Dr. Sudhanya Nath1*, Dr. Smita Patil2 and Dr. Diptanu Das3
1PhD Scholar, Department of Animal Nutrition, West Bengal University of Animal & Fishery Sciences, Kolkata, West Bengal – 700037, India
2PhD Scholar, Department of Livestock Production Management, West Bengal University of Animal & Fishery Sciences, Kolkata, West Bengal – 700037, India
3PG Scholar, Department of Animal Nutrition, College of Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry, Selesih, Aizawl, Mizoram – 796014
*Correspondence: sudhanyanath@yahoo.com
INTRODUCTION :
Dairy animals have been companions of human beings since the time immemorial. Cattle, buffaloes, sheep and goats are being reared to meet demands for human food, clothing and industrial needs. The river banks have been the seats of civilization and provided an opportunity for dairy farming. Nowadays, these farms are facing huge economic losses due to under managed health, fertility & productivity & a very hostile marketing system.
As a part of the agricultural production system, dairy farming is a prerequisite to alleviation of poverty. It supplements other income generating activities to eradicate poverty & creates adequate opportunities for enhanced rural & peri-urban employment, income generation & economical access to food. The horizontal expansion in dairy farming is still in progress. The increasing human population of the urban areas, the rising income levels & the awareness about need of animal proteins in human diet, has resulted in increasing demand for milk & meat. This demand for food items & the rising levels of prices, calls for expansion of dairy & livestock industry.
MAJOR CHALLENGES FACED BY A DAIRY FARMER
Generally, in urban areas, livestock farming is not only practiced by the poor but also by different social groups. Livestock farming for the urban poor takes place under challenging circumstances. Resources, such as space, capital and feed are limited, and the institutional and legal environments appear to be unfavourable. However, the continuing existence and increasing importance of urban livestock farming for the poor indicate that the positive aspects of urban livestock farming outweigh the negative aspects. Constraints are inappropriate waste management, high cost of inputs (feed and drugs), availability of water, cost and quality of concentrated feed and grass hay, and poor reproductive performance of dairy cows, poor availability of AI technician and a shortage of semen.
A small or marginal dairy farmer faces many challenges in real life. The challenges are as follows :-
• Purchasing of Cattle : Purchasing a better variety of milking Crossbreed cow by a farmer is totally a risk activity. This cattle purchase is totally based on trust. In some places, there is no organized way of cattle business .When there is a surplus in government farms, the government farm sales cattle. Generally, farmers who are going to sale, use corruptive methods to show the high yield of milk. Farmers use certain Hormone stimulating chemicals in the udder of cow. By that chemical the cow gives high amount of milk from first day of inject up to 4 or 5 days. Then the cattle undergo severe health problem. But the farmer, who wants to buy the selected cattle observe the high milk yield of cow and immediately purchase the cow and the cow get serious health issue after the injection of the hormone stimulating chemicals. Sometimes this corrupt practice result sudden death of the cattle also. So, the farmer who purchases this cow is in loss.
• Hygienic condition of cattle shed : Hygienic condition results reduction of infectious disease & other viral diseases spread by mosquitoes. The farmers cannot provide better housing condition for themselves, so it is far to expect the better concrete cattle shed. By designing concrete shed and doing it in a government prescribed manner not only helps to reduce the disease frequency, but also make eligible for subsidy.
• Green fodder cultivation: For better growth of the cattle, green fodder is very essential. This increases the milk fat content and provides required protein content. Hybrid napier is a grass which can be produced throughout the year and is the best green fodder. Farmers are not willing to cultivate this grass due to lack of irrigation facility.
• Inappropriate waste management: Animal waste disposal causes environmental and public health problems, which will become even more severe as urban livestock numbers increase.
• Water availability: At present urban dairy farming competes for water resources with humans as the demand for water for this activity is not taken into account by the supply services. In many slums water has to be bought and therefore other water sources, which are often contaminated, are accessed for livestock.
• Poor cattle health and high cost of veterinary services: Animal health is often poor due to inadequate husbandry practices. Poor dairy farmers seldom vaccinate their cattle. Due to the high cost of veterinary services and livestock drugs, treatment is sub-optimal.
• Green fodder cultivation: For better growth of the cattle, green fodder is very essential. This increases the milk fat content and provides required protein content. Hybrid napier is a grass which can be produced throughout the year and is the best green fodder. Farmers are not willing to cultivate this grass due to lack of irrigation facility.
• Feed availability and quality: Feed availability is a particular constraint for larger livestock species such as cattle, which are usually zero-grazed. Feed quality is a problem for free-roaming livestock as there is no or very limited control over feed sources.
• Low production level: Due to limited feed availability, poor quality and poor management practices, the production level of cows is generally low.
• Poor networking and organization among the farmers: Farmers are not organized and can therefore not express their demands in a concerted way.
• Lack of research and services provision: Information access and adoption of improved technologies is limited for poor urban farmers. This is made worse by the fact that existing services are not tailored to the needs and circumstances of the poor (e.g. extension services and training courses promote species which are less relevant for the poor).
• Limited knowledge of livestock husbandry practices: As information sources and advice services are lacking, farmers often have limited knowledge of livestock husbandry practices.
• Marketing of milk and milk products: Marketing is very crucial step for sustainability of any business. Dairy farm may be a small business unit or may be a large business unit according to the herd size. So for any operation of business activity two things are required.
A).Financial sustainability
B).Operational sustainability
Financial sustainability is defined as stable economic activity or continuous inflow and outflow of money. The operational sustainability is defined as the operation at low cost. Hence for the dairy farm these two types of sustainable activities make profitable business. For financial sustainability, marketing should be there.
Opportunities for the future development of urban dairy farming:
Increasing recognition of the importance of urban dairy farming is best opportunity for farmers. There is an opportunity to achieve substantial impact through capacity development of farmers as current production levels are constrained by poor management practices.
Organization and networking among farmers should be there to improve access to information and other services. Urban farmers are becoming more aware of the potential benefits of organization and networking as a means to access information and services and improve marketing strategies.
Increasing urbanization and hence demand for food products may have positive impacts on the development of urban livestock farming.
Improved animal waste management should be there. Available technologies for animal waste disposal (improved composting technologies and biogas production) provide an opportunity to improve current waste management practices.
Current rural urban linkages are weak. However, there is an opportunity to improve these linkages for fodder production and animal waste disposal.
CONCLUSION
For further growth of dairy industry in the liberalised global economies, India has to face the challenges on several fronts. These include the production of good quality milk, adoption of cost effective, energy efficiency eco-friendly technologies for collection & processing of milk & milk products, diversification of the product range, up-gradating & improvement in the shelf-life of Indian dairy products, development of appropriate systems for packaging, infrastructure for storage, transportation & marketing of dairy products, quality systems, certification, food safety, government legislation, effective management of resources & energy, proper disposal of industrial waste & customer services. Dairy has a lot of potential to improve incomes, nutrition and women empowerment, and hence measures should be taken to improve urban dairy farming.
