Cattle

Cattle feed industry :- a major ingredient of animal feed industry is currently evolving from a fragmented industry into an organized sector. The feed manufactures are increasingly adopting modern and sophisticated methods in an effort to incorporate best global practices. This industry has got high growth potential in India, given India’s top position among the world nations in respect of livestock population.
The cattle population is expected to grow at compounded annual growth rate of 4 per cent.
For taking advantage of the high market potential for feed products in India arising from the huge cattle population, detailed the factors influencing the buying behavior of farmers towards cattle feed products needs to be analyzed; apart from making a detailed study of the latest trend and pattern of the supply and demand for cattle products in India.
Branded Cattle Feed Industry :- The concept of branded cattle feed as a packaged commodity, though not a very recent concept, is gaining popularity in India too. The packaged feed, as a product, possesses special features like hygiene, quality, convenience to handle, etc.
Its advantage:- Farmer community in India has started using such products. The age old feeding pattern practiced in India is a mix consisting of green grass, dry grass, cotton seed cake, coconut cake, rice bran etc. But, as time elapsed, due to both environmental and social changes, there has been gradual shift from the age-old pattern to Compounded Cattle Feed (CCF).
The major contributing factors for this shift are:
(i) Shrinkage of open land for cattle grazing, urbanization and resultant shortage of conventionally used cattle feeds,
(ii) Need for specialized feeds arising from the use of high yield cattle,
(iii) Marked shift in eating habits of people because of urbanization, with an increased intake of milk and other cattle-based products etc.
Indian milk scenario underwent a metamorphosis with the advent of „Operation Flood‟, greatly increasing the per
capita consumption of milk thus sparking of high demand for cattle feed; the estimated growth in milk consumption
being 2.8 percent per annum.