Innovation and Technology at Dairy Farm: Way Towards ‘Sustainable Dairy Farming’
Story 1(Failure) – Vikas did diploma in dairy farming and management and recently he decided to forward the legacy of his father by joining small dairy farm of his father but now a days he is happy and little confused because he learnt during his course is completely different in reality neither there is technology nor hygiene which is causing low production.
Story 2 (Success) – Yuvika and Afreen two young entrepreneurs who have started cooperative dairy farming and availed the Govt schemes like Rashtriya Gokul Mission,Dairy Processing and Infrastructure Development Fund, Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund, Support to State Dairy Cooperative & Farmers Producers Organization and Kisan credit card and running today successful dairy farming business there are minimum labour cost ,everything is automated ,they even track their animals when animals goes for grazing by using technology ,they have recruited software and computer graduates to operate the dairy farm in this way labour cost is reducing and also with this cooperative dairy farming they have included every small and marginal farmers who have one or two milch animals and with this they are making everything organized as a result of this farmer’s income has doubled and productivity has increased .
Story 1 talks about consequences of lack of technology and story 2 talks about benefits of having technology in dairy farms.
India is the largest dairy producer in the world. According to an economic survey, the dairy industry is valued at INR13, 174 Billion in 2021 and can grow to 30 Billion approximately in 2030. Almost 80 Million farmers are working in the Dairy industry currently and it contributes 5% to the National Economy. According to Statista, the gross value added from milk products within the livestock sector across India amounted to over 4.7 Trillion INR. This showcases how this sector has grown hugely since White Revolution.
Dairy is providing nutritional security and sustainable livelihood to the people .Milk produced from small as well as large farm scale farms at micro level is contributing to every nation’s economy consequently the global economy at macro level.
As per the reports released by DAHD statistics division, Government of India India’s milk production in the year 2021-22 was 221.06 million tonnes and growth rate was 6%.
Milk, produced from small as well as large scale farms at micro level, is contributing to every nation’s economy, consequently global economy at macro level.
What are farm innovations and technology and adoption?
Farm innovations are the novel practices/products/techniques suitable for particular area, physiological stage of animals and economically viable option to enhance the animals’ per diem yield.
The term technology explains systematic application of scientific or other organized bodies of knowledge to practical purposes, which includes new ideas, inventions, innovations, techniques, methods and materials.
A decision made by an individual or group to use an innovation in a continuous manner termed as adoption.
As dairying has become a commercial enterprise and needs technology adoption for higher milk yield and lower per unit costs.
Now the question arises why do we need technology and innovations?
60% surplus milk is handled by the unorganized sector, while the remaining 40 % is procured by the organized sector. 60% farmers are those who have more than 3 mulch animals for their livelihood and many farmers who have poor farm infrastructure which results in low productivity and lower production. They are not getting veterinary help to curb diseases of animals, labour cost is increasing and they do not have testing facilities and they are feeding their animals in wrong proportion which means feed management is not optimal and they are using excessive resources and it is threat to the environment this is due to lack of knowledge and awareness about technology and innovations of dairy farming .Innovation and technology will help to double the farmers income in sustainable way. Any farmer or entrepreneur who is running a dairy farm without technology and innovation will face issues like continuous vigilance (manually), poor hygiene and it may lead to deterioration of milk. If Communication technology will not be there it will disrupt the supply chain, manual milking do not produce good result as Robotic milking or automated milking machine, Breeding, vaccination problems will be solved, if automation is making our work comfortable it should be adopted in a sustainable way, By adopting technology one may feel relax and will get rid from tedious work and will not exploit resources. Innovation will aid in addressing issues related to sustainability, including lowering the industry’s carbon impact, enhancing animal welfare, and guaranteeing the wise use of natural resources. Application of innovations at every stage of production from cultivation of fodder till marketing of milk is the dire need of the present day.
Following innovation areas are useful for productivity enhancement– (Source: https://www.intechopen.com/chapters/79567 Dairy farming innovations for productivity enhancement)
- Breeding innovation
- Feeding innovation and practices
- Management innovation
- Health care innovation
- Communication innovations
- Marketing innovations
“Innovation and technology will bring sustainability (social, economic and ecological) in dairy sector”
- Breeding innovation:-
Breeding innovations generally known as cross breeding have resulted in profitable dairy farming with serious health and fertility concerns. Selection of good, disease resistant and climate resilient breeds coupled with adoption of scientific breeding innovations laid the strong foundation to the dairy farm to grow in future. Highly productive animals require special care in terms of management, disease control and feeding strategies. Native breeds with quality germplasm would be more appropriate for local climatic conditions. Genetic up-gradation of non-descript animals by using local superior germplasm proves more beneficial in terms of sustainable production. However, introducing exotic germplasm to a certain limit generally known as cross breeding have resulted in profitable dairy farming with serious concerns.
