-3 dairy cows.
Sometimes these cattle are used as dual purpose for milk and draft power. | en_US |
