Sustainable dairy farming-Recent trends

Sustainable dairy farming-recent trends
Dr.T.P.Sethumadhavan

In India dairying is currently in a state of transition with rapid development in milk production, processing and marketing facilities benefiting rural milk producer and the under privileged urban consumer. Out of 210 million cattle and 75 million buffaloes more than 54% of milk is from buffaloes; which constitute around 33% of livestock population. In terms of economic accomplishment, milk is number one farm commodity towards contribution to National economy. India is currently the largest milk producing country in the world. With the implementation of GATT agreement livestock production and marketing has to be viewed in a global perspective. Sustained economic growth and rising domestic incomes are driving rapid growth in livestock product demand. Of the total households in rural areas, about 73% own livestock. Income from livestock sector accounts for 15-40% of total farm household incomes. Small and marginal farmers account for 3/4th of this household, raising 56% of bovine population. Dairy sector employs more than eight percent of India’s labor force.

During the last four decades, Kerala witnessed spectacular growth in dairying. Though the state has none of the natural attributes to make it an ideal dairy zone, (the year round hot and humid climate, highland pressure, scarcity for fodder, high rain fall and consequent mineral depletion from soil), Cattle development programme is very successful in transforming nearly 90 percent of unproductive cattle population to high yielding crossbreds with an average daily yield of 6.5 litres per animal. As a result milk production has increased from 2.2 lakh tonnes during 1963-64 to around 27 lakh tonnes in 2006-07.
Per capita consumption of milk per day in the state is over 232 grams. Indian council of Medical Research-ICMR recommends 280 gms of milk per day. But the gap between requirement and availability of milk is getting narrowed in this state. Decreasing cattle population in the state is mainly due to increasing productivity of crossbred cattle. As productivity increases number of unproductive cattle get reduced. Increasing domestic demand for milk shows that per capita consumption of milk is getting increased in the state. This is a major strength, which can be exploited through augmenting domestic milk production in the state. In order to meet the increased demand for milk during lean season; the state is procuring milk from nearby states.
Recent shortage of milk in the state and subsequent price rise for the milk marketed through Kerala state milk marketing federation-milma reveals that cost of production of milk in the state has increased substantially. But there is a huge demand for fluid milk in the state. If the availability of milk increases, per capita consumption of milk will steadily improve. Even though milma is the market leader of packeted milk in the state, of the total quantity of milk produced in the state, milma is procuring only around 12 percent of the milk produced. Rest goes to the unorganized sector.
Recently the term ‘sustainability’ has been evolved slowly keeping pace with development of production activities and the size of the human population. Due to the increased quantity of milk and milk products required for the future and the rapid development of new technologies that can modify the production systems of animals, sustainable approach to dairy cattle production is more important. Recent reports from International Food Policy Research Institute, 2020 Global Food Outlook- trends, alternatives and choices projects that child malnutrition will decline by only 20% over the next 20 years unless more aggressive measures are taken. Food and feed safety is a major concern for all over the world. It will be even more important as world trade expands and as transportation between countries becomes easier

The recent liberalization of external trade in livestock products emphasizes the importance of improving the efficiency of the domestic processing industry in order to remain competitive with imports.