There are following Breeding Innovations (dairy and animal biotechnology):-
- Artificial insemination (AI) technique –
Artificial Insemination (AI) is an Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) used worldwide to deposit proven sire’s stored semen directly into a cow’s uterus. The technique is used as a rapid way to improve desired characteristics through intensive genetic selection. Advantages, such as facilitating the use of superior quality semen without the expense and risk of sire’s ownership; reduction in the risk of introducing venereal diseases into the herd have been achieved with this innovative technique. It helps in exploiting the excellent germplasm up to the fuller extent.
- Progeny testing
Progeny testing is the practical and best technique, in which bulls are evaluated on the basis of their daughters’ performance. When large numbers of animals are spread in many villages for a particular breed in its native tract, these villages can get AI services and progeny produced in this way is evaluated for their performance. Progeny testing is practical and the best option for achieving genetic improvement in that breed.
- Embryo transfer technology (ETT)
Embryo transfer is a technique by which embryos are collected from a donor female and are transferred to recipient females, which serve as surrogate mothers for the remainder of pregnancy.
It is also called ovum transfer.
Advantages:
. It improves the genetic potential
- It increases the productivity
- It increases the economic benefit
- It increases the disease resistance
- It increases the no. of calves in life time
- It reduces the generation interval
- It increases the selection intensity
- Import and export is easier because it is done in the form of embryos in which transportation is easier, genetics is diversified, and cost is decreased.
- Sexed semen
Sexed semen is processed semen of proven bull from where ‘Y’ chromosomes bearing sperm cells are removed through sorting process. Sexed semen predominant with ‘X’ chromosomes can ensure birth of female calf. Reduction in economic burden and production of more number of female calves as a future productive cattle are the main advantages popularizing this technology among dairy farmers. However, the higher cost of semen coupled with low conception rate are important factors to be considered before its use and that too in heifers or prim parous animals for better results.
- Hormonal synchronization/protocols
Different hormone protocols are being adopted for getting group calving or desired calving in a year for efficient and controlled management. Such desired calving matches with market demand and season. It is planned administration of hormones with fixed time AI for specified calving.
Other techniques
The advanced reproductive techniques such as Multiple Ovulation and Embryo Transfer (MOET), ovum pick up technique and embryo manipulation (splitting, sexing and cloning etc.) offer possibilities for faster multiplication of superior germplasm from highly selected elite donors to achieve the target producing large number of superior bull calves/bulls and their adequate number of quality semen doses.
- Feeding innovations :
Steady supply of quality feed and fodder assures productivity enhancement. Feeding constitutes about 60–70% of the total cost of milk production in dairying. Feeding management plays a crucial role in exploiting the real potential of dairy animals. Balanced feed (green and dry fodder along with concentrate ration) proves beneficial for sustainability as well as profitability of the farm.
Cost effective feeding strategies like growing feed in the farm, in the fertile land should be adopted.
Different types of Animal Feed Innovations are as follows:-
Baled silage
Baled silage is forage that is baled at a higher moisture than forage to be stored as dry hay between 40 and 60 per cent. The bales are sealed with airtight plastic and remain sealed until they are required. The high moisture and lack of air within the sealed bale promote fermentation, which preserves forage quality. It is the product of controlled fermentation of green fodder retaining high moisture content.
- Rumen inert protein (bypass protein)
In this technique, part of the protein is not degraded in the rumen and it can be utilized more efficiently in the small intestine. This rumen inert protein commonly known as Bypass protein that is a misnomer.
Uses – This protein supplies more essential amino acids at the intestinal level, which can lead to increase in milk yield by 10–15% and growth rate by 20–25%. Bypass fat
Dietary fat, that resists lipolysis and bio-hydrogenation in rumen by rumen microorganisms, but gets digested in lower digestive tract, is known as bypass fat or rumen protected fat or inert fat.
Technology used for its preparation is – Ca-LCFA
Note: Ration of the high producing animals should contain 4–6% fat, which should include fat from natural feed, oil seed and bypass fat in equal proportions.
Uses- Bypass fat supplementation has proved beneficial without any adverse effect on the rumen fermentation, feed intake, and digestibility of nutrients and different blood parameters of the dairy animals. Rise in milk is recorded 5.5-6%
- Total mixed ration (TMR)
The term total mixed ration may be defined as, “The practice of weighing and blending all feedstuffs into a complete ration which provides adequate nourishment to meet the needs of dairy cows.” Each bite consumed contains the required level of nutrients.
