BIO-CULTURAL PROTOCOLS - LPPS

LPPS AND THE BCP THEME

An important aspect of breed conservation has been identified as ‘livestock keepers rights and the BioculturalProtocols(BCP)’ and this is being guided by the LokhitPashuPalakSangh (LPPS).

LPPS developed the first BCP for the Raika community in the Pali district of Rajasthan with the help of South Africa based lawyers and an NGO working for farmers/community rights. The protocols are developed by the community and documented by the supporting NGO.

The BCP records the history of development of their livestock as well as that of the community. It also records the topography/ mapping of their working area along with the the flora/ fauna of the area. Besides this, traditional practices and local knowledge are also documented. All in all, a comprehensive document is prepared. This is then supported by locating the documentary evidence from archival records and already existing documents. The relevant elements of the BCP are being recorded in the local biodiversity registers.

At present, the network manages about five BCPs and NGOs in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Orrisa,Tamil Nadu and Jammu & Kashmir, working towards developing new BCPS.

BREED CONSERVATION - SAHJEEVAN

SAHJEEVAN AND THE BREED CONSERVATION THEME

Sahjeevan at Bhuj in Gujarat has been chosen to lead the ‘breed conservation and development’ theme.

The organization has been chosen to lead the theme ‘breed conservation’, for its efforts towards getting the Banni breed of Buffalo recognized have resulted in effective outcomes.

The organization has worked closely with livestock community, the state government departments, the State University and the NBAGR in the process and in last few years Sahjeevan has been working intensively towards getting registered a new camel breed namely the Kharai camel in Kutch following the same modus operandi.

Following the orgnanization’s interaction with the State animal husbandry department with regard to breed conservation and registration, the Gujarat Government has allotted it a task of identifying and getting registered all the lesser known breeds pertaining to all the domestic livestock species within the State. Special funds have also been allotted for the same.

The process is being adopted and replicated in other states like Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh. In Karnataka, Sahjeevan is guiding an NGO named Future Greens Samaste in getting registered a local buffalo breed located along the Krishna river in Bhagalcote. Alongside, in Madhya Pradesh, Sahjeevan is guiding a local NGO named AKRSP in evaluating a cowbreed located in Khandwa.

Besides this, SPS, an NGO located at about 150 km away from Indore is working towards getting recognized a buffalo breed.

In all these processes local Veterinary/ Animal husbandry departments are being involved so that the State Governments can carry forward the process for other lesser known/undocumented breeds.

Indigenous Breed Could Bolster Farm Income

INDIA - An Indian statesman is championing native cattle as part of the National Dairy Policy due to hardiness.

India's minister of state for agriculture and agri-processing, Dr Sanjeev Balyan, has said that tolerance to tropical weather conditions means indigenous cows can increase rural income.

The minister said this while inaugurating one-day ICAR-NAVS expert consultations meet on strategies for enhancing milk productivity of indigenous cattle.

For this purpose, the government has launched the Rashtriya Gokul Mission for improvement of indigenous cattle, Dr Balyan stressed.

Dr Balyan hoped that the project will yield rich dividends and the mission aims to conserve and develop indigenous breeds in a focused and scientific manner, for which breeding facilities will be set up for breeds with high genetic potential.

"A well thought out cattle breeding policy which was in place 50 years ago which included selective breeding of indigenous milch cattle breeds in their breeding tracts and to use them for upgrading local cattle.

"However, the policy was not followed in letter and spirit and indiscriminate crossbreeding was done which has resulted in erosion and dilution of our rich germplasm of high yielding indigenous milch breeds,’ Dr Balyan adds.

Dr Balyan was also conferred with the Honorary Fellowship of National Academy of Veterinary Sciences by President of the Academy for contributing significantly in the area of agriculture sector in general and livestock in particular.

A.S. Thakur, Secretary, Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying & Fisheries, India also briefed on various initiatives taken by the government for improvement of milk productivity and conservation of indigenous cattle germplasm.

The meet was organised jointly by Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) through National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources (NBAGR), Karnal; Central Institute for Research on Cattle (CIRC), Meerut and National Academy of Veterinary Sciences (NAVS).

www.thecattlesite.com

Plan to up milk production, breed desi cows

Seeking to increase milk production by developing indigenous breeds of cows, the government has decided to set up two national centres which will be dedicated to develop new breeds of 'desi' cows and support a network of 'Integrated Indigenous Cattle Centres' across the country. 

Known as 'National Kamdhenu Breeding Centre', one national centre will be set up in north and the other in south India during the current financial year. 

 These centres will work to upgrade nondescript cattle (cows) using elite indigenous breeds like Gir, Sahiwal, Rathi, Deoni, Tharparkar and Red Sindhi. It will not only improve the genetic makeup of 'desi' breeds of cows but also increase their stock. 

