Dairy farming has been part of agriculture for thousands of years. Historically it has been one part of small, diverse farms. Large scale dairy farming is only viable where either a large amount of milk is required for production of more durable dairy products such as cheese, butter, etc. or there is a substantial market of people with cash to buy milk, but no cows of their own. Dairying is an important source of subsidiary income to small/marginal farmers and agricultural labourers. The manure from animals provides a good source of organic matter for improving soil fertility and crop yields. The gobar gas from the dung is used as fuel for domestic purposes as also for running engines for drawing water from well. Most milk-consuming countries have a local dairy farming industry, and most producing countries maintain significant tariffs to protect domestic producers from foreign competition but, the largest dairy exporting country, does not apply any subsidies to dairy production. The present resource study is a major attempt in this direction to come up with a comprehensive book form. The book will meet the demands of not a vast majority of students and researchers, but also the policy-makers and all those interested in the livestock economy and dairy related products.
