Status of common grazing and pasture land and livestock population in Madurai district: An environmental perspective

This paper attempts to determine the role of grazing and common pasture land to livestock population of Madurai district in particular, Tamilnadu in general. This study was used secondary data for Madurai district and Tamilnadu to examine the changes in grazing and common pasture land, and changes in the livestock population. The important finding of the study is 13142 hectares of grazing land and common pasture has been encroached by the private individuals for various purposes in Tamilnadu. The reason for changes in livestock population was observed from the study is due to the mechanization of agriculture, slaughtering the animals and reduction in fertility rate. The livestock population decreased not only from technology but also from the non availability of grazing and pasture, and poor availability of feed and fodder.