Minister Launches Kerala Feeds’ Dairy Next’ Programme

KOLLAM:
The state government launched an interactive programme aimed at giving dairy farmers authentic knowledge on raising cows, as Dairy Development and Animal Husbandry Minister J. Chinchurani inaugurated the multipurpose ‘Dairy Next – Application and Benefits’ at a function in the district today.

To be carried out by the Dairy Development and Animal Husbandry in association with the public-sector Kerala Livestock Development Board and KFL, ‘Dairy Next’ aims at providing scientific as well as practical advice on growing cows. It will also give farmers tips on ways to improve milk production while cutting down costs on cattle-feed. The overall aim is to achieve the target of making Kerala self-sufficient in milk production.

The Dairy Next programme will be implemented in all the 140 assembly constituencies of the state, the Minister revealed at the function in Chanapara near Kadakkal in the district.

”Our aim is to demonstrate how dairying can be a profitable activity if we ensure scientific steps in raising cows,” Chinchurani said. “The main issue our farmers face is the high cost of feeds. We produce balanced food for our cows by using raw materials from other states. Some of the indigenous feeds we give to our cakes not only lead to a spike in expenses; they sometimes upset the digestion of the cows. We will be working towards creating awareness among farmers on the right use of feeds.”

The dietary food and their scientific intake for the cows have been readied by KFL Managing Director Dr B. Sreekumar, his KLDB counterpart Dr R. Rajeev, Department of Dairy Development Joint Director Salini Gopinath and Animal Husbandry Department Additional Director Ajith Babu. This has been done after detailed studies on the model farms of KFL and KLDB’s farm at hilly Mattupetty in Idukki district.

Today’s ceremony saw the presentation of directives to check cases of cows dying owing to intake of green leaves that have poison content. Listing out such dangerous leaves, the officials spoke on the steps to be taken if a cow happens to consume poison that way and the numbers to which phone calls can be made for emergency help. The tips were given by experts at seminars that followed the inaugural ceremony.

The 1995-founded KFL, which is headquartered at Kallettumkara near Irinjalakuda in Thrissur district, has a range of products that cater to different breeds of cows with the aim of keeping them in good health as well as better productivity and quality of milk.