November 19, 2024

Punjab, India government to launch project to boost dairy farming with Holstein Friesian cow milk production recording

The government of Punjab, India, is set to launch a project aimed at identifying and establishing the milk production potential of Holstein Friesian (HF) cows, with the goal of enhancing the profitability of the state's dairy farming sector.

Punjab's Minister for Animal Husbandry, Dairy Development, and Fisheries, Gurmeet Singh Khudian, shared details about the INR 53,100,000 (US$629,000) project. He announced that the initiative will begin in the first week of December 2024.

Project supervisors, along with local staff from the Animal Husbandry Department, will identify eligible HF breed cows and record their milk production.

The project will focus on recording the milk production of around 13,000 Holstein Friesian cows across 90 villages in Ludhiana, Moga, and Fatehgarh Sahib districts during the financial years 2024-25 and 2025-26. Farmers will continue milking the selected cows at their homes, and a GPS-enabled smart weighing scale will be used to collect data on milk output. This data will then be automatically uploaded to a national database, making it accessible to farmers, government agencies, and other stakeholders. Milk recording will take place two to three times a day, depending on the farmer's convenience, over a 10-month period.

Khudian explained that this initiative will help livestock farmers understand the genetic potential and germ plasm of their cows, enabling them to make informed decisions on breeding and management to improve productivity. Additionally, the project aims to establish the milk production potential of these cattle.

The state government will also facilitate the purchase of male HF calves born to these cows, which will increase the value of the animals. With the project's launch, educated unemployed youth in the villages will have the opportunity to work as milk recorders, providing them with a source of income. The project is expected to boost the animal husbandry sector in Punjab and address the issue of stray animals over time.

-      Hindustan Times