Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Aug 14, 2010
http://www.hindu.com/2010/08/14/stories/2010081454200600.htm
R Vimal Kumar
Tirupur: To increase milk production in the district, the Department of Animal Husbandry plans to conduct 171 rural veterinary camps, 100 infertility camps, 60 farmers' meet/training on cattle management and raise fodder on 1,500 acre during this fiscal at a total outlay of Rs. 16 lakh.
“The project cost will be met from the funds earmarked under the World Bank-funded Irrigated Agriculture Modernisation and Water-bodies Restoration and Management (IAMWARM) project and Kalnadai Padhukappu Thittam (KPT),” Joint Director of Animal Husbandry V. Thangavel told The Hindu.
“The project cost will be met from the funds earmarked under the World Bank-funded Irrigated Agriculture Modernisation and Water-bodies Restoration and Management (IAMWARM) project and Kalnadai Padhukappu Thittam (KPT),” Joint Director of Animal Husbandry V. Thangavel told The Hindu.
Artificial insemination
Under the rural veterinary camps, the department would upgrade the local stock of cattle and buffaloes by artificial insemination using the exotic and crossbreeding varieties showing genetically superior milk production traits free of cost.
“We will use the frozen semen straws obtained from bull varieties like Jersey, Holstein Friesian and Murrah for artificial insemination,” Dr. Thangavel said.
Besides this, free medicines for de-worming would be distributed and pregnancy diagnostic tests carried out at the rural veterinary camps.
Fodder cultivation
With nutrition playing an important role towards good health of cattle, the department would bring about 617 ha under fodder cultivation this financial year.
“For this, we will distribute fodder slips of CO-3, and seeds of Kolukkattai grass and African Tall Maize varieties,” Dr. Thangavel said.
The Kolukattai grass would come up on 150 ha, African Tall Maize on 450 ha and CO-3 on 17 ha.
Assistance
The beneficiary farmers would also get technical assistance from the agricultural officials on ploughing and de-weeding to maintain the fodder farms. “Nutritive feeding alone can bring about a significant increase in milk production,” Dr. Thangavel said.