- Buffers
Dietary changes like shift from hay to silage, feeding high levels of grains/concentrate mixture cause increased acidity in rumen which may become detrimental for rumen microorganisms thereby affecting not only digestion but production and reproduction too. Buffers like Sodium bicarbonate, Magnesium oxide neutralize the acids produced by metabolism or fermentation.
Uses: They are particularly required during hot weather when forage intake is lower and due to less chewing action natural buffer produced i.e. saliva is produced less.
Probiotics (prebiotics/symbiotic)
Probiotics are the live microorganisms that may beneficially affect the host upon ingestion by improving the balance of the intestinal microflora. Lactobacillus spp. is the most prevalent probiotic bacteria, known as lactic acid producing bacteria (LAB).
Uses:
Control of diarrhoea in calves, increased milk production and better composition, control of ruminal acidosis, control of growth of pathogens in rumen, reduced pathogen load are the advantages of the technology.
Dosage: The appropriate level of 20 g probiotic per day per animal is found effective.
- Health care innovations
Reduction in milk production is the first sign of animal discomfort and illness; whereas getting back to this production is one of the major challenges and costly affairs for small as well as marginal farmers. Also there is reduction in per lactation as well as lifetime production of that animal. Any kind of disease treatment compels us to use antibiotics. This part is of a global conversation about antibiotic resistance, which is a serious public concern shared by animal and human health experts. So, it’s always better to prevent the occurrence of diseases rather than treat them. This could be possible only through application of healthcare management innovations.
- Vaccination
Livestock vaccination is considered an emerging innovation of socio-economic importance in the Indian dairy industry and reported more profitable and sustainable than artificial insemination
Majority of tropical countries like India are endemic to many diseases that cause severe economic losses due to drastic reduction in the production capacity. Some of the diseases are even highly fatal. Fortunately, vaccines are available for most of these diseases and can be easily controlled if timely vaccination is carried out on a mass scale, covering a large proportion of the susceptible population (at least 80%).
Farmers must stick to the standard vaccination protocol recommended by the Government following all precautions and regularity in inoculations.
- Teat dip
Teat dip cup and teat dip solution should be used immediately after milking. It is useful to sanitize the teats and reduces the spread to mastitis causing microorganisms.
- Mastitis diagnosis kit
Mastitis milk is rejected for sale and there are strict rules for it so it is imperative to test mastitis in animals.
Mastitis, one of the expensive diseases, affects the economic returns of dairy farms heavily. Farmers have to suffer with huge financial burden due to sub-clinical mastitis (SCM) as it incur heavy losses related to culling, decreased production, decreased fecundity, and treatment costs. Diagnosis of mastitis at sub clinical stage and its management results in milk production rising with quality milk and safety to consumer health.
Innovation of mastitis diagnosis kit includes Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (SLS) Paddle with reagent and Bromothymol Blue (BTB) card. Such innovations can be used by the farmers at their own for early diagnosis and reducing the further incidence diseases for improving productivity
- Oral magnet feeding
Hardware disease is a common term for bovine traumatic reticulo-peritonitis, which is usually caused by the ingestion of a sharp, metallic object. Due to industrialization and urbanization, it is commonly found in dairy cattle.
It can be prevented by administering a magnet into the fore stomach using a balling gun.
The best prevention of hardware disease is good management. Keeping pastures and feeding areas clean by picking up wire, metals and placing magnets infeed mills and harvesting equipment is also essential.
There are some companies who are providing feed management solutions are Godrej Agrovat, DeLaval, and Dairy Margin Tracker etc.
- Management innovations
Housing systems that require less labour, which provide a comfortable and healthy environment to animals, manage space including storage efficiently and take care of bio-security measures with easy modification and expansions are more profitable than heavy structures with huge capital investment. Sufficient sunlight, proper ventilation, clean, and dry flooring along with sufficient space for lying down and protection from adverse weather conditions are the basic necessities of animal housing.
- Biogas based manure management
The biogas from animal dung and crop residues through anaerobic digestion can be used for cooking, electricity, and CNG and vehicle fuel. Whereas the digestate can be used as organic fertilizer, as building materials, for crop cultivation and horticulture products (plant pots, idols, and ladies fashion accessories). Th brand SuDhan by NDDB is a case of circular economy in dairy cooperatives in Anand, Gujarat.
- Health tracking devices
Health tracking devices helps farmers in tracking, monitoring and managing animal’s health, nutrition, behaviour, pregnancy, milking frequency, milk production anomaly and activity level in real-time. These smart animal wearing gadgets can be implanted in the cattle’s ears, tail, legs, neck or any part of the body. For tracking the health and early diagnosis of medical conditions in dairy animals, GPS-enabled digital chips are playing an important role.
