Archives: Programme

National Dairy Development Board, which is the leading development agency, has proposed a draft of 102 Million tonnes to meet the projected demand of 180 Million tonnes by 2021-22.

The National Dairy Plan Will Focus on:
i) Productivity measures to enhance milk production as the average annual increment production will have to increase from 2.5 million tonnes now to 5 Million Tonnes over the next 15 years, and
ii) Strengthening and expanding infrastructure to procure process and market milk through existing and new institutional structure.
iii) The plan proposed to increase the share of organized sectors in milk production to 65% from the current 30% to ensure supply of quality milk to consumers.
iv) Under National Dairy Plan Phase-1 Project, Project Steering committee has approved the following sub-project plans for Milk Union during the year 2013-14 as detailed below:-

1. Ration Balancing Programme Milk Union, Ropar, Jalandhar & Ludhiana
2. Fodder Development Programme Milk Union, Ropar, Ludhiana & Jalandhar.
3. Village based Milk Procurement System Milk Union, Patiala, Faridkot, Ferozepur, Ropar & Ludhiana.

The main focus of NDP, Phase-1 which will continue up till 2017-18 is to enhance productivity of milch animals. During the year 2013-14, approved project cost of above project was Rs. 428.96 lacs with a grant of Rs. 319.38 lacs. Milk Unions had received a grant of Rs. 272.00 lacs for implementation of the above subject project plans during the year 2013-14. During 2015-16, more milk unions were covered under the above programmes.

Govt. of India have formulated a new scheme “National Project for Bovine Breeding and Dairy Development (NPBBDD)” by merging the existing four schemes, i.e. National Project for Cattle and Buffalo Breeding (NPCBB), Intensive Dairy Development Programme (IDDP), Strenghthening infrastructure for Quality and Clean Milk Production (SIQ-CMP) and Assistance to Cooperatives (A to C). The objectives of the new scheme having two components namely National Programme for Bovine Breeding and National Programme for Dairy Development which is as under:

National Programme for Bovine Breeding (NPBB):

1. To arrange quality Artificial Insemination services at farmer doorstep;
2. To bring all breedable females under organised breeding through Artificial Insemination or natural service using germ plasm of high genetic merits;
3. to conserve, develop and proliferate selected indigenous bovine breeds of high socio-economic importance;
4. To provide quality breeding inputs in breeding tracts of important indigenous breeds so as to prevent the breeds from deterioration and extinction;

National Programme for Dairy Development (NPDD):

1. To create and strengthen infrastructure for production of quality milk including cold chain infrstructure linking the farmer to the consumer;
2. to create and strengthen infrastructure for procurement, processing and marketing of milk;
3. To create training infrastructure for training of dairy farmers;
4. To strengthen dairy cooperative societies/Producer companies at village level;
5. to increase milk production by providing technical input services like cattlefeed and mineral mixture etc.
6. to assist in rehabilitation of potentially viable milk federations/unions;

Under NPDD funding pattern is 50% for the following components in National Dairy Plan (NDP) states (Punjab is NDP state) as under”

1. Installation of bulk milk coolers;
2. Milk processing and marketing infrastructure;
3. Milk powder plants;

For other components under NDDP, grant will be 100%.

The role of Milkfed lies as a facilitator not only on the marketing side, but on the producer side as well. For quality procurement, it is essential that farmers are aided with facilities which help them produce quality milk. Several initiatives sponsored by the State as well as Central Government have immensely assisted farmers to adopt productive activities which help to enhance not only the quantity, but quality of the milk as well. It is pertinent to mention, that at the back end, the quality of cattle, grade of feed, class of veterinary services, level of breed, and eminence of care go a long way in improving the age of the cattle, as well quantity and quality of milk which should surpass the designated standards for procurement.

In this regards, many programmes have been kickstarted which cover all the welfare aspects of the farmer in a holistic manner. The programme have been designed keeping in mind the future requirements of the market, fulfilling the demand and maintaining a trusted incremental supply.

