Nomadism and Migration of Pastoralists and Their Livestock in Western India

Abstract

Nomadism and migration are conspicuous features of livestock raising
in the arid and semi-arid regions of western India. Migratory movement
initiates in the month of November and December and return migration
starts in June ar d July. In extreme western part of sandy desert the migration
is local and withou t any cyclic pattern. In the eastern part of the sandy
desert, the livestock migration is cyclic and follows the definitive routes.
Livestock herds from the western part of Jaisalmer, Jodhpur and Bikaner
districts move towards Punjab plains via Ganganagar. The herds from the
eastern part of Jaisalmer, Bikaner, Jodhpur and Nagaur districts go to
Ganga-Yamuna Doab and Punjab plains through Jaipur. Herds from
southern part of Jaisalmer and Barmer move down to Gujarat via Sanchor.
The migratory herds spread over about three times the area of origin.