Dairy crisis can be reduced through market led scientific interventions

At a time when Covid 19 disruptions and continuous lockdown are prevailing in the country, milk co-operatives are unable to procure entire quantity of milk from farmers which affect sustainable dairying system in the state. Need of the hour is to think of market led production by dairy farmers. Absence of drought and emergence of pre monsoon rain has facilitated increased availability of green fodder and thus quantum jump in milk production. 10 Kg of green fodder can substitute one kg of concentrates. Since feed cost form 3/4^th of the cost of production of milk, availability of green fodder coupled with pre monsoon weather will reduce cost of production of milk. But the procurement and marketing crisis has affected the sustainability in dairying.

Dairy farmers can think of certain scientific interventions through which loss due to excess production can be reduced. Market led production strategies can be adapted based on marketable quantity of milk. Quantity of concentrates can be reduced substantially based on quantity of milk required which in turn will facilitate farmers to save the excess feed cost. Moreover they need to convert excess quantity of milk in to easily marketable value added dairy products like ghee, butter, curd, etc using traditional technologies. Some of the farmers used to milk only required quantity of milk. This is an unscientific practice which may cause mastitis and subsequent production losses. Those fully relying on Milk co-operatives can think of even unorganized marketing by local interventions to tide over the situation.

Dry cow therapy can be practiced among pregnant cows which are beyond 7 months of gestation. Initially frequency of milking can be reduced along with reduction in quantity of milk ration. Antibiotic intra mammary infusions can be used at three weeks interval to reduce postpartum mastitis.

Forth coming monsoon will be a flush season for Dairying in the State and departments of Animal husbandry, Dairy development and Milk Unions are trying to achieve self sufficiency in milk production within one year. Dairy cattle must be vaccinated against contagious diseases like foot and mouth disease and hemorrhagic septicemia along with scientific management measures must be followed to reduce increasing incidences of mastitis.