Vivek Joshi, Kamni Paia Biam, JK Chamuah, Vikram R and MH Khan
Contd from previous issue
Being a hardy and sure-footed animal, mithun is well suited for draught and pack purpose on steep slopes of hilly areas. Due to its outstanding work power, mithun could be used for various agricultural operations, land management and pulling carts in hilly landscapes. Thus, multi-dimensional mithun farming is important for socio-economic development of tribal population of northeast India.
Future prospect of mithun farming
Over the last few decades, increased defores- tation is constantly leading to a decline in mithun population in northeastern states of India. Moreover, declining population has increased the risk of inbreeding in mithun. Today, considering the socio-economic importance of mithun in tribal culture, special attention is being given to mithun conservation.
The need of time is to bring free ranging mithun under semi-intensive system and promote this scientific method of mithun rearing among indigenous tribes. At present, efforts are made to popularize semi-intensive system and controlled mithun breeding. Semi-intensive mithun farming is promoted as a profitable venture to sustain livelihoods of poor farmers. Under semi-intensive system, adequate care, appropriate treatment and ample protection can be given to mithun calves, pregnant females and sick mithuns and hence, mortality rate can be minimized. For this, mithun sheds need to be built where mithuns can be housed at night time once they return from jungles after grazing during daytime. Furthermore, these sheds require availability of fodder and drinking water. This semi-intensive farming enables detection of mithun females in heat and breeding with superior bulls. Likewise, artificial insemination (AI) is another emerging technique in mithun husbandry and is considered important for future breeding policies of mithun along with estrous synchronization.
Lastly development of new drugs and vaccines is regarded as one of the useful tools in mithun conservation apart from improved methods of disease prevention and control.
Vivek Joshi, Kamni Paia Biam, JK Chamuah, Vikram R and MH Khan
1 Scientist, ICAR-National research Centre on Mithun, Medziphema, Dimapur, Nagaland 797106
2 Principal Scientist, ICAR-National Research Centre on Mithun, Medziphema, dimapur, Nagaland
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