Livestock development in Pakistan: Challenges, history, and the need for balanced expertise
Professor Dr. Muhammad Sarwar, TI
Dean Postgraduate Studies and Research, The University of Lahore
Introduction
Pakistan possesses one of the largest livestock populations in the world, encompassing over 230 million heads of cattle, buffalo, sheep, and goats. Livestock contributes significantly to agricultural GDP, employment, and rural livelihoods, accounting for more than 60% of agricultural value addition and nearly 12% of national GDP. Despite this substantial resource base, the sector continues to underperform in terms of productivity, efficiency, and competitiveness.
The paradox of abundant animals yet low productivity points to structural issues rather than a shortage of resources or professional expertise. As Peter Drucker noted, “Efficiency is doing things right; effectiveness is doing the right things. Productivity comes from focusing on what matters most.” A key factor is the historical overemphasis on veterinary services at the expense of production-oriented disciplines, resulting in a system that excels at animal health but struggles with productivity, management, and market integration. As my reflection states, “One person can secure the health of a hundred animals, but without twenty skilled production experts, productivity will never grow.”
Background
The development of livestock productivity in Pakistan is closely linked to the evolution of academic programs in animal production and veterinary sciences. The first cohort of graduates trained specifically in animal production and husbandry completed their degrees in 1979, followed by a second cohort in 1980, and subsequent batches in the years that followed. These graduates introduced systematic approaches to feeding, breeding, reproductive management, and farm-level practices, contributing directly to incremental improvements in milk yield, growth rates, and overall productivity. As Nobel Laureate Norman Borlaug emphasized, “Agricultural productivity does not grow from wishful thinking; it grows from applied science and trained hands working together.”
In 1999, a significant structural change occurred when the standalone BSc (Hons) Animal Husbandry program and the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) program were merged into a single five-year composite DVM degree. While this initiative aimed to streamline professional education and integrate clinical and production knowledge, it effectively eliminated an independent production-focused degree, reducing the number of specialists trained primarily in genetics, nutrition, management, and farm productivity systems. Following this change, the livestock sector gradually experienced a relative decline in systematic production interventions, despite the continued presence of veterinarians. As my reflection highlights, “A system cannot excel if those responsible for growth are sidelined; productivity demands expertise, not just presence.”
To address evolving sectoral needs, additional programs such as Poultry Science, Animal Science, Dairy Science, and Beef and Mutton Production were introduced. These degrees were designed to strengthen expertise in specific areas of livestock productivity and value addition. However, recruitment and integration of graduates from these programs into provincial Livestock and Dairy Development Departments have remained limited. Institutional and regulatory frameworks, particularly those guided by the Pakistan Veterinary Medical Council (PVMC), have historically constrained the formal participation of production specialists. Proposals for establishing an independent Animal Production Council have also faced delays. As FAO principles remind us, “Human resources are as critical as natural resources. Without the right skills, livestock development cannot succeed.”
This historical trajectory highlights that livestock development in Pakistan is not a matter of lacking talent or resources. Rather, it reflects a systemic imbalance between veterinary services and production expertise, which has implications for sustainable sectoral growth. As Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen observed, “Development is about enabling people to realize their potential; placing skills where they can have the greatest impact is central to growth.”
Health vs. Production: Understanding the 80–20 reality
Globally, livestock productivity is driven largely by production-side interventions; approximately 80% of gains come from improved genetics, nutrition, management, and market access, while animal health contributes roughly 20%. In Pakistan, this balance has historically been inverted. Provincial livestock departments are overwhelmingly veterinary-centric, focusing primarily on disease treatment, vaccination, and clinical outreach. While animal health remains essential, this approach has limited the sector’s capacity to improve productivity, efficiency, and profitability. As my reflection states, “Sectoral progress depends on recognizing who does what best. Health protects; production multiplies; both are essential but distinct.”
Current indicators reinforce this imbalance; the average dairy animal in Pakistan produces
1,500–1,800 liters per lactation, whereas dairy animals in the European Union yield 8,000
10,000 liters, and Indian farms, operating under similar climatic conditions, produce nearly
double the output of Pakistan’s animals. These disparities are not the result of healthier animals
alone; they reflect the global understanding that systematic production management, nutrition,
and genetic improvement drive real gains. As Nobel Laureate Sir John Boyd Orr noted,
“Adequate nutrition is the foundation of health and growth. Animals and humans alike flourish
only when feeding is guided by knowledge.”
