LOW PRODUCTIVITY OF INDIAN DAIRY ANIMALS: CHALLENGES AND MITIGATION STRATEGIES
Dr. M. Vigneswari1, Dr. S. Kumaresan2 and Dr. S. Ananthi3
1Assistant Professor, RIVER, Puducherry, 2Field Technical Manager, Zoetis, Namakkal and 3Practioner, Puducherry
Abstract
Livestock plays an important role in Indian economy and has highest population of cows and buffaloes. India is the highest milk producing country in the world contributing 17% of the world production and the annual milk production in India has reached 187.7 million tonnes in 2018-19 against the 17 million tonnes in 1951 and the annual growth rate in this sector is 6.5 % which is nearly three times that of the world. Sustainable dairy farming is an interaction of many factors that influence production and reproduction environment, longevity of live and input management. Milk production is a livestock enterprise in which small-scale farmers can successfully engage in order to improve their livelihoods.
Introduction
About 20.5 million people depend upon the livestock sector for his or her livelihood. The contribution of dairy animal is widely recognized. Since Indian independence dairy industry is showing steady and robust growth rate of 3 percent. Sector has seen huge improvement in supply chain and milk processing facilities. Despite of robust growth, cattle farms has not adopted modernization and cattle farms are facing multiple challenges. Dairy cooperatives cover about 60,000 villages all over India and only 12-14 per cent of total milk production is canalized through organized sector. Concerted efforts should, therefore be directed towards unorganized dairy farmers by providing necessary inputs and make them to adopt newer milk production technologies. India has become the world’s largest milk producer but its share in the world milk trade is very minimal. An attempt to identify problems of the farmers and to resolve the same for improving the export earnings and higher returns to dairy farmers is discussed in this paper.
Problems Confronting Sustainable Dairy Production
There is wide variation in Agro-climatic condition, Biodiversity and ecology Socio economic and cultural background of people, Types/breeds of dairy cattle reared. It is therefore necessary to plan for dairy development specific to each micro level, viz., a block, a village, a taluka and a district. This planning not only would result in optimum utilization of local resources, but will also ensure better viability of the programs and higher cost benefits ratio. Before embarking on planning and formulation of dairy development programs, it is necessary to consider environmental impact (water bodies’ pollution, over grazing of grasslands, degradation of watersheds, deforestation). Nowadays, environmental aspect is very much stressed by the private parties and multinational agencies while funding the animal husbandry projects. Notwithstanding above consideration, it is essential to adopt the following tips for efficient identification and formulation of animal husbandry and veterinary projects: Need for identifying such technologies, which demand less capital, less time and minimum operations. Need to explore the possibilities of providing loans at the lowest interest rates with subsidies for dairy development activities. Need for Gradual improvement of existing indigenous breeds of animals. Need for Gradual removal of useless stock and replacement with high yielding superior quality animals. Need to Gradual manipulation in husbandry practice for improving animal productivity and adoption of biotechnological interventions in feed and fodder, reproduction and growth aspects. Need for Government role in improving the supply of inputs and service to dairy farmers / beneficiaries at their doorsteps with minimum cost. Need Contribution from various nongovernmental agencies/organization to ease the problems of farmers in association with the governmental agencies. Need for developing viable farmer’s cooperatives societies / federations like, milk producers cooperative societies at village and district levels, federations, boards and corporations. Need for simultaneous development of cold chain storage and marketing facilities especially for milk and milk products. Need for extensions services from the Government, Agriculture Universities, R&D institutions, federations and corporation, besides mobilization of various input services from various agencies.
Challenges in the Indian Dairy Sector
High cost of milk production
Indian milk producers have to reduce the cost of milk production. The
main reason of the high cost of milk production is due to average milk
yield of Indian cattle is much less i.e. 987 kg /year compare to 6273 kg/
year in Denmark, 5289 kg/ year in France, , 5938 kg/year in Canada,
5462 kg/year in United Kingdom, 7038 kg/year in USA and 11000
kg/year in Israel. So farmer of other countries have to spend much
times less in compare to Indian farmers. Reason behind high
production of milk is not climate. Israel has climate of 47C – 45C in
summer and in winter it as 4C- 5C. So this high yield has been achieved
through proper feed, water management and housing, apart from
superior quality germplasm. Israel cows have archive this much high
milk yield by giving up high fat content. Then also per capita fat
production of Israel is higher than India.