It will be established under the ongoing 'National Gokul Mission', comprising a number of other proposals, to enhance the productivity of indigenous breeds of cows through professional farm management and superior nutrition. 

All these proposals and modalities for their implementation will be discussed in a meeting of state animal husbandry ministers here on September 16. 

Union agriculture minister Radha Mohan Singh will on September 19 announce the concrete plan while sharing details of his ministry's achievements and initiatives during the first 100 days of the new government. 

Under the 'National Gokul Mission', which has got Rs 500 crore under 12th plan and additional Rs 150 crore during 2014-15, the government will also set up a number of 'Integrated Indigenous Cattle Centres' - called 'Gokul Gram' -- across the country. Gokul Gram will function as state of the art training centre for farmers and breeders. 

"These initiatives are necessitated keeping in mind growing demand of milk in the country," said an agriculture ministry official while referring to the latest projection of future demand of milk. 

Being the world's largest producer and consumer, India produced 140 million tones (MT) of milk during 2013-14 as against 132.4 MT in 2012-13. The National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) has, however, projected that the country's demand for milk is expected to be around 155 MT in 2016-17 and 200 MT in 2021-22. 

"Keeping this projection in mind, the country will have to increase its average incremental milk production from 4 MT in the past 10 years to 7.8 MT in the next eight years," said the official. 

Though foreign breeds of cows helped in increasing milk production substantially over the years, the cost of keeping those breeds in good (high-yield) health has made it an expensive proposition for average villagers/farmers who maintain cattle to enhance their income. 

The concept of 'Gokul Gram' is, therefore, conceived in such a way that it will help both farmers and breeders. Establishment of Breeder's Societies (Gopalan Sangh) and extending incentive to farmers for maintaining elite animals of indigenous breeds are also planned under the 'National Gokul Mission'. 

Giving award to farmers (Gopal Ratna) and breeders' societies, organization of 'milk yield competitions' for indigenous breeds and organization of training programme for technical and non-technical personnel working at various institutions engaged in indigenous cattle development are also part of the National Mission.

Vishwa Mohan & Mohua Chatterjee,TNN | Sep 15, 2014, 01.05 AM IST NEW DELHI

Our Cows and Theirs - Analysis

The future of indigenous cattle lies in creating incentives to rear them

India’s indigenous cattle population has fallen by 8.9 per cent between 2007 and 2012 even as the numbers of exotic/crossbred cows and female buffaloes have gone up by 28.8 and 8 per cent respectively, according to the Agriculture Ministry’s latest Livestock Census. Disturbing though this may seem to some, the trend is a reflection of rational economic choices made by farmers. 

Traditionally, cattle and buffaloes were reared for the following purposes — draught power for agricultural operations, dung for manure and fuel, and milk. The advent of tractors, chemical fertilisers and LPG cylinders/kerosene has undermined the first two roles; as a result, farmers use bovines mainly as milch animals. This has resulted in a premium on female animals; not surprisingly, the decline in male animals between 2007 and 2012 is much sharper at 18.8 per cent for cattle and 17.9 per cent for buffaloes.

Cow

Even within females, indigenous cattle lose out not only to their crossbred counterparts that yield more milk, but also to buffaloes that produce milk with higher fat content. So, farmers find it far more attractive to maintain buffaloes and cows containing genetic material of ‘western’ breeds such as Holstein Friesian and Jersey. The rising price of milk has only tilted the economics further in favour of these animals. Only a little over a fifth of the country’s milk now comes from indigenous or desi cows; at the current rate of decline, they are threatened with total marginalisation. One can draw a parallel here with many of our traditional tall wheat or paddy cultivars that have been displaced by semi-dwarf high-yielding varieties in the post-Green Revolution era.

The only way to arrest marginalisation of desi cattle as well as crop varieties is to make them worthwhile to rear or grow. Solutions such as strengthening laws against cattle slaughter aren’t going to work; if anything, these will further disincentivise farmers as they are left with no viable mechanism for disposing animals that have either stopped giving milk or are male. A more realistic approach is to undertake systematic breeding and genetic upgradation of our finest indigenous cattle. Some of these breeds — Sahiwal, Red Sindhi, Gir, Kankrej and Rathi — are, in fact, good milk producers. An organised effort at conservation and propagation of elite germplasm from nucleus breeding herds will go a long way in making rearing desi cattle more economical for farmers. The present government has done well to announce a new Rashtriya Gokul Mission that aims at the development, preservation and conservation of indigenous cattle breeds “in a focused and scientific manner”. This, rather than appealing to religious sentiment and traditionalism, is the most effective strategy to save our endangered desi species. Their ultimate saviour can only be the humble Indian farmer.

Posted on September 10, 2014 by odishakhabara