CONCEPT OF “GOKUL GRAM” UNDER RASHTRIYA GOKUL MISSION(RGM)

October 12, 2021

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CONCEPT OF GOKUL GRAM UNDER RASHTRIYA GOKUL MISSION

Gokul Gram:

Under this component of RGK, it is proposed to establish Integrated Indigenous Cattle Centres or Gokul Grams in the breeding tracts of indigenous breeds. Gokul Grams will be established in: i) the native breeding tracts and ii) near metropolitan cities for housing the urban cattle. Gokul Gram will act as Centres for development of Indigenous Breeds and a dependable source for supply of high genetic breeding stock to the farmers in the breeding tract. The Gokul Gram will be self sustaining and will generate economic resources from sale of A2 milk, organic manure, vermi-composting, urine distillates, and production of electricity from bio gas for in house consumption and sale of animal products. The Gokul Gram will also function as state of the art in situ training centre for Farmers, Breeders and MAITRI‟s.

Each Gokul Gram will be set up by and function under the auspices of the SIA/ EIA or in a PPP mode. The Gokul Gram will maintain milch and unproductive animals in the ratio of 60:40 and will have the capacity to maintain about 1000 animals. Nutritional requirements of the animals will be provided in the Gokul Gram through in house fodder production. Disease free status of Gokul Gram will be maintained through regular screening of animals for important diseases like brucellosis, TB and JD. An inbuilt dispensary and AI centre will be an integral part of the Gokul Gram. Gokul Gram will also be set up near to metropolitan cities for managing urban cattle. Metropolitan Gokul Gram will focus on genetic upgradation of urban cattle.

OBJECTIVES:

Integrated Indigenous Cattle Centres – “Gokul Grams”– will be established under the Rashtriya Gokul Gram Mission with the objective of conservation and development of indigenous bovine breeds in the country. Gokul Grams will be set up in a): the Native Breeding Tract of an indigenous bovine breed and b): on the suburbs of Metropolitan and large cities (for urban cattle) with the following aims:

To promote indigenous cattle rearing and conservation in a scientific
To enhance productivity of indigenous breeds and increase economic returns from animal products in a sustainable
To propagate high genetic merit bulls of indigenous
To encourage appropriate technology for use of Draught Animal Power.
To provide balanced nutrition and integrated animal health
To optimize modern Farm Management practices and promote Common Resource
To promote Green Power and Eco

STRATEGY:

Gokul Grams will be established as an Integrated Cattle Breeding Centre for development of indigenous breeds and a source for supply of quality breeding stock to the farmers in the breeding tract. Some Gokul Grams will also be established in the vicinity of Metropolitan and large cities to house urban indigenous cattle.

1. Herds of indigenous cattle will be set up with a viable composition of economic and unproductive animals in the ratio of milch: unproductive: : 60:40.

2. Gokul Grams will be established by the State Implementing Agency/End Implementing Agency or under a Public Private Partnership.

3.Productive animals of high genetic merit may be purchased by State Implementing Agency/ End Implementing Agency and managed along with 40% unproductive stray animal.

4.In the case of PPP model the productive animals belonging to farmers in the area would be housed along with unproductive/dry animals.

5. Gokul Grams will be established in the Native Breeding Tract to house indigenous cattle in the rural areas; while Gokul Grams established in the urban areas will house Urban Cattle.

6.Nutrition: Balanced nutrition will be made available to animals. Green fodder and dry fodder will be produced at the Gokul Gram. Gokul Gram will also have block making units to produce balanced dry fodder blocks. Area specific mineral mixtures will be given to the cattle for improving growth and reproductive performance.

7.Health Care: Animal health care and fertility will be taken care of by Veterinary Dispensary. The dispensary will have the facility for first aid, vaccination, artificial insemination, de-worming etc. Gokul Gram will have facility for practical training of MAITRIs, farmers and also to carry out extension activities.

8.Draught Animal Power (DAP): DAP will be used in all on farm agricultural operations like ploughing, sowing, harvesting etc. with appropriate technological interventions. DAP run turbines will be used to generate electricity at the Gokul Gram. Promotion of usage and advancement of animal drawn tractors, harvesters developed through research will be done. DAP will also be promoted for drawing water for irrigation and transportation of products Gokul Gram. DAP Research and on farm Innovations promotion, training and extension will also be made part of Gokul Gram.

9.Economic importance of Cattle at every stage of their life span – productive/ non productive and even after death is recognised and forms an integral part of the Project. The same is essential for the viability of the Project, its sustainence and its replicability.

Sustainability:

Economic returns will be ensured through appropriate farm size:
The Herd size (proposed at 1000 for general areas), along with the size of other operations to be large enough to ensure that the Project is viable and sustainable.
Use of Common facilities and resources at the Gokul Gram to ensure returns.
Scientific Resource Management and Professional Farm Management.
Economic returns from milch, dry and dead cattle as well as the monetary value of animal products at every stage- of both productive and non productive cattle – is central to the success of the Gaugram and ite sustainability.
Sale of basic and value added animal products like: qualityA2 Milk, Milk products, variable uses of animal dung like mosquito repellents, heat resistant tiles etc.; cow urine distillate products and post death animal products like leather, hide etc.
Sale of high genetic merit livestock produced in Gokul Gram in the form of bulls, heifers and calves will be sold to farmers, breeders and institutions.

