An analysis of growth of small ruminant population in Tamil Nadu

District-wise census data of small ruminant population in Tamil Nadu from 1951–2004 were taken for the study. Simple percentage analysis was used to find out the population growth rate. In the year 1951 there were 13 districts and they were bifurcated and trifurcated and in 2004 there were 30 districts. The population of small ruminants which was 12.14 million in 1951, decreased till 1977 and from 1984 it increased and reached 13.77 million in the year 2004. There were negative growths during inter-census periods 1951–56, 1956–61, 1961–66, 1966–74 and from 1974–77, 1977–82 and 1982–89 there were increase in growth rate and during inter-census periods 1989–94 and 1994–97 there was a slight decrease in growth rate. The growth rate during the period 1977–82 was phenomenal in the major small ruminant tracts of Thanjavur, Dharmapuri, Salem, Vellore, Madurai and Cuddalore with overall growth rate of 2.58% which was the highest among the 10 inter-census periods. Decrease in grazing land, diseases like PPR, blue tongue, inadequate market infrastructure, health care, problems in stall feeding and no breakthrough in genetics were the problems in the growth of small ruminants.