Date:05/07/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/07/05/stories/2008070557710300.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Farm cattle face grim future in Adilabad

Staff Reporter

An estimated 1,500 animals sold to slaughterhouses every month

Grasslands vanishing as land being used for commercial crops
Younger generation prefers modern methods of cultivation

Malnourished: Poor maintenance becomes evident from the emaciated appearance of the animals in the picture.

ADILABAD: Healthy cattle have become rare in Adilabad district thanks to being deprived of proper fodder. Because of the increasing cost of maintenance, animals are in a state of neglect making them lean and weak, fit only for sale to slaughterhouses.

An estimated 1,000 to 1,500 cattle are sold away to slaughterhouses every month at the four major animal shandies in the district. At this rate, it may not be long before the 8.5 lakh population of white animals goes extinct, ending with it the centuries old symbiotic relationship between farming community and the animals.

Lack of nutrition

"More and more of the traditional grasslands and pastures are vanishing because of the land being brought under commercial crops. A majority of the farmers being poor, they find it a costly affair to provide concentrated feed to the animals. In the process, these factors have impacted on maintenance depriving the animals of required nutrition," explains Joint Director (JD) of Animal Husbandry, T. Yellanna.

Degradation of forests

“Jowar was the mainstay of fodder in the past in Adilabad. At present, jowar is sown in only about 25,000 hectares from the one lakh acres in the 1970s,” adds B. Muralidhar, Agriculture Extension Officer. He says that the degradation of forests has also caused the disappearance of the different types of fodder that was available to grazing animals in the past.

Increasing fodder

The government has initiated many steps towards increasing fodder production at the individual farmer level and thereby restoring the relevance of cattle in farming. “Under the Pashu Kranti scheme, we offer Rs. 5,000 per acre of fodder cultivation to the beneficiaries,” points out the Joint Director.

However, like in other fields commerical interest has forced people to go in for instant benefit rather than expect earnings out of a long association with animals.

“The change in living style of people in rural areas has diminished the attachment of farmers with animals. If at all the younger generation takes to agriculture, it will incorporate modern methods of cultivation. They will certainly not prefer spending time and money on low-productivity animals. A locally-bred cow produces only about 1.5 litres of milk every day,” points out dairy professional B. Ramakanth.