India is not counting livestock nationally for the first time: its periodic Livestock Census dates back to 1919. What is new in the 21st census is that it separately identifies households belonging to pastoral communities and records their livestock holdings and socioeconomic information.
Data collection began in October 2024 and concluded in April 2025, according to the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying’s 2025–26 annual report. The department said tabulation and report writing were underway and a post-enumeration survey was planned; final pastoralist totals and quality findings were not stated in the sources available here.
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What is India’s 21st Livestock Census?
It is the latest round of India’s regular national livestock-counting exercise, not a separate census devoted only to pastoralists. The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying describes the census as a quinquennial complete count conducted through house-to-house enumeration. It covers households, household enterprises, non-households and institutions, and records livestock and poultry by age, sex and use.
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The department’s statistics page, last updated in 2026, says the census began in 1919 and that 20 censuses had been completed. The 21st round is therefore part of a long-running series; the pastoralist-specific questions are the new element.
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What is new about the pastoralist information?
The department’s 21st census brochure says that, for the first time in the country, the census would separately capture pastoralists’ contribution to the livestock sector, socioeconomic condition and livestock holdings. A household is asked whether it belongs to a pastoral community, making that status identifiable in the census rather than leaving it indistinguishable in broader household totals.
The questionnaire also asks for the gender of the person mainly involved in livestock rearing. The brochure describes this as a previously unmeasured dimension. These are data-collection aims; they should not be mistaken for published results or a claim that the exercise has already changed policy.
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How will enumerators reach mobile and remote communities?
In a 10 December 2024 answer to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question 2311, the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying said enumerators use the updated Local Government Directory and village and ward maps as coverage frames. It also said NGOs and societies working with pastoralist communities help identify and trace places where pastoralists live, including remote areas.
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Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallThe census uses a dedicated mobile application for data entry. The department says livestock census data have been digitized since the 20th census; the 21st census launch announcement described offline data capture, breed identification through images and real-time monitoring. These arrangements can support enumeration, but the existence of maps, local partners and digital tools does not itself establish that every mobile household or flock has been counted.
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When was the count conducted, and when will results be available?
The 21st Livestock Census was launched on 25 October 2024. The Department’s 2025–26 annual report says data collection concluded in April 2025. It reports 87,613 enumerators and 16,453 supervisors deployed for the exercise.
At the time of that annual report, tabulation and report writing were underway, and a post-enumeration survey was planned to assess quality, coverage and accuracy. The reviewed official material does not establish a release date for final pastoralist totals or provide the survey’s findings. Until an official results release supplies them, exact counts and conclusions about coverage remain unknown.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why does the government say the information matters?
The government presents the census as a source for policy planning and targeted support. In its parliamentary answer, the department said the information could help identify livestock movement routes, plan vaccination schedules and establish physical check posts to reduce the movement of disease-ridden flocks. It also pointed to pastoralists’ role in conserving indigenous breeds and maintaining traditional ecological knowledge.
Those are stated purposes and reasons for gathering the data, not demonstrated outcomes of this census. Whether the information leads to particular vaccination plans, disease controls or other measures will depend on the completed results and how authorities use them.
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