Working Equids: Their Conditions, Invisible Earning and Challenges- A Review
Ajmer Singh *
School of Social Sciences, Singhania University, Pacheri Bari-333515, Jhunjhunu (Rajasthan) India and ICAR-National Research Centre on Equines, Sirsa Road, Hisar -125001(Haryana) India.
Yash Pal
ICAR-National Research Centre on Equines, Sirsa Road, Hisar -125001(Haryana) India.
Rajender Kumar
ICAR-National Research Centre on Equines, Sirsa Road, Hisar -125001(Haryana) India.
Sanjay Kumar
ICAR-National Research Centre on Equines, Sirsa Road, Hisar -125001(Haryana) India.
Kanika Rani
Department of Physics, Guru Jambheshwar University of Science & Technology, Hisar-125001 (Haryana) India.
Jitender Prasad
School of Social Sciences, Singhania University, Pacheri Bari-333515, Jhunjhunu (Rajasthan) India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Working equids play vital role in pastoral economy nationally as well as globally and their role is very significant in providing livelihood to households of their owners through direct and indirect financial contribution. This review aims to analyze their conditions, constrains and their invisible income. Working equids contribute for both direct and indirect income to large number of households and provide draught energy to a large human population nationally and internationally. They are important components of livestock and as per the livestock census done by Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairy and Fishery, Government of India, equine contribution in livestock population was 0.39% in 1997 , 0.32% in 2003, 0.22% in 2007, 0.22% in 2012 and it came down to 0.10% in 2019. Though being comparatively less number in total livestock population, their roles are important in particular section of landless and marginalized human population engaged in rearing of these animals. Working equids are facing negligence, poor health and malnutrition. Excessive use of automobile, their declining contribution in agricultural GDP and some social issues are major constrains for declining trends in their population.
Keywords: Equids, food, households, income, livestock population