Information and knowledge play critical roles in the management of natural resources and sustainable development. During the last four decades planning for higher milk output was based only on scientific knowledge. There is now widespread acceptance of the worth of indigenous knowledge also. It is also to be recognized that sustainable and environmentally sound agricultural production is a task to be achieved in partnership with different sectors of the society including Governments, research institutions, farmer organizations, NGO’s, industry and the media. Efforts should be accelerated to ensure scientific and development community through research- extension systems to adopt, tailor and improve sustainable practices of indigenous technologies for wider diffusion. This should be coupled with scientific breeding, feeding, management and disease control measures. Cardinal rules of profitable dairying are to reduce in inter calving period and age at first calving.
Even though Kerala has a breeding policy, many progressive dairy farmers suggest that they are not getting the required quantity of milk from the crossbred cows. Pure exotic breeds like Jersey and Holstein Frisian can be tried on an experimental basis in the hill track area of the state. Case studies from Egypt, Korea and UAE suggest that pure exotic cattle breeds can be tried on an experimental basis in the state.
During past in dairying production oriented programmes were given more importance without giving much emphasis to marketing. But production oriented programme coupled with marketing is the need of the hour in the state. So a marked led extension programme has to be evolved giving due weightage to rural marketing. During surplus season, farmers are unable to market the entire quantity of milk produced. Value addition is needed for increasing profit margin from dairying. Milk can be converted in to value added products like butter, ghee, curd, peda, ice cream, cheese, etc based on location specificity, demand and available technology.
Of the total cost involved in dairying more than 75 percent is for feed alone. During the last 3 decades feed cost has increased 200 percent in the state whereas cost of milk has been increased only by 50 percent. More than 90 percent of the raw materials needed for compounded cattle feed are coming from nearby states. In order to make the system sustainable, farmers need to follow scientific feeding and management strategies. Productivity enhancement programme has to be given more emphasis. Cultivation of fodder crops needs special attention. Dairy farmers having limited land availability can think of cultivating azolla at their homesteads. Azolla contains more than 25 percent protein, which will improve milk production and fat content in milk. Compounded feed and adlimitum water should be given separately. All types of new technologies in feeding has to be followed to increase milk production. Bypass fat and protein feeds, probiotics, urea molasses block, chelated mineral mixtures, total mixed ration concept; etc can be effectively used to exploit production.
Total mixed ration-TMR concept developed by National dairy development board, Sumul dairy of Gujarat and Animal nutrition division of Sri. Venkiteswara Veterinary University, Hyderabad is one of the new technologies in feeding. Scarcity of fodder is a main problem as far as Kerala is concerned. Under TMR system, concentrates and fibre are mixed as per the nutrient requirement of milch cows. TMR blocks are of two types with 14.5 KG each. One for milch cows yielding up to 15 litres of milk per day and other for cows yielding up to 10 litres per day. While giving TMR blocks there is no need for giving additional feed or fodder. Only adlibitum water is needed. Areas where land availability is limited for fodder cultivation feeding of TMR blocks can be tried, which will help to improve milk production and fat content in milk.
Cattle shed should be constructed in an eco friendly manner. Cattle shed with adequate ventilation improves production. Floor of the cattle shed should be made concrete. Cow comfort measures in the cattle shed will optimize milk production. Management measures based on climate, season, stage of lactation, etc has to be followed. Milking, reproductive and disease control management measures will make dairying more profitable. Teat dipping and dry cow therapy has to be regularly practiced in order to control the incidence of mastitis. Regular vaccination against Foot and mouth disease, Hemorrhagic Septicemia and other disease control measures will be followed. Vitamin-mineral supplements have to given regularly. Postpartum deworming will help to improve production. Quality control measures like HACCP has to be followed from production to marketing. Clean milk production programme must be practiced in a regular manner.
Recently more entrepreneurs are interested to invest money in dairying. Recent trend is more towards commercial dairying in the state. Fully computerized high tech dairy farms have already established in Maharashtra. Moreover there is enough potential for starting commercial dairy farms in the state under public private partnership.

HI-TECH DAIRY FARMS

HI-TECH DAIRY FARMS
Dr.T. P. Sethumadhavan,
Dr.R. Radhika

Recently with the advancement of information technology, computerised Hi-tech dairy farms have come up in India. The level of computerisation and automation are very much advanced and people employed are comparatively less. Kerala being a state with highest percentage of crossbred cattle there is ample scope for commercialisation in dairy sector. In this context mechanisation would make this sector more feasible and sustainable.
Computerised feeding system
In the scientifically constructed cattle shed, automatic individual watering bowls and feeding boxes are kept. The transponder connected to the neck of the animal helps to identify them. Each animal’s daily ration of concentrate is fixed based on its milk production, body weight etc. and entered in the computer. As the animal walks near to the feeding box, the computer senses the number of the animal and allows a few kilograms of feed to drop into the feeding box. The computer deducts the feed supplied to the animal from its total daily ration. Cow repeatedly goes to the feeder at frequent intervals and gets the feed till its entire allotment of daily ration is exhausted. Animals are not tied in the shed. The feed consumed by each animal is recorded in the computer. In the shed, the feed is transported through pipes connected to overhead silos. There is a dung scrapper on the floor of the shed that scrapes and removes dung and urine continuously to a pit at the end of the shed.
Milking parlour
During the milking time, the animals walk in queue to the milking parlour one by one. Before milking, the animals are washed using a water sprayer. In the milking chamber, teat cups of the milking machine are attached to the udder after automatic washing. At the milking point, the operator can see the details of the animal including the feed consumed, milk yield, disease if any from the display board. After milking, the teat cups drops down and the udder is sprayed using a disinfectant. Then the animal is let out through the passage back to the shed. Milk collected is pumped in to a collecting tank.
Computerised monitoring system

