Energy audit of livestock production system in a mid-altitude Himalayan agro-ecosystem

AKANKSHA RASTOGI; KUNDAN SINGH; GOVIND SINGH KUSHWAHA; VIR SINGH

doi:10.56093/ijans.v89i2.87335

Authors

AKANKSHA RASTOGI Research Associate, Indian Council of Agricultural Research, Krishi Bhawan, New Delhi
KUNDAN SINGH MSc Scholar, Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, Uttarakhand 263 145 India
GOVIND SINGH KUSHWAHA Assistant Professor, Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, Uttarakhand 263 145 India
VIR SINGH Professor, Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, Uttarakhand 263 145 India

https://doi.org/10.56093/ijans.v89i2.87335

Keywords:

Agro-ecosystem, Energy, Himalaya, Livestock

Abstract

The present study analyses energy flows through livestock production system and works out energy audit in selected mid-altitude villages in the Pithoragarh district of the Kumaun Division of Uttarakhand lying in the Central Himalayan region. The livestock population (converted into livestock units) consumed 144638094.9 kJ/day or 52792904649 kJ in a year and, in turn, produced 8490715137.07 kJ in a year through dung, 2056277724 kJ though milk, 60704289.30 kJ through calf crop and 6416.35 kJ by means of draught power supply to various agricultural operations. The gross energy produced by livestock was 10607703567 kJ/year. Proportion of the output energy from dung (80%) was much more than from milk (19%). Contribution of calf crop and draught animal power (DAP) was minimal compared to the overall energy. The gross energetic efficiency of livestock production was 20.09%. Energy for maintenance and growth available for livestock was 25.15%. The study reveals that a substantial proportion of energy in a mountain agro-ecosystem flows through livestock.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Mitchell R. 1979. Analysis of Indian Agro-ecosystems. Imprint, New Delhi. 180 pp.

Negi V and Singh V. 2013. Integrated Land Management System for Enhanced Carbon Stock: Farming Systems in Central Himalayas, India. Lambert Academic Publishing, Germany, 148 pp.

Odend’hal S. 1972. Energetics of Indian cattle in their environment. Human Ecology 1: 3–22. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01791278

Rastogi A, Singh K, Singh V and Arunachalam A. 2018. Energy flow through summer cropping in a mountain agro-ecosystem in Kumaun Himalaya. Indian Journal of Hill Farming 31(1): 201–09.

Singh J S and Melkania U. 2005. Sustainable development of the Indian Himalayan Region. (Eds) Melkania U, Shiva Prasad H J and Prasad J. Integrated Mangement of Natural Resources in Mountains. GB Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar.

Singh V and Gaur R D. 2008. Rangeland Ecosystems in the Himalayan Mountains. Daya Publications, New Delhi. 285+xviii pp.

Singh V. 1998. Draught Animal Power in Mountain Agriculture: Study of Perspectives and issues in Central Himalayas, India. MFS Discussion Paper 98/1. Kathmandu, Nepal. DOI: https://doi.org/10.53055/ICIMOD.278

Singh V. 2018. Food security amidst the climate change scenario: perspectives, issues and opportunities in mountain agriculture. Nutrition and Food Science International Journal 6(2): 1–9. DOI: https://doi.org/10.19080/NFSIJ.2018.06.555686

Singh V and Sharma R J. 1993. Energetics of crossbred dairy cows in the Himalayan environment, pp 147–164.

Eco-crisis in the Himalaya: Causes, Consequences and Way Out. (Ed.) Singh V. IBD, Dehradun.

Singh V, Gaur R D and Bohra B. 2008. A survey of fodder plants in mid-altitude Himalayan rangelands of Uttarakhand, India. Journal of Mountain Science 5(3): 265–78. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11629-008-0170-4