“Protecting animals: Protects people; Reduces poverty; Protects food security; Reduces the spread of disease and Protects cultural values.”

Introduction

Livestock plays a central role in the natural resource-based livelihood of the vast majority of the population, especially in developing countries. "Livestock in these countries are the poor people's ATM. In good times, people build up their herds, and in bad times they sell livestock to generate cash." It accounts for 40% of the gross value of agricultural production globally (FAO, 2000), and this figure is likely to go up as the demand for livestock products is increasing rapidly with the increase in income and urbanization. However, in India, it contributes a 24 % share of agriculture and allied gross domestic product (GDP) and provides stability to family income, especially in the arid and semi-arid regions of the country.  Livestock is the best insurance against the vagaries of nature due to drought, famine, and other natural calamities. (Planning Commission Govt. of India 2007-12). But nature is not free of calamities and affects both human as well as animal life. Animals who survived these calamities are threatened by the non-availability of feed and shelter. Like other agricultural crops, fodder fields are also completely destroyed. These feed-deprived and shelter-less an