ACTION PLAN:

Gokul Grams will have the capacity to house a herd of indigenous bovines with a herd size of about 1000 with 60% productive breedable females, and their “followers”, and 40% unproductive animals.

Gokul Gram will be a Centre of Excellence and will maintain animals scientifically.

Suitable land for the Gokul Gram will be provided by the SIAs/EIAs.

Gokul Gram Management will be trained by State Department of Animal Husbandry in scientific management of animals using MSPs and SOPs developed by DADF. They in turn will train Farmers of the vicinity by organising farmers training programme in Gokul Gram.

Animals will be maintained at Gokul Gram will be identified using UID Numbers and tags. Data on each animal will be entered in the National Data Base.

The Herd will be housed in eco- friendly sheds constructed in the Gokul Gram providing a minimum space of 10 square feet per anima along with provision of waste disposal. Calf pens will also be constructed.

The entire herd maintained at Gokul Gram will be artificially inseminated using semen of elite bulls of indigenous breeds.

Twenty percent of the herd will be replaced annually by the calves born in the Gokul Gram.

Feeding of the animal will be done under the supervision of an Expert. Balanced ration will be given to all the animals maintained at the Gokul Gram. Nutrition will be provided to the Herd from high yielding, palatable and nutritious fodder varieties grown in house, augmented by additional nutrients.

Animals will be tested regularly by the Veterinarian against Brucellosis, Tuberculosis, Johnes Disease as per the protocol for disease testing.

Animals will be vaccinated against the diseases prevalent in the area (Haemorrhagic Septicaemia, Black Quarter and Foot & Mouth Disease).

New animals will be allowed to enter in Gokul Gram after proper testing against the diseases mentioned in the health protocol.

Milk produced will be stored scientifically in the Bulk Milk Coolers (BMC) after proper testing using milko-scan for milk fat and protein on the Gokul Gram site. The chilled milk will be procured by the dairy cooperative in case the EIA is a Cooperative. In all other cases the milk will be sold to a dairy cooperative society.

Farmers and Management of the Gokul Gram will also have the option to sell the milk and milk products in niche markets at premium rates fetched by A2 milk of indigenous animals.

Cow dung will be used to produce organic manure. About 3,280 tonnes of manure will be produced at the farm and same will be used in the village for improving fertility of the soil. Later on the entire village will be encouraged to shift to organic farming.

Bio gas plant will be installed at the farm and bio gas will be used to run efficient generators to produce electricity within the Gokul Gram. Electricity produced from biogas will be used to run tube wells and for other agricultural activities.

Bio compost and Vermi-compost pits will be created to improve fertility of the soil in the village.

Innovative products made from Cow dung like hand-made paper, mosquito repellents, heat resistant roofing tiles, dry and oil bound distemper, plant pots etc will be promoted and manufactured in Gokul Gram. Besides providing value addition, this will also generate employment in the area.

Cow urine will be converted into bio-pesticide and bio fertilizers and same will be used in the Gokul Gram and excess will be sold. Cow urine distillate will also be sold to medicine manufacturers.

After death the cow will be sold to produce various products.

Milk products produced at the Gokul Gram like cow ghee, butter and various other products like sweets etc will be sold at a premium rate.

FINANCIAL OUTLAY:

The total capital investment for construction of cattle sheds; calf pens, irrigation facility, rain water harvesting, veterinary dispensary etc will be as per the estimates drawn by the State Government approved Agencies. In the case of equipments like Bulk Milk Coolers, Biogas Plants etc will be as per NPBBDD and extant norms.

TIME FRAME:

Establishment of Gokul Gram will be completed in one year.

EXPECTED OUT COME:

Conservation and development of indigenous breeds.

Enhanced productivity of indigenous breeds: upto 1000 Kg/ lactation in Project area.

Increase in population of Indigenous Breeds.

Availability of High genetic merit disease free bulls and surplus female calves for genetic up-gradation of non-descript animals in the area, thereby improving the physical quality of life of farmers of the region.

Greater access to organised market for A2 milk and milk products and higher Farmers‟ stake in conservation and development of indigenous breeds.

Enhanced productivity of urban cattle and shelter for dry dairies and stray cattle.

Reduced Carbon footprint and spread of Green Power and eco-friendly technology.

PROPOSED INFRASTRUCTURE TO BE AVAILABLE IN EVERY GOKUL GRAM

S. No.	Equipment/Infrastructure Required
1.	Cattle Sheds (2 ) with capacity to house 1000 animals, eco-friendly roofing
2.	Calf Pens (1) eco-friendly roofing
3.	Irrigation facility
4.	Rain Water Harvesting
4.	Veterinary Dispensary
5.	Bio Gas Plant
6.	Generator (DAP and Bio Gas Driven)
7.	Agricultural Equipments (DAP drawn)
8.	Ration Balancing: Computers
9.	Urine Distillation Plant
10.	Weighing Balance
11.	Vermi-compost pits
12.	Chaff Cutter (DAP Drawn)
13.	Training and extension wing: Practical Training of MAITRI
14.	Administrative Block: Monitoring Cell
15.	Bulk Milk Cooler
16.	Butter Making Unit
17.	Ghee Making Unit
18.	Sweet Making Unit
19.	Semen storage and Liquid Nitrogen Storage facility: Cryocontainers, LN and semen transport vehicle
20.	Fodder Block Making Unit
21.	Other equipments as per requirement