Patna: Bihar’s growing population is demanding more milk, but the state’s livestock numbers are moving in the opposite direction. Preliminary findings of the 21st Livestock Census, conducted in 2025, show the population of milch animals has fallen by nearly 10%, while milk production has declined 2.61% over the past five years.According to official sources in the animal resource department, the latest census reverses the trend recorded in 2019, when cattle, buffaloes and goats had increased by 2% to 25%. The 2025 exercise covered around 2.60 crore households, including 2.25 crore rural and 35.31 lakh urban households, with around 7,000 personnel involved.The decline is particularly sharp among traditional domestic animals. Donkey numbers fell from around 11,000 in 2019 to nearly 4,000 in 2025, a drop of about 63%. The horse population declined by around 65%, from 32,000 to nearly 11,000.The number of pet dogs also fell by around 58%. Camels are close to disappearing from Bihar, with their population dropping from 8,860 in 2012 to 88 in 2019 and just 30 in 2025. Bihar now has only 27 elephants, although elephants were not counted in 2019, making comparisons difficult.Experts said the census is crucial for planning breeding programmes, veterinary services, fodder supply and other animal husbandry policies.India’s first livestock census was conducted in 1919, and the exercise has since been held every five years. The report of the 21st census is yet to be released. The 20th census was launched in 2017 but its report came out in 2019 due to delays, while the 19th was conducted in 2012.
