Livestock farming is not a much emphasised or prominent sector in Gwadar district. The valleys of Kulanch and Dasht are major small ruminant raising areas in the district. The livestock census figures for 1996, received from the Livestock Department show big differences with the other two census figures, i.e., in 1976 and 1986. In the last ten years, more than 80 percent decrease in Livestock Units has been reported in the preliminary census data for 1996, received from the District Livestock Officer. The most significant decrease has been observed in the population of sheep and goats. This fluctuation seems a results of unreliable data collection and inefficient supervision during the census process. The livestock data from the District Livestock Officer differ a factor 1 to 6 from the estimates of a recent livestock mission, in which 150,858 sheep, 120,717 goats, 18,912 cattle, 20 horses, 7574, donkeys, 11,055 camels and 675 mules were indicated for 1996.

Livestock farmers own herds of more than one hundred heads of small ruminants and they have regular pattern of seasonal migration. The livestock raising communities live in mountainous areas which are not easily accessible by road. Apart from the livestock farming household, all the agricultural households in Gwadar raise different animals. An average household owns a couple of cows, a pair of bullocks or a camel for ploughing, sometimes a donkey as a beast of burden and several sheep and goats. Horses were kept by a vast majority of landowners about two decades ago but now no horse is reported in 1996 census. Poultry is raised by a vast majority of the households but mortality rate is reported to be very high and discouraging.

Although women in less populated areas graze their animals, mostly the children are livestock grazers. Women help feeding animals at house if fodder is available. By grazing the animals children share economic burden of the household. Although this may not be called child labour in its technical sense, still it deprives the children of schooling which is a basic constitutional right of every child.

Cow is the most raised kind of cattle in Gwadar district and is a major source of milk production. Buffaloes are non-existent. Bullocks and camels are raised for farming as well as to fulfil nutritional needs of the area. Beef of these cattle is not only consumed locally but these are sent to other areas also for slaughter. According to an estimate local consumption amounts to 357 cattle per month for the whole district. Hides are sold in the open market at Gwadar and Pasni to the retailers and afterwards sent to Karachi for processing. Cattle are marketed to a mandi (market) which commences every week.

Sheep and goats constitute an overwhelming majority of the livestock population in Gwadar district. Agricultural households have tens of small ruminants. These are raised mostly in un-irrigated areas where range land provides pastures. Sheep and goats are raised for multiple purposes like milk, mutton, and money. In Gwadar district, at the average, 4,868 sheep and 6,055 goats are estimated to be slaughtered every month.

There are 2 poultry farms in Gwadar town, while the number of poultry farms in the whole district is not known. The major part of poultry requirement is met through illegal import of poultry birds from Iran and through the local production at household level. For the latter one it is assumed that the women play a major role in chicken raising. According to an estimate of local resources, the total demand of the district is 19 thousand birds per month. There has been 2 government poultry farms at Pasni and Gwadar with a production 1,000 and 2,000 birds respectively. At present both the government poultry farms are not functional due to unavailability of O&M budget. However two private poultry farms at Gwadar produce 3,000 chicken per month. The chicken feed is supplied from Karachi.

Major diseases prevalent among livestock in Gwadar are long worm, wire worm, liver fluke, pelorononenia, and mange. People are not very much considerate about diseases of their stocks. Again lack of road links and unavailability of veterinary services at union council level result in high livestock mortality. However exact mortality rates are not known.

At present only 2 veterinary hospitals are functional in Gwadar district: one at Gwadar and the other at Pasni. Previously there have been 10 veterinary dispensaries which have presently decreased to 8. An Artificial Insemination Centre and a Disease Investigation Laboratory Unit are not available in the district. Presently, 50 percent of the total treatment cost is charged from livestock owners while it is planned to be raised up to 75 percent in 1997-98 and to 100 percent in 1998-99. The vaccination was free in 1993-94 but in 1994-95 a fee of two rupees per vaccination was imposed. This policy resulted in decreased livestock vaccination therefore the government made it free again in 1995-96. Now the rate of vaccination has once again increased markedly (see Annex 7). However number of treatment and castration cases are decreasing. A sum of rupees 10,768 was received to the department in 1995-96 on account of animal treatment. In order to provide veterinary services to people living in far flung areas, mobile camps are also organised in the winter season.

In Gwadar, the Department of Livestock Development was established in 1992 and is supervised by an Assistant Director. The total staff strength of the department is 46 which includes four veterinary officers also. The department is responsible for providing veterinary treatment facilities, running dairy and poultry farms, and for collecting of livestock data.

The provincial government is providing veterinary services and, to some extent, input supplies while price setting and marketing is done by the private sector.

In Gwadar district the whole area seems devoid of any considerable vegetation. Inception of new occupations and urbanisation has decreased interest in livestock farming. However, a considerable proportion of the population is still involved in this activity. Livestock farming can take shape as an organised sector if the government provides more effective guidance and veterinary services along with easily payable credit. Mostly small ruminants are preferred by most of the people and only a few cows or other dairy animals are kept by households. The major reason behind this trend is unavailability of fodder. Agricultural development may result in better fodder crops and, consequently, in increased cattle farming. Another reason may be that training in livestock husbandry is not accessible to women, who are very much involved in livestock activities. As such activities are undertaken at household level, they may be not visible for animal husbandry staff.

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