Lessons from India and the European Union
India: Production-led growth
India provides an instructive regional example. Through cooperative-led initiatives, breeding programs, balanced feeding, and farm-level management, India has become the world’s largest milk producer, with average yields significantly higher than Pakistan. Veterinarians in India operate primarily in a supportive health role, integrated within a broader production framework led by animal scientists, dairy technologists, and cooperative managers. This model demonstrates that veterinary services, while essential, cannot replace the strategic contributions of production focused professionals. As my reflection reminds us, “No matter how many animals or resources exist, livestock productivity remains limited if the right professionals are missing.”
European Union: Specialization and efficiency
European countries, including the Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, and France, treat livestock as a highly industrialized and data-driven sector. Productivity gains there result from genomic selection, precision feeding, farm automation, and strong market linkages, with veterinarians serving as advisors for animal health, welfare, and biosecurity. The clear division of responsibilities between clinical and production expertise has enabled highly efficient, globally competitive systems. As Sir John Boyd Orr, Nobel Laureate emphasized, “Scientific knowledge applied wisely to agriculture transforms livelihoods, but only when the right experts lead each domain.”
Both India and the EU show that veterinarians alone cannot lead productivity growth; rather, sustainable development relies on collaboration between production experts and clinical professionals. Rachel Carson aptly observed, “The future of food security depends not only on care but on knowledge, planning, and collaboration.”
Human resource reality: One veterinarian vs. twenty production experts
A critical lesson from global experience is that animal health supports productivity but cannot create it. In practice, successful livestock systems operate on a ratio where one veterinarian is sufficient to cover animal health functions while at least twenty animal production specialists drive genetics, nutrition, management, and market-oriented interventions. As my reflection states, “Progress is not about working harder but about placing the right people in the right positions to multiply impact.”
Until Pakistan aligns its human resources along similar lines, livestock development will continue to struggle. Expanding clinical services alone, without proportionate growth in production expertise, cannot improve milk yields, reproductive efficiency, feed conversion, or market value. In other words, health protects productivity, but production creates it. As Peter Senge observed, “Team learning and collective intelligence thrive when each member contributes according to their unique capabilities.”
Curriculum and institutional implications
The DVM curriculum, heavily weighted toward pathology, pharmacology, surgery, and clinical medicine, reinforces the historical imbalance. Production-related courses remain secondary, limiting veterinarians’ ability to independently drive productivity enhancements. Meanwhile, graduates from disciplines such as Animal Science, Dairy Science, Poultry Science, and Beef and Mutton Production face institutional barriers to recruitment and deployment in provincial Livestock and Dairy Development Departments.
This professional imbalance has also prevented the establishment of a separate regulatory council for animal production disciplines, further constraining the sector’s capacity to leverage specialized expertise. As Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen highlighted, “Development is about enabling people to realize their potential; placing skills where they can have the greatest impact is central to growth.” My reflection: “A system that prioritizes profession over purpose will always underperform; expertise must drive strategy, not titles.”
Nutrition insights from Nobel Laureates
- Nobel Laureate Norman Borlaug: “Hunger is not a natural disaster; it is a failure of knowledge and organization. Nutrition and productivity improve when experts apply science wisely.”
- Nobel Laureate John Boyd Orr: “Adequate nutrition is the foundation of health and growth. Animals and humans alike flourish only when feeding is guided by knowledge.”
- Nobel Laureate Frederick Banting: “Metabolism and nutrition determine the potential of life. Without understanding these principles, growth and productivity remain limited.”
- Nobel Laureate Richard J. Roberts: “Scientific knowledge of biological systems must inform practice. Proper nutrition, genetics, and management transform potential into measurable productivity.”
- Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen: “Food security and nutrition are central to development. Productivity depends not only on resources, but on proper management, expertise, and distribution.”
Conclusion
Pakistan’s livestock sector possesses immense potential but will remain underdeveloped unless institutions, human resources, and policy frameworks are realigned with global best practices. Key priorities include:
- Redefining veterinary roles to focus on health, welfare, and biosecurity
- Strengthening recruitment and deployment of production graduates across provincial departments
- Establishing clear professional councils and regulatory frameworks for production disciplines
- Emphasizing collaboration among veterinarians, production scientists, and market specialists
Unless such structural corrections are made, livestock development will remain reactive, fragmented, and limited to clinical services, rather than being productive, sustainable, and globally competitive. As my reflection aptly concludes, “In development, as in life, assigning the right person to the right job is the single fastest way to ensure meaningful progress.”