Divya Jyoti Jagrati Sanshtan participated in a 2 day workshop heading "Sustainable genetic improvement, utilization and conservation of Indigenous live-stock breeds: Conventional & Biotechnological approach" 6th and 7th Sept. at SGVP Gurukul, Chharodi, Ahmedabad (Gujarat) for co-formulating strategies for the encouragement, propagation and better care using cutting-edge modern scientific technologies in the field of Indigenous cattle breeding in India. Scientists, Policy-makers, bio-technologies discussed and argued on sustainable genetic improvement and conventional bio-technological approaches for developing indigenous live-stock in India.
Swami Chinmayanand, Swami Indreshanand, Swami Amaranand ji addressed the convention and the views and experiences of the Sansthan's work in this field was applauded.
The spate of cross-breeding since the last 40 years has brought to extinction some excellent breeds of our Indian indigenous cattle and some are virtually on the brink of extinction. Today scientists researching cattle-breeds are in agreement that Indian indigenous cattle breeds cross-bred with other foreign cattle breeds have not yielded much for India. To focus deeply and evaluate further strategies for protecting, propagating and creating awareness about Indian indigenous cattle breeds, a 2 day workshop was organised for scientists, politicians, NGOs, farmers, breeders Scientists prof. Deepak Pental (Ex. V.C. Delhi university, New Delhi), Prof. A.K. Mishra (V.C. Maharashtra Animal & fishery sciences uni. Nagpur), Brig. (Retd.) R.R. Yadav (Gurgaon), Dr. D.K.Sadana (NBAGR, karnal), Dr. Suresh B.Gokhale (BAIF, Urlikanchan, Pune, Dr, Kamal Singh (ULDB, Dehradn), Dr. Ranvir Singh (IVRI, Bareilly), from Gujarat, Delhi, Nagpur, Karnal, Hisar, Gurgaon, Pune, Noida, Srinagar, Chennai, Dehradun, Guwahati, Bikaner,Bareilly, Akola, Meerut, Lucknow, Hyderabad, Gandhinagar and many other places & regions participated in the workshop. Governor of Gujarat HON. Shri Om Prakash Kohli and Military farm directors also participated in the workshop.
Some of the main salient features evaluated focused and debated were-
1. Military farms should shelter the indigenous cattle breeds in order to protect and propagate these breeds. The Government should issue funds for sheltering, caring, purchasing and extending scientific help for the Indigenous cattle care.
2. Cattle slaughtering or slaughtering of any living being should not happen. Rs. 500 crores earned by Government of India through meat export can be stopped and this same amount can be earned through other means ex:-farming, milk export or other dairy product export etc.
3. There should be political will to develop and propagate Indigenous cattle breeds.
4. There should be a team of 20-25 scientists who gain expertise in Bio-technology, breeding etc from abroad and start working at grass-roots to bring latest methods to India. An advisory committee be formed comprising 5 Advisers from abroad and 5 advisers from India and they guide with the achievements in indigenous cattle breeding.
5. Indian indigenous cattle easily yields 2000 kg milk. cross breeds yield on an average 2200 to 2400 kg milk. Start breeding indigenous cattle instead of cross bred cattle.
6. Scientist Peterson in 1951 presented a paper which gave details of milk yielded in 1910 by HF cow to be 1320 kg in one lactation. Today it has increased to 10,000 kg. On the other hand Indian indigenous cow yields 2000 -3000 kg which is much greater than HF cows yield of that time. Are we so incapacitated that we cannot increase through selective breeding of our indigenous species and thus encourage milk yield from 3000 kg to 10,000 kg for our cattle?
7. India has 189 million cattle. 15-20 million of these are good breeds and the rest non-descriptive, 33 million are cross bred. Encourage and develop pure breed by crossing with pure breeds. With the help of native bulls, semen or ETT. Back cross the non-descriptive and cross-breeds so that in 13-15 years we will acquire millions of cattle with good breeds of species.
8. We should evolve a National mission for the large scale propagation of ETT (Embryo transplant technology) The team should exclusively concentrate on this aspect. They should be given freedom and all the essential help to work.
9. If we are successful in increasing milk yield of Indian indigenous cattle from 2000 kg to 3000 kg then you can literally feel rivers of milk flowing in our country.
10. We should collect, package and export A2 milk to earn foreign exchange.
11. Government should extend subsidies to farmers for dairy and milk production.
12.Farmers should be able to get good price for milk yields/production.
13. Nucleus farms should be evolved more and more in the country.
14. CCBF (central cattle breeding farms) should be strengthened.
15. Gaushala's (Bovine Conservatories) and cattle shelters should be extended economic as well as scientific help by the Government.
16. With the help of forest department male calf and unproductive cattle should be let free to roam in the forest area so that they can lead free life.
17. All the technologies and new methods evolved at Research centers should reach Indian farmers. Scientists should be in touch with the farmers, breeders, grazers to learn about problems in this regard.
18. All regions should start forming societies of their local cattle breeders.
19. The indigenous breeds should have place at ICAR and state universities.
20. Their should be encouragement to propagate species which have reduced count through the ETT technique with the help of elite male.
21 Their should be total focus on all the different products obtained from cattle ex-cow dung, cow urine, Panchgavya etc. and not just milk. The focus should be on totality of cattle yields.
22. India should encourage wide-spread use of AI (Artificial Insemination), ovum pick up, IVF (in vitro fertilization) and all cutting-edge technologies across all regions of our nation to multiply indigenous cows species on a speedy basis.
23. There should be a separate conference for breeding plans for cattle in the nation.
24. To deploy all these points a white-paper should be presented. An appeal to the Government in this regard for faster action on the above points would be a positive step.
