USE OF INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE FOR BREEDING & MANAGEMENT PRACTICES OF DAIRY ANIMALS IN JHARKHAND

Modern technology has today become indispensable for dairy development. However, the significance of indigenous knowledge (IK)/indigenous technical knowledge (ITK) should not and cannot be undermined if development has to be sustainable. It is logical that we first ground ourselves in the knowledge that we already have. But in the mad race for modernization, we seem to have mortgaged our traditional wisdom . The vested interests of industrial groups and resource rich dairy farmers, for their commercial reasons, bring to bear pressure on agricultural and dairy scientists to overlook the health and environmental consequences of the techniques they developed. It is time to think of alternatives in the interest of protecting the environment while still producing sufficient food and milk products for the foreseeable level of population. It is essential to utilize local knowledge for increasing production in a manner, which does not disturb the ecosystem and environmental health. For this purpose, we should know how to bring farmers and their indigenous knowledge back into the field of formal knowledge. Farmers are often regarded as recipients of technology, advice and information rather than generators of technology. Over the last two decades, scientists preached while farmers applied what they preached. Scientists had little regard for farmer‟s knowledge production capabilities even though their capacity for generation of useful alternatives to environment had been obvious. As a result indigenous knowledge (IK), ethno veterinary knowledge (EVK) has become an affordable alternative. IK has long been the subject of anthropological research, but it is only recently that researchers have begun to explore the possibility of harnessing IK in development. Indigenous knowledge in development context may relate to any knowledge held collectively by a population, informing interpretation of the world. It may encompass any domain, pertaining to natural resource management. It is conditioned by socio cultural, traditional, being culturally relative understanding inculcated into individuals from birth, structuring how they interface with their environments. Information on IK is seldom documented; it happens that such information is lost, if not passed on from generation to generation or protected and practiced by the local people . Hence, in today‟s concept of social media regime, it is all the more imperative to document and protect our valuable IK for posterity. In the context of sustainability, IK is also required to be properly documented for the benefit of researchers, planners and development officials. Considering this, an attempt has been made by me to document the IK practices in rural areas of natural resource gifted Jharkhand.These practices has been collected & documented from the livestock farmers of rural area of Jharkhand while interaction with them during field visits. Here are some documented practices—–

1.-Feeding of mustard oil cake to induce heat in animals-—–

Mustard oil cakes (Brassica campestris L.) were given for a few days

Rationale: Mustard cakes are rich in protein (30- 35%). The mustard cake protein has a wellbalanced amino acid composition, methionine, and lysine. The meal is good source of calcium, iron and phosphorus and also of niacin and choline. So mustard cake is considered as high energy feed stuffs. It helps to induce heat in animal.

Animals were provided with germinated wheat/Gram @ 250-500 g daily with other feeds for one week.

Rationale: Germinated wheat (Triticum aestivum) contains 5.2g moisture 29.2g protein, 7.4g fat, 3.5g minerals, 1.4g fibre and 53.3g carbohydrate. Gram contains 9.8g moisture, 17.1g protein, 5.3g fat, 3.0g mineral, 3.9g fibre, and 60.9g carbohydrates. Due to high protein content, it induces heat in animal.

: Farmers believed that feeding of one nutmeg dust three times a day induces heat in anima

Rationale: Nutmeg (Myristica fragrans Houtt) contains myristicin. Myristicin and its companion constituents, impart stimulant and hallucinogenic properties to reproductive part resulting in heat in animals

Dairy farmers used to diagnose heat period of animal by observing some physiological and behavioral symptoms. During this period, animals were restless and keep turning their tail up and down frequently. Their tendency was to climb on other animals or let other animals to climb on them. The unproductive parts slightly swelled and a sticky fluid flows out of it. Frequent urination in small quantities was another symptom. They used to smell the hinder part of other females and sniff the vulvas. In this period feed and water intake was stopped for a day. They swished tail and showed tendency to remain in close association with the bull and the bull smelled the vulva and attempted to serve her. The cows or the buffaloes were allowed to mate with the bulls kept for breeding within ten to twenty hours once they started crying due to heat. If one missed this it would be crying again within the next nineteen to twenty-two days.

Rationale: All these are symptoms, which indicate that the cow is in heat. If they are mated once, usually they become pregnant. These symptoms are due to increased ratio of estrogen, which leads to muscle contraction, pain and vasodilatation due to heat stress condition.