Milkfed has undertaken the below programmes/activities under assistance from Central/State Government which are as under

To improve the breeds in the milkshed area, Milkfed is undertaking Artificial Insemination programme covering 4313 societies under AI through Single and Cluster AI centers, (Single AI societies = 277, Cluster centres= 813 covering 4036 societies) with 6.76 lac AI done during the year 2015-16.

Milkfed is also having its own Frozen Semen Station at Khanna which is catering to the milk producers of the state and nearby states with total herd strength of bulls as 22 (Murrah-9, HF-11, Sahiwal-1 and Jersy-1). The Semen Station at Khanna is following the quality standard laid down by the Ministry of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Govt. of India, keeping in view the International Quality Standard. Semen lab is equipped with all the latest equipments viz Photometer, Phase contrast microscope, fully automatic IS-4 printer, cool cabinets, bio freezer, etc. This station has been awarded Grade “A” by the Govt. of India’s special Technical Evaluation Team. The capacity of this station is being expanded from 5 Lac doses to 10 Lac doses per annum.

Milkfed has also been declared implementing agency by the State Govt. to implement Buffalo Breed Improvement through an Integrated Programme for Breeding and Management for Enhancing Income Level of small farmers in the State by providing AI services at the doorsteps of the farmers, 24 hours x 7 days, by inseminating the buffaloes with semen of Dams’ Milk Yield of 4000 liters and above and in cows with semen of Dams’  Milk  Yield  of  7000  liters  and  above  by  engaging  NGOs  J.K. Trust and BAIF.

Both the NGOs have established 200 Integrated Buffalo Development Centers (IBDCs) covering 1600 villages, in border areas of Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Ferozepur and Gurdaspur: Kandi and Bet areas of Hoshiarpur and Ropar: Trans-Ghaghar areas of Patiala and Sangrur and water logged areas of Muktsar District in Punjab. Both the NGOs have done 1247664 AIs (737520 buffalo and 510144 cow) with 456443 calves born (285176 buffalo and 171267 cow) till 31st December, 2015.  A sum of Rs. 2966.00 lacs has been received from RKVY to implement the project and the same has been disbursed to NGOs J.K. Trust and BAIF. Including NGOs, Milkfed is covering 5913 villages under AI.

As a result of continuous extension of dairying by Milkfed, the farmers are fully convinced about the importance of high yielding forages for increasing milk production at low cost, thereby getting a substantial margin from the trade. Considering the shortage and non availability of fodder seed, Milkfed started its own Fodder Seed Production and Distribution Programme and has established Fodder Seed Processing Plant at Bassi Pathana in district Fatehgarh Sahib. The unit has processing and grading capacity of 15 MTs of seed per day.

During the year 2014-15, 6296.18 qtls. of maize, barseem and oats fodder seed has been sold through Milk Cooperative Societies.

Under NDP-1, Milkfed at its three Milk Unions Ropar, Jalandhar and Ludhiana at a total cost of Rs. 135.35 lac (100% Grant) is implementing Fodder Development Programme to make available high yielding Fodder Seeds by promoting marketing of truthfully labeled/certified seeds through Cooperative Societies to increase the productivity of Fodder Crops and to promote the conservation of green fodder and crop residues by demonstrating Silage making and use of mowers in the operation area of Union.

Integrated Buffalo Development Centres (IBDCs) in Dairy Sector

To check on the falling productivity of the buffaloes, which are the primary source of milk in Punjab, on the recommendations of the Punjab State Farmers’ Commission, the Punjab Government undertook an Intensive Buffalo Breed Improvement and Management Programme under Rashtriya Krishi Vigyan Yojana (RKVY). This scheme has been implemented by Milkfed, with technical support and expertise from the state animal husbandry department and in close association with NGO BAIF and J.K.Trust in buffalo breeding.

The programme is aimed at supplementing the income of small farmers and rural landless workers in the state. Under the programme, 600 Integrated Buffalo Development Centers (IBDCs) covering 300 villages would be set in the area of Kandi, Bet, Border and trans-Ghaggar area at a cost of Rs. 60 crore under RKVY over five years. Under this project, 200 IBDCs have already been established and are operated by local educated unemployed youth.