High cost of milk production
Indian milk producers have to reduce the cost of milk production. The
main reason of the high cost of milk production is due to average milk
yield of Indian cattle is much less i.e. 987 kg /year compare to 6273 kg/
year in Denmark, 5289 kg/ year in France, , 5938 kg/year in Canada,
5462 kg/year in United Kingdom, 7038 kg/year in USA and 11000
kg/year in Israel. So farmer of other countries have to spend much
times less in compare to Indian farmers. Reason behind high
production of milk is not climate. Israel has climate of 47C – 45C in
summer and in winter it as 4C- 5C. So this high yield has been achieved
through proper feed, water management and housing, apart from
superior quality germplasm. Israel cows have archive this much high
milk yield by giving up high fat content. Then also per capita fat
production of Israel is higher than India.
High cost of milk production
Indian milk producers have to reduce the cost of milk production. The
main reason of the high cost of milk production is due to average milk
yield of Indian cattle is much less i.e. 987 kg /year compare to 6273 kg/
year in Denmark, 5289 kg/ year in France, , 5938 kg/year in Canada,
5462 kg/year in United Kingdom, 7038 kg/year in USA and 11000
kg/year in Israel. So farmer of other countries have to spend much
times less in compare to Indian farmers. Reason behind high
production of milk is not climate. Israel has climate of 47C – 45C in
summer and in winter it as 4C- 5C. So this high yield has been achieved
through proper feed, water management and housing, apart from
superior quality germplasm. Israel cows have archive this much high
milk yield by giving up high fat content. Then also per capita fat
production of Israel is higher than India.
High cost of milk production
Indian milk producers have to reduce the cost of milk production. The
main reason of the high cost of milk production is due to average milk
yield of Indian cattle is much less i.e. 987 kg /year compare to 6273 kg/
year in Denmark, 5289 kg/ year in France, , 5938 kg/year in Canada,
5462 kg/year in United Kingdom, 7038 kg/year in USA and 11000
kg/year in Israel. So farmer of other countries have to spend much
times less in compare to Indian farmers. Reason behind high
production of milk is not climate. Israel has climate of 47C – 45C in
summer and in winter it as 4C- 5C. So this high yield has been achieved
through proper feed, water management and housing, apart from
superior quality germplasm. Israel cows have archive this much high
milk yield by giving up high fat content. Then also per capita fat
production of Israel is higher than India.
High cost of milk production
Indian milk producers have to reduce the cost of milk production. The
main reason of the high cost of milk production is due to average milk
yield of Indian cattle is much less i.e. 987 kg /year compare to 6273 kg/
year in Denmark, 5289 kg/ year in France, , 5938 kg/year in Canada,
5462 kg/year in United Kingdom, 7038 kg/year in USA and 11000
kg/year in Israel. So farmer of other countries have to spend much
times less in compare to Indian farmers. Reason behind high
production of milk is not climate. Israel has climate of 47C – 45C in
summer and in winter it as 4C- 5C. So this high yield has been achieved
through proper feed, water management and housing, apart from
superior quality germplasm. Israel cows have archive this much high
milk yield by giving up high fat content. Then also per capita fat
production of Israel is higher than India.
High cost of milk production
Indian milk producers have to reduce the cost of milk production. The
main reason of the high cost of milk production is due to average milk
yield of Indian cattle is much less i.e. 987 kg /year compare to 6273 kg/
year in Denmark, 5289 kg/ year in France, , 5938 kg/year in Canada,
5462 kg/year in United Kingdom, 7038 kg/year in USA and 11000
kg/year in Israel. So farmer of other countries have to spend much
times less in compare to Indian farmers. Reason behind high
production of milk is not climate. Israel has climate of 47C – 45C in
summer and in winter it as 4C- 5C. So this high yield has been achieved
through proper feed, water management and housing, apart from
superior quality germplasm. Israel cows have archive this much high
milk yield by giving up high fat content. Then also per capita fat
production of Israel is higher than India.
High cost of milk production
Indian milk producers have to reduce the cost of milk production. The
main reason of the high cost of milk production is due to average milk
yield of Indian cattle is much less i.e. 987 kg /year compare to 6273 kg/
year in Denmark, 5289 kg/ year in France, , 5938 kg/year in Canada,
5462 kg/year in United Kingdom, 7038 kg/year in USA and 11000
kg/year in Israel. So farmer of other countries have to spend much
times less in compare to Indian farmers. Reason behind high
production of milk is not climate. Israel has climate of 47C – 45C in
summer and in winter it as 4C- 5C. So this high yield has been achieved
through proper feed, water management and housing, apart from
superior quality germplasm. Israel cows have archive this much high
milk yield by giving up high fat content. Then also per capita fat
production of Israel is higher than India.
