Livestock plays an important role in the economy of the country and is at the heart of the rural socioeconomic system. It is a net source of foreign exchange earnings contributing significantly in this vital area. Most importantly, more than 8 million rural small and landless farmers raise livestock, making it an ideal sector for attacking rural poverty in the country. Furthermore, as livestock makes up almost 50 % of the agriculture value added, the future high growth in agriculture is expected to be led by the livestock sector...

Pakistan is endowed with a large livestock population well-adapted to the local environmental conditions. It includes the best dairy breeds of buffalo and good dairy breeds of tropical cattle. Many breeds of cattle, buffaloes, sheep and goats have good meat production potential. Poultry sector has shown excellent growth in the last 4 decades. However, overall growth rate of the sector has not been impressive. This can primarily be attributed to the policy and biological factors...