Animal Trade Practices and Opportunities for Small Dairy Units in Central Region of Uttar Pradesh

There is a sizable business of informal animal trade in Central Uttar Pradesh region despite having a vast network of formal animal trade (cattle fairs -CFs and livestock markets -LFs). The paper highlights remarkable differences in animal trade practices in rural and urban setting. The animal trading intensity through informal route was quite high in urban dairy units-UDUs compared to farmer dairy units-FDUs. UDUs were responsible for bringing improved and quality breeds from the breeding tracts, and from the formal trade network. From UDUs, around 36% animals were sold to the FDUs when their milk yield dropped beyond 5 litres per day. From FDUs, these animals, after one or two successive calving, are marketed in LMs, and are reported to be routed towards slaughter houses. Consequently, the proportion of in-milk stock in these units was high. The high milk demand and nutritional constraints on UDUs and breeding and nutrition constraints on FDUs, were the main factors responsible for high informal animal trade flow in the region. Recording and digitization of all animal trade transactions in CFs and LMs, better management of breeding and nutritional constraints and institutionalization of the role of the local tribal community have been emphasized as strategies for building better business opportunities to small dairy owners in the zone.