Health tracking devices – SmaXtec, Cowlar ,Moocall, Smartbow, Stellapps etc.
- Heat detection system
Detection of heat is a very important aspect of management for performing timely AI with successful animal conception. Heat Detection System is heat management software which monitors the cow’s activity for the whole day, predicting heat on the basis of unrest and hyperactivity along with other features to check milk flow, conductivity for suspected mastitis.
- Robotic milking machines
Innovation of robotic milking machines is useful in eliminating the pressure on physical labor and maintaining a hygienic milking process with remarkable improvement in milk production. These machines have cups with sensors that can be attached individually to cows’ teats. The sensors play an important role in detecting readiness of teats for milking and also identify impurities, color and quality of milk. Milk not fitted for human consumption is diverted to a separate container. The machines automatically clean and sanitize the teats once the task is over.
- Waste disposal and management
Scientific disposal of excreta (Dung, Urine), other organic waste (aborted foetuses, dead calf/animals, and placenta) demands utmost attention.
Community biogas plant is the best solution for manure management.
Latest development –
Technology of dung cleaning robot or manure robot is available for barn cleaning and scrapping the dung in slatted floors beneath the barn. Recently Manure eating robot has been launched for cow garden cleaning that cleans the barn/cow gardens, Electric Incinerator.
- Digital farm management
Completion of farm management includes accounting, finance, labour management and supply chain management. Dairy farm management software are the innovative tools available in markets for atomizing and digitalizing end-to-end production and operations activities. It provides a holistic view for entire farm activities, manage records, generate reports and detect inefficiencies; assuring profitable dairy farming.
Useful tools- Stell apps ,Milc Groups, My dairy dash borad , Nedap
- Cattle monitoring Drones –
It helps farmers to monitor their cattle and it protects their cattle getting lost, stolen or being attacked by other animals which is not possible by Manual vigilance. The cattle monitoring drones can keep track of the cattle and herd them back from fields to barns. Some drones also thermal sensing drones and checks heat in the animals.
Companies who are producing Cattle are TRITHI Robotics ,Dronitech,Sagar Defence Engineering,DJI enterprise and Sunbirds.
- Automated cattle traffic management–
It helps to move cattle to milking stalls and also helps to back them to barns. It protects Cattle from getting injured. How does it work?
It has a traffic management system and has computer controlled gates (Gates opened and closed automatically). These gates arrange livestock on the basis of their readiness to milk. The livestock ready to be milked is moved to the milking area while others are put either in waiting areas or returned to barns.
- Communication innovations
Computer based information systems and process controlled machines have assisted the management in speeding up data processing activities and maintaining quality control of milk products. For example, various computerized operations like receiving milk at dockyard and checking its quality instantly, timely payment to suppliers, monitoring manufacturing process, labor efficiency, PFA standard of milk products, tracking employee’s record, etc., have shown tremendous improvement and impact of IT on end users.
Uses –
- In product traceability – It will help to know the product journey.
- Transportation and logistics – It can be controlled using ICT by preventing any accidents and spoilage of milk.
- Supply chain management – ICT plays a very important role in supply chain management.
- To maintain cold storage – Perishable items need constant cold temperature and ICT helps to monitor and regulate temperature.
Marketing innovation.
Today a customer needs a product at his/her door, so websites, instant delivery, online shopping, and apps will help farmers to jump in the competitive market.
These innovations are very helpful for modern dairy farms. It is 100% true that it will require a huge cost to adopt these innovations and small farmers cannot afford these innovations but we are no. 1 milk producer and consumer in the world so it is very important for us to adopt such innovations to retain this no. 1 position otherwise in this high tech era we will be defeated by our global competitors. For small and marginal it is the biggest challenge but cooperative dairy farming and Cattle hostels in villages are the best options to take steps towards productivity enhancement .Proper training programmes should be run at the village level. It is not possible for small farmers to adopt each and every innovation discussed above but adopting one of them will help farmers to double the income. It is like a one-time investment which gives us profit every day. Electricity supply should be optimal to avoid any disruption in the technology. Innovation and technology will help farmers to achieve sustainable livelihood.
Name – Ashish Rahangdale
Name of College – College of Dairy science and food technology, Raipur ,Chattisgarh
Year – 4th year
Name of course – B.Tech. Dairy Technology
References
https://www.pashudhanpraharee.com/category/animal-husbandry-practices/
https://www.intechopen.com/chapters/79567
https://www.pashudhanpraharee.com/embryo-transfer-technology-ett-in-dairy-cattle/