The project has the following objectives:

a) To increase the percentage coverage of breedable population of buffaloes and cows under A.I. programme.

b) To create an appropriate economic and production environment for the small dairy farmers who have very poor access to the existing services.

c) To improve productivity of the local milch animals, especially the buffalo through artificial insemination, balanced feeding, deworming, first aid services, vaccination and management.

d) To minimize the infertility problems through proper treatment of the animals by organizing infertility camps.

e) To reduce the risk of milch animals and calf mortality by protecting them through prophylactics vaccinations and to provide 24×7 AI Services at the door steps of farmers.

Govt. of Punjab has already released Rs. 2870 lacs to the Federation to implement this project.

A third party evaluation was done by Centre for Research in Rural and Industrial Development (CRRID) for impact assessment of the IBDC Programme and it was found that:

• The method of Insemination is better than the natural service which was more prevalent in the buffaloes.
• The success rate of AI with respect to calves born is around 50% or above.
• The addition of about 86000 improved female buffalo calves in the State in a span of about four years i.e. from the year 2011 to 2015 is a big achievement.
• Average per day increase in milk production of F1 as compared to indigenous buffalo during first lactation is about 2.5 liters per day more which clearly confirmed that IBDC Programme has resulted in a significant increase in the milk yield of the new progeny and it is expected that it will further improve when F2 will reach lactation stage.
• The average Fat and SNF% of BM is 7.13% and 8.82 % respectively and the prevailing rate of buffalo milk is about Rs. 530 per kilogram fat (around Rs. 40). Thus, the increased milk yield when translated into monitory terms resulted in the increase of Rs. 100 per day in the income of the dairy farmer during lactation period. Moreover, if he decides to sell of his F1 buffalo or F1 or F2 female calf, he can get much higher price than the indigenous buffalo or indigenous female calf.
• This additional yield of milk from F1 buffalo adds about Rs. 90 to Rs. 100 per animal per day to the income of the farmer. This clearly shows that the programme has succeeded in achieving its intended objective, that is, to enhance income level of small farmers and landless workers in Punjab through buffalo breed improvement and management programme.
• Up till the month of Dec., 2015 from the inception of the IBDC Programme from Oct., Nov., and Dec., 2010, total AI done is 1247664 (buffalo 737520 and cow 510144), the main reason for its higher acceptability is that AI services are provided even in odd hours of the day and night by the IBDC Incharge at the door steps of the farmers who are available to a cluster of 7-8 villages from morning till evening for all 7 days of a week and the convenience to contact them on phone has contributed significantly.
• Till date, 456443 calves have been born (buffaloes- 285176 and cows- 171267). If 50% of the calves born are considered as male then 228222 calves are considered female calves. The addition of about 228222 calves in the state in a span of about 4 to 5 years is no mean achievement and that also increase of average milk yield per day of F1 about 2.5 liter more, translating into monitory terms, an increase of Rs. 100 per day in the income of the dairy farmers.
• From above, it is concluded that dairy farming is an important subsidiary occupation for farmers as well as non farmers in Punjab. This occupation has fairly high potential to enhance the income of small and marginal farmers as well as rural landless workers. Since buffalo is the main dairy animal in Punjab, improvement in the existing non-descript breeds of buffalo through artificial insemination has been visualized as the solution to enhance the productivity of this dairy animal.
• Concentrates- To feed technical input services, Milkfed has established its own feeding units cattle feed plants having capacity of 500 MTs per day. Apart from ISI Type-II cattle feed, Milkfed is producing Verka Premium & Verka Gold Cattle Feeds; Area Specific Mineral Mixture and Urea Molasses Lick Brick and supplying to the farmers of Punjab through its network. During the year 2014-15, Milkfed has produced 63767 MTs and sold 66448 MTs of cattle feed. 54771 MTs of cattle feed has been Produced and 54463 MTs of cattle feed has been sold till December, 2015 to milk producer members as per their requirements.

