Sanjit nrc yak

1. National Research Centre on Yak
(Indian Council of Agricultural Research)
Dirang, West Kameng District
Arunachal Pradesh - 790101

2. Sustainable Development of Yak Husbandry and
Nomadic Yak Herdsmen: Can Geomatics based
Study Change the Reality?
Sanjit Maiti, K.K. Baruah, Sanchita Garai* & Vijay Paul
National Research Centre on Yak, Dirang, Arunachal Pradesh
*National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, Haryana
By
National Research Centre on Yak
(Indian Council of Agricultural Research)
Dirang, West Kameng District
Arunachal Pradesh - 790101

3. Preface…
Habitat: High altitudes of Asian
mountains (3000 m to 6000
m MSL) at Tibetan plateau
and adjoining regions of
Himalayas
Socio-economic importance of yak
for highlanders is tremendous as it
provides:
•Milk
•Meat
•Hair/wool
•Transport & draught
Yak (Poephagus grunniens L)
Provide 62 % of livelihood requirement of highlanders of
Arunachal Pradesh

4. The Monpa Tribe – The Brokpas
(Nomadic yak herdsmen of Arunachal Pradesh)
The Monpa, a major tribe is one of
tribes Arunachal Pradesh
They inhabits at the higher altitudes
(10,000 to 15,000 ft. MSL) in Tawang
and western part of West Kameng
District
5% of total population (87% of Tawang
and W Kameng) is the Monpa tribe
The Monpa practice shifting and
permanent types of cultivation. Cattle,
yaks, cows, pigs, sheep and fowl are kept
as domestic animals, and meat is hunted
using primitive methods

5. Reality of Yak Husbandry
1.Dwindling population
2.High rate of grazing tax
3.High rate of inbreeding depression
4.Lack of fodder and feed resources during
winter season
5.In sufficient and degraded highland
pasture
6.Unavailability of superior breeding bull
7.Increasing rate of disease infestation
8.Attack of wildlife to yak herd

6. 9.Frequent natural calamities
10.Rigid religious belief inhibit adoption of
scientific rearing
11.Insufficient extension service by the
development organisation
12.Leech infestation during rainy season
13.Poor health coverage of the diseased
animal
14.Less return and poor market coverage of
the yak products
15.Younger generation are not interested
16.Ban of grazing in forest area

7. Geomatics based study can solve the problem of …………
1.Lack of fodder and feed resources during winter
season
2.In sufficient and degraded highland pasture
3.Unavailability of superior breeding bull
4.Increasing rate of disease infestation
5.Frequent natural calamities

8. Survey, Characterization & Mapping
•For the generation of base map of
grasslands, unsupervised classification
of grasslands was done using satellite
IRSP6L3#B2, 3,4&5 of the year 2009 &
2010.
•During the field survey high resolution
GPS (Garmin GPS Map 273) was used.
•Field survey of Grassland, soil, grazing
animals, pastoral communities and
grazing system was conducted.

9. Satellite image of Arunachal Pradesh

10. Satellite image of Sikkim

11. Natural Pastures and Their Utilization Strategy
•Above 25-30 major pasturelands/
grazing grounds with an area of 2780
ha are used for yak grazing in
Arunachal Pradesh.
•In Sikkim about 834 ha pastureland is
used for yak grazing.
•Yak herdsmen practice four-pasture
utilization strategy.
Summer Pastures: July-September
Autumn Pasture: Mid of Sept to Dec
Winter Pastures: Mid of Dec to Feb
Spring Pastures: March to June
Summer pasture
Winter pasture

12. Existing Pasture Quality
•Some of the edible grass
species found in the yak
rearing tracks of NE-India
are:
–Kyllinga monocephala
–Poa annua
–Fimbristylis squarrosa
–Eragrostis spp.
–Alopecurus spp.
–Pogonatherum
crinitium
–Eriochloa spp
•Tree leaves are fed primarily during
the fodder scarcity period. The
locally available tree fodder are:
–Blemkar (Buddleja asiatica)
–Domkar (Symplocos racemosa)
–Salix (Salix humboldtiana)
–Syluli (Acer campbellii)
–Maar (Castanopsis spp.)
–Zimbu (Ligustrum myrsinitis)
–Phrengpa (Quercus wallichiana)
–Dudhilo (Ficus nemorlis)
–Chiple (Reevesia pubescens)
Pasture Grasses Tree Fodder

13. Blemkar (Buddleja asiatica) Maar (Castanopsis spp.)
Zimbu (Ligustrum myrsinitis)Domkar (Symplocos racemosa)

14. Syluli (Acer campbellii) Matekpa (Quercus fenestrate)
Dactylis glomerata Trifolium repens

15. Trial plots for pasture development
Tree fodder (Salix) plantation
Dactylis glomerata Weeding in trial plot
Fresh Biomass

16. Conclusion
•Remote yak tracts can be mapped by using
GIS based satellite mapping
• After developing of these maps, basic
amenities can be arranged
•Soil nutrition and vegetation map can also
be developed
•Production potentiality of the high altitude
pastures can be assessed
•Geomatics based study on disease
monitoring and surveillance can check the
high level of disease infestation of lower
mid altitude of yak tracts
Geomatics based study may be the panacea to change the ground
reality of present yak husbandry and nomadic yak herdsmen

17. •Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary
Services of Arunachal Pradesh & Sikkim
•Mr Passang Bhutia
•ICAR for financial support under NTPP project
•Dr K. A. Singh, Director, IGFRI, Jhansi
•Dr. J. P. Singh, National Coordinator, NTPP project
Acknowledgement