Country Listing

Bhutan Table of Contents

Bhutan

Animal Husbandry

The most common livestock types traditionally and in the late 1980s, in order of numbers of head, were cattle, poultry, pigs, goats, sheep, yaks, and horses. Buffaloes, donkeys, and mules also were raised. Although all types of livestock were raised throughout the country, cattle tended to predominate in the east and south, horses in the east, yaks and pigs in the west, and goats and poultry in the south. Milk production stood at 31,000 tons in 1987. Development priorities under the Sixth Development Plan included livestock crossbreeding, improved animal health care, increased individual land ownership, and a better balance between herd size and feed availability. As a result of these efforts, livestock production increased modestly from 5,000 tons of beef, veal, pork, mutton, and lamb in 1980 to 7,000 tons annually by 1987.

Data as of September 1991