Page 16 - English Tehelka Issue 1&2

cow milk

Stray cows’ milk in demand • Homeless innocents There are one lakh
stray cattle in Punjab as per 2012 census

in Punjab. Will other states of the cows in these cattle ponds could
be useful in rehabilitating them in the
poor households.
Experts believe this could be a
follow suit? workable idea for the state govern-
ment to motivate commercial dairy
farmers to hand over cows directly to
the poor as and when they find them
commercially unviable. It is alleged
It’s being felt that a comprehensive rehabilitation model may help restore the economic that a multitude of stray cows and
bulls are abandoned on the roads and
value of stray cows and in the process address the emotive aspect of their protection. It is to be public places at this stage. A senior of-
seen if state governments will emulate the process, raju william writes ficial of Punjab Animal Husbandry
Department said there were one lakh
stray cattle in Punjab as per 2012 cen-
bandoned on roads for they will not abandon them,” disclosed both districts. Over 1500 stray cows, sus. Cows outnumber bulls and that is
being unproductive, Pawan Kumar, a founding member of bulls and calves are being looked after why they are more visible on roads.
scores of stray cows the Mansa cattle pond. Similar is the at these three places. The current census is going on.
brought to the govern- case in the two cattle ponds in Fate- “It’s a new lease of life for such Developing a proper rehabilitation ones because milk-yielding cows are Those behind the idea hold that
A ment cattle ponds lo- hgarh Sahib and Ludhiana districts cows at our cattle pond but it’s at ini- model can lead to optimum capac- financially useful. “The poor wanting besides restoring economic status of
cated at villages Burj Powat, Gadolia which together are home to over 400 tial stage and need to be sustained. It ity utilization of these cattle ponds as to take home these productive stray cows, the problem of bulls, now of only
and Khokhar Kalan in Ludhiana, Fate- stray cattle, majority being cows. could be a wonderful step if they find well as those in other districts of the cows due to their economic value is a nuisance value due to highly mecha-
hgarh Sahib and Mansa districts of Both cattle ponds are being man- ways into homes again. Yes, this model state. The Punjab government had, new form of community participation nized farming practices, too can be
Punjab have resumed yielding milk. aged by the volunteers of Delhi-based needs to be studied to make it worth over two years ago, constructed cat- that should be seriously thought about resolved by resorting to selective
This has led to poor people of the are- spiritual and charitable organiza- replication at a larger scale but should tle ponds each costing nearly Rs one if the governments want to tackle the breeding. Their unwanted propagation
as approaching the cattle’s caretakers tion Dhyan Foundation (DF) who, on be tried at local level to start with,” crore on village lands in every district. problem of wandering cattle. Their can be checked by employing avail-
with the request that they be allowed the instructions of their guiding light observed Kanwalpreet Kaur, Deputy But these remained non-operational rehabilitation in the poor households able ‘sexed semen’ besides castration
to take them to their homes with the Yogi Ashwini, volunteered for this Commissioner, Fatehgarh Sahib. Her as no animal welfare organisation offers a more constructive solution,” when they are 6 to 8 months old. “The
promise of looking after them. service. Notably, the cattle ponds at Mansa district counterpart, Dharam came forward to take responsibility opined Mohit Sharma, a DF volunteer. insemination technology ensures
The development is being seen both places were in a locked state Pal Gupta, shared her observation of managing these mainly due to their Being shelter-less, the cows that birth of female calves with 10 to 12
by many in the field as a notice- before the DF offered to run these in saying such a rehabilitation model location away from urban centres and move around are prone to accidents percent error margin. Our state gov-
able opening of a possibility of their association with administrations of could be a trailblazer. lack of funds. resulting in human and animal deaths. ernment has been importing filtered
rehabilitation in a scenario where the The agreement of commercial But things got going after DF took In 2016, 1.23 percent of total road acci- semen straws for the purpose,” in -
freely roaming hordes of cows are dairy farmers too points to its likely the initiative in Ludhiana and Fate- dents in India were attributed to stray formed Dr Surjit Singh Makkar, Depu-
largely being considered a menace effectiveness. Daljit Singh Sadarpura, hgarh Sahib districts and Varinder animals and 5 to 7 percent in Punjab, ty Director, Animal Husbandry, Mansa.
for humans. A crude line of thought, Stray cows can be the national and state president of Kumar Sharma, the then Deputy Com- mostly in its Malwa region mainly due But all this does not negate the need
that packing them off for slaughter- rehabilitated in Progressive Dairy Farmers Associa- missioner of Mansa district. The DF to single roads and unrestricted access of healthy bulls. The available embryo
ing could be better riddance, brings tion, is not averse to evolving such a also voluntarily contributed funds for for animals, said Dr Kamal Soi, mem- transfer technology is there to take
along risks of social and communal poor homes that model based on experience of stray Mansa during initial financial crunch. ber, National Road Safety Council. care of their propagation for breeding
disharmony. can take care of cattle management at these three There is an increasing realisation that Accident prevention too calls for purpose. Does this small experience at
About 100 cows out of the total places. “Of course, it’s a doable idea the incumbent state government ways to reduce chances of stray cattle these cattle ponds call for its serious
800 at these three cattle ponds have them for their if the cows are brought back into the should actively help out in resource being let out to fend for themselves. examination and pave the way for
turned productive with daily average milk which being breeding cycle but massive efforts at mobilization by way of ensuring com- The charge that these innocent beings evolving a model of restoring the
yield of 100 litres of milk. Of this, about the government levels are required munity participation to make all the cause accidents is absurd to the core economic value and consequent
70 litres is being sold to households lesser than yielded for this to happen,” he observed. Sa- cattle ponds work at optimum levels. because it is us who have forced them rehabilitation of such stray cows else-
daily and the demand is increasing. darpura pointed out that 50 to 60 per It is an accepted fact that such on to roads. Since the process of com- where in Punjab and the country to
Its quality quotient seems to be the by dairy cows cent of such cows are fit for lactation. places cannot thrive without active mercial dairy farming cannot be re- reduce the incidence of hazards posed
clincher given the presence of adul- is commercially He ruled out their commercial viabil- participation of the area commu - versed, ways have to be found for their by their presence in public places and
terated milk in the market. “So much ity as this requires minimum yield of nity. It is seen that due to this factor, rehabilitation by involving all stake roads? It’s hoped that governments
so, we are being approached daily unviable for big 14-15 litre, which in the case of large gaushalas being run in urban centres holders including dairy farmers. This will wake up to this issue.
by poor people offering to take these farmers dairy farms is average 22-25 litre. But are financially more resourceful. But initiative has to be taken at the govern-
cows home with the promise that he agreed that the reported low yield these gaushalas do not accept stray ments’ levels, argue animal activists. letters@tehelka.com

tehelka / 31 january 2018 16 www.tehelka.com tehelka / 31 january 2018 17 www.tehelka.com

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