High cost of milk production
Indian milk producers have to reduce the cost of milk production. The
main reason of the high cost of milk production is due to average milk
yield of Indian cattle is much less i.e. 987 kg /year compare to 6273 kg/
year in Denmark, 5289 kg/ year in France, , 5938 kg/year in Canada,
5462 kg/year in United Kingdom, 7038 kg/year in USA and 11000
kg/year in Israel. So farmer of other countries have to spend much
times less in compare to Indian farmers. Reason behind high
production of milk is not climate. Israel has climate of 47C – 45C in
summer and in winter it as 4C- 5C. So this high yield has been achieved
through proper feed, water management and housing, apart from
superior quality germplasm. Israel cows have archive this much high
milk yield by giving up high fat content. Then also per capita fat
production of Israel is higher than India.
High cost of milk production
Indian milk producers have to reduce the cost of milk production. The
main reason of the high cost of milk production is due to average milk
yield of Indian cattle is much less i.e. 987 kg /year compare to 6273 kg/
year in Denmark, 5289 kg/ year in France, , 5938 kg/year in Canada,
5462 kg/year in United Kingdom, 7038 kg/year in USA and 11000
kg/year in Israel. So farmer of other countries have to spend much
times less in compare to Indian farmers. Reason behind high
production of milk is not climate. Israel has climate of 47C – 45C in
summer and in winter it as 4C- 5C. So this high yield has been achieved
through proper feed, water management and housing, apart from
superior quality germplasm. Israel cows have archive this much high
milk yield by giving up high fat content. Then also per capita fat
production of Israel is higher than India.
- High cost of milk production
Indian milk producers have to reduce the cost of milk production. The main reason of the high cost of milk production is due to average milk yield of Indian cattle is much less i.e. 987 kg /year compare to 6273 kg/ year in Denmark, 5289 kg/ year in France, , 5938 kg/year in Canada, 5462 kg/year in United Kingdom, 7038 kg/year in USA and 11000 kg/year in Israel. So farmer of other countries have to spend much times less in compare to Indian farmers. Reason behind high production of milk is not climate. Israel has climate of 47C – 45C in summer and in winter it as 4C- 5C. So this high yield has been achieved through proper feed, water management and housing, apart from superior quality germplasm. Israel cows have archive this much high milk yield by giving up high fat content. Then also per capita fat production of Israel is higher than India.
- High cost in milk handling and marketing
In India dairy penetration is much less. Majority of milk is collected by private players and either sold to private dairies or to other member of channel. Milk passes through several level till it reach to pasteurization facility in dairy. After milk reaches to daily milk also passes through several distribution channel this also increase cost of milk. Whole process has double the milk price. In Gujarat cooperative dairy purchases one litre of milk from farmers at the rate of 25 to 28 Rs/litre. End consumer due to high milk handling cost these dairies sell milk at the rate of 48 to 52 Rs/litre. However there is good scope for reducing the number of agencies handling the milk to reduce the cost of handling and we can significantly reduce the retail price of milk.
- Poor quality milk due to unhygienic milk handling
Main reason of poor quantity of milk is due to unhygienic and poor condition of animal farms and dairies. Even due to high demand in foreign country we cannot export such poor quality of milk product. Many times Indian milk products get rejected in foreign nations due to unhygienic milking milk contains high number of microbial count.
Reasons behind the quality affected in India are due to poor health of animal, polluted water and food and Unclean surrounding in farm. So it is necessary to consider all this challenges in improving milk production. Currently most of the milking animals are not screened on regular interval of time. So there is lots of chances that some diseases can transmitted to human beings. Farmers use antibiotics and chemical drugs to increase the production of milk this will also affect the quality of milk. These issues can be avoided by regular screening of animals in animal husbandry and also maintaining history records of health, feed etc. Quality of feed should be checked regularly. There must be pollution control in the feed and water used in cattle farms.
Planning a Sustainable Dairy Project
It may be useful to consider the following information for planning and development of new dairy husbandry and veterinary projects which would be sustainable throughout. Dairy Cattle Population The country has 108.7 million buffaloes and 190.9 million cattle. First step is to know the existing number position of dairy animals in the different dairy sub zones of the country through available records such as Census report of both human and dairy cattle
Dairy farming challenges in India
Shortage of feed/fodder Breeding system Education and Training Hygiene Conditions and Marketing and Pricing Challenges faced by the Livestock sector in India Improving the productivity of farm animals is one of the major challenges. The average annual milk yield of Indian cattle is 1172 kg which is only about 50 per cent of the global average. The frequent outbreaks of diseases like Foot and Mouth Diseases, Black Quarter infection; Influenza, etc. continue to affect Livestock health and lowers productivity.
Conclusion
Dairy industry is poised to play a major role in our nation’s economy in the years to come. The value of milk is set to achieve a new boom. The industry’s major contribution in providing newer avenues for employment, both direct and indirect, and its role in improving the nutritional standards of our people also add to the importance that needs to be attached to this sector during the 21st century.
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