Sri Lanka's livestock population is comparatively small; in 2001 there were 1,565,000 head of cattle, 661,000 water buffalo, 493,000 goats, 68,000 hogs, 12,000 sheep, and 11 million chickens. Animals are not of high quality, partly as a consequence of religious considerations and primitive agricultural conditions. The natural pasturage lacks both nutritional value and palatability, and prospects for new pastures are not promising. In 2001, milk output was 224,000 tons and 53,000 tons of eggs were produced.