NATIONAL CODE OF PRACTICES FOR BREEDING MANAGEMENT OF DAIRY ANIMALS IN INDIA
In the article , the good practices which has been prepared by ICAR, NDRI & WORLD ANIMAL PROTECTION ngo will help assure the five freedoms for animals and meet their basic needs. Widespread implementation of these practices will improve the productivity, health and welfare of the animals and therefore ensure profitable dairy farming on a sustained basis both under commercial farming conditions and in traditional smallholdings.
India is a rich repository of bovine and bubaline genetic resources, with 37 breeds of cattle and 13 breeds of buffaloes, and a population of about 200 million cattle and over 100 million buffaloes. Cows include a sizeable population resulting from crossing exotic dairy breeds, mainly Holstein-Friesian and Jersey, with indigenous cattle both of defined breeds and ‘non-descript’ genetics. There is also a large population of nondescript cattle and buffaloes, but these are mostly reared in herds of 2-3 animals by small and marginal farmers, and are not the main focus of this Code. Average milk productivity is currently very low: indigenous cows yield on average 2.0 kg daily, crossbred cows 6.46 kg and buffaloes 3.91 kg. This is because most production systems are not intensive, but subsidiary to the overall land use system, where crop production dominates. Resource availability for intensive dairy farming is limited although of late there is an upsurge in the establishment of medium as well as large scale dairy farms especially in the outskirts of large cities in northern and south India.
Minimum standards————-
Minimum standards –1
The breeds of cows and buffaloes selected for dairy farming must be well adjusted to the local agro climatic condition
Minimum standards –2
The breeding and genetic improvement goal of the selected breeds must be appropriate to the physiological and behavioral needs of the animals and must not compromise the health and welfare of the animals.
Minimum standards —3
The level of exotic inheritance in the case of crossbreeding of local cows for improving milk production must not be more than scientifically recommended level and must not compromise the health, welfare and longevity of the cows.
Good practices for breeding crossbred cows–——————–
A large number of half-bred and higher crosses of animals have been produced at organised farms and under field conditions in different agro-climatic zones of the country. The crossbred animals are reared mainly under semi-intensive (stall feeding plus grazing) and intensive (stall feeding only) animal production systems.
Accordingly, breeding policy is suggested as follows.
A. Under semi-intensive production, the exotic inheritance should be restricted to 62.5% or less(i.e. the F 1 crossbred females should be bred with the semen of genetically superior progeny-tested crossbred males having exotic inheritance between 50 and 75%). The breed of choice for crossbreeding is Holstein Friesian in the irrigated plains and Jersey in hilly terrain and coastal areas.
B. Under intensive production, higher levels of exotic inheritance between 62.5 and 75% can be sustained. The F females in the field can be bred with the semen of genetically superior progeny-tested males of exotic 1 breeds with high progeny test index to produce progeny with 75% exotic inheritance. Further, males with exotic inheritance between 50 and 75% produced through inter-se-mating can be used to sustain the exotic level between 62.5 and 75%. The breed of choice is Holstein Friesian in the irrigated plains and Jersey in hilly terrain and coastal areas. The semen of exotic bulls of high transmitting ability for milk yield and milk constituents should be used.
C. The crossbreeding of non-descript zebu cows with semen of exotic dairy cattle breeds will enhance milk production by 5 to 8 times, reducing age at first calving and shortening calving intervals in crossbred progeny.
D. Sexed semen should be used when possible to avoid the birth of unwanted male calves.
Good practices for breeding indigenous cows————
A. Animals of indigenous dairy and dual-purpose cattle breeds can be genetically improved using highpedigreed and genetically proven bulls appropriate to the breeding tracts (core areas) of different zebu cattle breeds. For example, Gir and Kankrej for Gujarat; Rathi, Nagori and Tharparkar for Rajasthan; Hariana for Haryana, parts of Punjab, Western U.P. and Rajasthan; and Ongole for Andhra Pradesh may be utilised. It is expected that 1 to 1.5% improvement in milk production per annum will be achieved in herds at organised farms and 8-10% in farmers’ herds.
Good practices for breeding buffaloes-———-
A. Selective breeding needs to be strengthened for genetic improvement in buffalo breeds, using genetically superior bulls at existing organised farms. It is expected that 1-1.5% improvement in milk production per annum will be achieved in herds at organised farms and 8-10% in farmers’ herds.
B. In certain parts of states like Gujarat, Rajasthan and Karnataka, Surti is the breed of choice. Murrah is generally the breed of choice in Haryana, parts of Punjab and Western U.P., while in other parts of Punjab Nili Ravi has a sizable population and also needs to be improved. Genetic improvement for higher milk production, reduced age at maturity, reduced service period, dry period and calving interval will lead to higher economic returns.
C. The production potential of low producing non-descript buffaloes in low to medium input production systems, in areas where feed resources and marketing facilities are moderately available, can also be increased rapidly by using sires of improved breeds like Murrah,Surti and Mehsana. Surti is recommended for Karnataka, Kerala, parts of Gujarat and Rajasthan;Nili Ravi for a few parts of Punjab;Murrah for Haryana, parts of western Uttar Pradesh and Punjab. In other parts of the country where sufficient feed resources are available, Murrah is recommended for grading up of non-descript buffaloes.
D. This programme is also expected to increase meat production. The grading up of non-descript buffaloes yielding on average 500 kg with improved buffalo bulls having genetic potential of 2000 kg or more will yield an average of 1250 kg in the first generation. Thus through use of superior breeds over four to five generations, low producing non-descript buffaloes can be replaced with animals that are relatively high producing for both milk and meat.
Dr.Chandrakiran Sant, Dairy consultant,Pune
Reference-On request.