Signs of pregnancy were not visible for some time. As the foetus was growing, the stomach was enlarging on the left side and the udder also swelled. Sticky fluid was coming out of the vulva. There was blackening around the eyes. Instead of keeping the tail straight, it kept the tail to one side. After the fifth month was over, one can actually notice the movement of the foetus after the cow drinks water. As the foetus grows one can notice the udder was getting filled with milk. The vulva and the navel got loosen out. Failure of reoccurrence of heat after three weeks in cow and one month in buffaloes were considered the first indication of the onset of pregnancy. The milk of a pregnant cow turned sticky, thin and salty. The foetal movements could be observed on the right side when disturbed or when they got up from the position of rest. Some animals totally refused milking at this stage of pregnancy. The urine turned whitish.

Rationale: It is confirmed by observing these symptoms that animal have conceived.

Animals became dull and lethargic. Udder became distend with milk. The teats became distended and the vulva became enlarge and flaccid. The vaginal discharge started oozing out three to seven days earlier depending upon the condition of the animal. The animals in poor health exhibited this symptom just two days earlier where as among healthy ones it appeared earlier. The rump falls just before parturition

Rationale: All these are symptoms before actual parturition

Generally placenta falls two to three hours after parturition or may be delayed by twenty-four hours. If it was retained for a longer period, treatment was necessary. Farmers fed the animals with raw mango leaves in sufficient quantity

Rationale: Mango leaves posses flavonol glycosides gossy-petin-8-0-beta-D-glucoside-3- sulphate and gossypetin –8-0-beta –D glucuronide –3-suphalc; mucilage and tannis. Leaves exert a laxative effect and it is having anti-hemorrhagic properties. Both the properties are essential of for removal of placenta where the presence of infective organisms is always expected.

The animals were closely guarded against ingesting the placenta. Ingestion of placenta reduces the milk yield and cow may die of chocking and may suffer indigestion. Farmers used to provide 50 g of fenugreek and 100 g of sugar mixing with milk for a week in case of ingestion of placenta

Rationale: Fenugreek (Frigonella foenune graecum) seeds are aromatic carminative, tonic. It acts as emollient of the intestinal tract. The aqueous extract of the seeds shows antibiotic activity.

Banana leaf extract or the actual leaves itself were fed to cattle to bring forth conception. This was practiced only once or twice after taking an animal in heat to a male for service

Rationale: Banana leaf has a slightly diuretic action hence if conception is hampered due to urinary problem banana leaves extract would be beneficial

Just after the calf was born farmers used to blow air through the mouth and the nose. The naval cord was tied properly and turmeric was applied. Then colostrums feeding were done. Excessive colostrums feeding were avoided. Calves were not allowed to feed on mud or other unnecessary things. Calves were given enough exercise. Calves were kept separated from the mother by putting them in a calf pen. It was located at the inner portion of the cattle shed. The calf pen was provided with straw or with dry tree leaves

Rationale: Blowing of air through the mouth and nose• help in cleaning the respiratory passages and the calf breath properly. Turmeric on cord is applied to avoid infection.• In colostrums, there are substances, which• cause purgation, and as a result of this the intestines are cleared. It helps in the expulsion of meconium. Proper feeding helps to keep the calf disease free. Exercise helps to get healthy calf. Providing straw in calf pen give them• protection form cold.

The pregnant cows were kept separated from other animals. These cows were handled very gently. They were groomed by hand or by brush. They were normally petted by old men. The ticks were removed and any organism, which harboured itself in the udder, was also removed. Flies and mosquitoes were also removed. Farmers usually allow the pregnant animal to of out for grazing.

Rationale: Cows are handled very gently to avoid any type of injury. Grooming helps in proper blood circulation. Cleaning of pregnant animal help to get disease free calf. Walking of pregnant animal helps

in muscular movement during grazing, the exposure of animal to sunlight supplies enough vitamin –D, helpful for proper growth of developing fetus

Farmers used to wash the feet of the cattle every day. They were given bath once a week. Those bullocks, which work in the fields, were allowed to swim once a week. Immediately after swim they were not given any work. Grooming of cattle was done with coconut fiber. Parasites like lice, ticks and mites were removed. In case of cracked hooves and if these were outgrown, proper prunning was done. Salt was mixed with hot water and then hooves were cleaned with this water once a week. Dust in hooves was removed with a cloth after dipping in hot water.

Rationale: All these practices help to keep the animal healthy

The cattle shed was protected from rain, sun etc. It was properly ventilated and the animals were getting enough light. The straw or the grass was arranged properly. Farmers used to keep the floor clean and dry. Proper provision was there for drainage of urine. The dung was disposed properly and not left as it was. Animal was not tied too close to each other. Fumigation of cattle shed was done in every evening. In winter, gunny bags were hanged in the windows and doors.

Rationale: This is helpful to avoid any disease for the animals and it keeps away the bad smell, parasites, mosquitoes, flies etc. Use of gunny bags helps to protect the animal from cold.

Reference-On Request