The livestock sub-sector contributes 9.4 per cent to GDP and about 40 per cent to the agriculture sector. Within livestock sub-sector, milk contributes 60, mutton 19, beef 12 and the remaining 9 per cent comes from skin, hides, wool, offal, etc.

In Pakistan, beef animals and buffaloes are mainly reared for milk production, due to its high fat constituent by which its price is fixed. We possess the following cattle breeds, which are suitable for beef production due to its larger size and fast growing qualities:

Bhagnari, Dajal, Tharparkar and Kankrej breeds.

Research on beef production shows that Tharparkar male young stock aged 10-12 months kept on fattening ration for six months was growing very fast, their average growth rate was upto 1 kg per day.

Male calves of Kundhi and cross buffaloes aged 5 to 6 months were kept on fattening ration for six months.Their growth rate was up to 500-600 grams per day. These are highly encouraging results and both breed male young stock aged 8-12 months can be kept reared for beef production. Export oriented farms can be established through these breeds.

Exports: At present, the livestock is mainly exported without any categorisation or breed for beef purpose only and not for milk. The cattle are being purchased from market and are exported without fattening or keeping on special feeding, sometimes even quarantine laws are not followed properly.

There is no trend of specific farming for export, which has resulted on one hand intermittent shortages of meat in the country and on the other hand export of diseased and weaker animals has bad effect on trade. Likewise, there is no set or planned export policy, because the actual farmer is not involved in this business and mainly traders or businessman are involved who have no idea about the livestock farming at all.

As yet, none of the cattle breeds has been named, although many breeds like Tharparkar, Bhagnari and Kankrej possess best quality of fast-growing on economical feeding.

There is a lot of potential for beef production in the area which is not being exploited due to lack of interest and facilities of beef-farming through rearing of male buffalo calves on scientific lines, by providing milk replacer to farmers on cheaper rates. Supply of beef to the human beings is not so important as supply of nutritious beef. On an average, there is production of about 30,000 buffalo calves in Landhi and neighbouring dairy colonies of Karachi, every month and this is mainly due to the 10 per cent replacement of dairy buffaloes in colonies per month, having more than 400,000 dairy animals round the year. These dairy colonies are established for providing milk to the people of Karachi, which in spite of large production are fulfilling hardly 50 per cent requirement of milk to the people of metropolitan city.

After 15-20 per cent mortality or holding of calves with the supplier, there is availability of about 1000 buffalo calves at dairy colonies of Karachi with a ratio of 50 per cent male and 50 per cent female, hardly 20 per cent female calves from high producing buffaloes are reared by progressive farmers at their farms. From the remaining 80 per cent calves almost 10 per cent die due to poor management and various factors.

The 70 per cent of calves which make about 20,000 are available for rearing, but instead of fattening are presently sent to butchers at the tender age of 3-4 days for slaughtering, producing hardly 30 kg poor quality beef with large percentage of water contents per calf.

Only in Karachi city, on an average, 7000-8000 smaller and larger animals are being slaughtered daily for supplying meat to people. Being weaker and immature animals even this number is not sufficient to fulfilling the requirement of the city.

Proposed policy: 1. Establishment of export-oriented farms with a naming board/plate of “farms for export of livestock”, with proper record keeping as per requirement of WTO.

2. These farms be registered with the provincial government livestock departments for provision of animal husbandry facilities and technical guidance on priority.

3. These farms be given permit of export of livestock not more than 50 per cent of their produce every year. Remaining 50 per cent animals be sent to local market for supply of good quality beef to local consumers.

4. Tasty and nutritious beef is produced by the animals kept on special feed lots upto the age of 20 months. So, the arrangement for export is to be made accordingly to the market in surrounding countries and get good price.

5. Financial assistance be provided to these farms by the Zarai Tarrakiyati Bank and Khushhali Bank, through a special window.

6. Beef estates may be established for the purpose.

7. Barani land nearer to Karachi i.e. in Thatta and Badin in coastal area may be given to the interested farmers for the purpose on easy terms.

8. Special attention may be provided to rear at least 100,000 male buffalo calves every year at export oriented farms.

9. Training for rearing of calves, feed lots units, may be provided to the farmers.

10. Cheaper milk replacer be made available to the farmers.

11. For production of milk replacer on cheaper rates,the federal government may give this target to the Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) or some donor agencies like FAO/UNDP/JICA or any interested person be provided credit to establish a plant in Karachi for production of milk replacer on cheaper rates.

12. For export of meat, mechanical slaughtering and processing is a must.