Farmers told to bank on indigenous livestock

PALAKKAD: We need to develop our indigenous local breed of cattle, as they adapt themselves to the local climatic conditions and, therefore, are diseasefree and easy to maintain for our marginal farmers, principal scientist at the National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources, Karnal, Haryana, D K Sadana has said.

Sadana, who came to attend a workshop on 'Indigenous livestock and livestock keepers' rights' organised by an NGO along with the Kangayam cattle society at Kattapalayam near Erode, told Express that the government should take steps to support indigenous breeds.

"It is true that milk production is low in local breeds, but at the same time their ability to procreate is strong and they are relatively free from diseases. They also adapt very easily to our surroundings unlike exoticcattle and cross breeds," Sadana said.

Though, initially, exotic cattle used to give more milk, over the years the yield is coming down. Therefore, we need our own cattle which the common farmer can support easily.

Moreover, Sadana said that the dung and urine of the local breeds were better. Therefore, bio fertilizers can be derived by farmers at a low maintenance cost.

Sadana lamented that the younger generation is not interested in rearing livestock as the gains are limited.

"The local livestock breeds of Kerala like Vechur cows, the Kuttanad buffaloes and the Malabari goats should be protected. Their details have been recorded and found to be valuable," he said.

In India only the Kashmir goat and the Pashmina goat have received geographical indication. On the other hand, in Europe, 380 breeds of livestock have received geographical indication registrations.

Similarly, the Dharwadi peda made from the milk of a local buffalo breed has received geographical indication registration.

The session at Kattapalayam has helped the scientists to prepare the strategy to be adopted at the forthcoming Convention of Biological Diversity meet to be held in Japan on the livestock keepers' rights and also to see that more livestock in India receive geographical indication registrations.

The legal aspects on livestock keepers rights were also discussed.

Many items in Kerala, other than livestock, have received geographical indication registration like njavara rice, Aranmula kannadi, Alappuzha coir, screw pine mats, brass broidered coconut shell, Palakkad matta, pokkali rice, Balaramapuram sari and Cannanore home furnishings.

Sadana said that India could replicate the successful conservation stories of European countries as various breeds have been conserved in Germany and Spain.

Many of the local breeds are not conserved owing to the nonavailability of good bulls and the lack of support from the traditional systems in place. The government should come forward to support these breeds as the farmers in general want quick returns and, therefore, they will opt for exotic breeds.

However, he pointed out that there have been instances where local breeds were supported by the commoners.

For this, there needs to be the support of the government, awareness of the people and the availability of good quality food.

There are many success stories in India too. The Tharparkar cow breed of Rajasthan has been conserved by an NGO in the Barmer area. Similarly, the Deccani sheep has been conserved by an NGO in the Hyderabad area. Only people's movement can save the local breeds.

The Kangayam cattle breed of Tamil Nadu is also being conserved by an NGO. Similar people's movements are needed in Kerala to save the Vechur cattle and the dwarf cattle of Elapully. Small sacrifices are needed on the part of the people to save local breeds, he said.

The number of Vechur cattle has declined to less than 100. Currently, there are 30 cattle breeds in India. However, he dwarf cattle of Elapully is not a defined breed yet.