In the computer room every day each animal’s performance can be assessed. More over the sensor implanted in the animal send signals to the computer about the physical activity of the animal. By sitting in the computer room and observing the physical activity graph, heat signs can easily be detected. Through computer monitors located in the owner’s residence, he can get all needed details. Closed circuit television sets are also seen in some of the farms. Water purification plant and roughage cutting shed machines are also available. Roughage is fed directly to the manger from the vehicle driven through the central passage. Central cleaning and disinfection unit, solar water heaters, pathology lab, breeding station and artificial insemination facilities are also provided in many farms. Ultra sound scanning does pregnancy diagnosis.
MILKOBIKE FOR EFFICIENT MILKING

Non availability of skilled milkers poses greater threat to Dairy farmers. Due to improper milking incidence of mastitis is more in high yielding crossbred cows. Moreover unscientific milking affects clean and economic milk production. Dairy development department of kerala launched a novel scheme namely Mobile milking machine project -MILKOBIKE first in India to solve this crisis.

This innovative technology consists of 20 litres capacity milking machine of D-Laval (Agri) India connected to a Bajaj-M80 Moped.Unemployed youths will be selected to operate this. They will be given three days training in handling of milking machine and clean milk production.50% of the cost of milking machine will be provided as subsidy to milking operator by the department. Assistance for purchase of moped will be arranged through bank loan. Milking operator has to visit 30-40 houses daily and to milk animals.power will be taken from respective houses. Farmer has to pay @Rs150 per cow per month. Being the maintanance cost of machineRs 25 should be paid to the concerned milk socities.operator will get a monthly income of Rs4000 through this scheme.
As a pilot project MILKOBIKE was tried in 5 blocks of Trivandrum District. An official in charge of the scheme told that a modified version of Milkobike is in the final stage where power can be generated from the moped itself.

Investment meet for promoting livestock ventures in the state

Investment meet for promoting livestock ventures in the state

Dr.T.P.Sethumadhavan

Introduction-
Kerala, which occupies less than 1.18percent geographic area of the country, has more than 100 crops. There is enough potential for livestock sector in the state. Annual growth rate of Livestock sector in the state is more than 4% whereas in Agriculture it is less than one percent. In Kerala this sector contributes more than 40 percent of the total income from agriculture. At the National level it is only 30 percent. The gap between availability and demand of livestock products to meet the national institute of nutrition requirement is more than 200 percent in the state. Moreover as a sequel to globalization, there is immense potential for export of Animal protein sources like milk, meat, egg and their products.
Need for the programme-
Recently due to seasonal fluctuation in prices of agricultural commodities there is a moving trend towards livestock farming in the state. The trend is moving more towards commercial farming activities. Investors having more land availability recently realized the importance of livestock farming in the state. Objective of this programme is to promote investment in livestock ventures in the state.
Objectives-
1. To promote investment in livestock sector in the state.
2. To produce enough animal protein sources to meet the requirement as specified by ICMR by 2020.
3. To attract national and international players in the livestock products trade for investing in the state.
4. To promote commercially viable livestock based industries in the state.

Methodology-
Investment meet for promoting livestock ventures will be implemented as follows-
1.Investment meet with corporate giants of National/International reputation, state level officials of NABARD, nationalized banks, state co-operative banks, livestock based industries, pollution control board, CLFMA, CEO’s of public sector undertakings, officials of dept of Animal husbandry and Dairying, Department of processing (Govt of India), state level officials of Animal Husbandry department, representatives from business media, etc.
2. Publication of compendium on livestock production scenario of the state- It should include workable statistics, potential data, population parameters, state’s investment friendly climate, potential of livestock based industries and commercial farming ventures, need for integration, market based production programmes, organic farming, value addition, export and import policies, export potential, state’s successful programmes and policies, SWOT analysis of the livestock sector of the state, AH department’s commitment, bankable projects, venture capital fund, feasibility studies, details of input availability and need for ETP for commercial units.
3. Potential investors meet-beneficiaries of venture capital fund, investors registered through veterinary institutions, local body/institution sponsored beneficiaries, beneficiaries identified by investment cell of the department.