In view of constant increase in the cost of concentrate feed ingredients and their limited availability, green fodder is considered an economical source of nutrient for dairy animals. While increase in green fodder production per hectare of land has been emphasized, it is equally important to conserve green fodder to ensure regular supply for feeding animals, especially during the lean period. Conserving green fodder in the form of silage is one of the best options available to ensure regular supply to quality fodder through different seasons of the year.

Silage is the conserved green fodder having moisture content in the range of 65 to 70 percent. Fodder crops rich in soluble carbohydrates are incubated after chaffing for 45-50 days under anaerobic conditions. Sugars present in the fodder are converted to lactic acid, which acts as a preservative and a good source of readily fermentable sugars for the rumen microbes.

Keeping in view the importance of Silage, Milkfed has established 50 community silage pits in Kandi area of Hoshiarpur and Gurdaspur on 100% subsidy basis for Silage Making, Milkfed has supplied 250 hand driven chaff-cutter and 500 power driven chaff-cutter with 75% grant. 100 silage making units have also been established with 100% subsidy.

The fodder crops, such as Maize, Sorghum, Oats, Pearl millet, and hybrid Napier rich in soluble carbohydrates are most suitable for fodder ensiling. Quality of silage can be improved with the use of suitable additives such as molasses, urea, salt, formic acid etc.

Benefits of Silage making:-

• Ensures regular supply of fodder to dairy animals.
• Ensures uniform quality fodder to animals during different seasons.
• Silage can be made under almost all weather conditions.
• Surplus green fodder can be conserved, minimizing wastage.
• Feeding silage is an effective tool for the control of parasitic diseases, as the parasites present in different stages in green fodder are destroyed during ensiling.
• Enhances green fodder productivity by improving harvesting intensity.
• Enhances livestock productivity by ensuring fodder supply, especially during the lean period.

Ration balancing is the process to balance the level of various nutrients for an animal, from the available feed resources, to meet its nutrient requirements for maintenance, production and optimal growth.

Under NDP-I, Milkfed is implementing the Ration Balancing Programme in its milkshed areas of Ropar, Ludhiana and Jalandhar. A sum of Rs. 519.70 lacs (100% Grant) under NDP-1 has been provided for giving demonstrations of Ration Balancing Programme to the Milk Producers of the milkshed area of Ropar, Ludhiana and Jalandhar. A user-friendly software for ration balancing has been prepared that is being used by dedicated local resource persons (LRPs.)

The LRP trained by the Unions to effectively use the software in the local language involves assessing nutrient status of animals, chemical composition of locally available feed resources, nutrient requirement of animals and formulating least cost ration using locally available resources.

Benefits of Ration Balancing Programme:

• Uses locally available feed resources to balance the ration of animals at least cost.
• Increases milk production with more fat and solids-not-fat.
• Helps increase the net daily income.
• Improves reproduction efficiency.
• Helps reduce inter-calving period, thereby increasing the productive life of animals.
• Improves the general health of animals.
• Improves the growth rate in calves leading to early maturity.

For productivity enhancement, Calf Nutrition during all stages of growth is very critical, which has not got due attention in the recent past. Even if adult animal are well fed, they are not able to produce milk up to their full potential, since these animals were not fed properly during there calf-hood. As a result, effects milk production and reproductive capacity of the animal.

In this respect, quality milk producing breeds are being given special attention, since taking proper care in terms of health and feed enhances not only the overall volume of milk produced per day, but also, the total number of lactating days in the year. Hence, Murrah Buffalo, which is abundantly found in Punjab and has a repute of quality milk across the nation, is being given special emphasis as any sort of dairy based assistance not only improves the milk yield, but also changes the socio-economic dynamics for a farmer.

Milkfed, in its efforts serve the farmers from multidimensional aspects is aware that health of the calf paves a long path for a healthy life cycle of the adult animal. Hence, Milkfed Punjab has put in dedicated efforts to implement a Pilot Project Calf Rearing Programme for Murrah Buffaloes, with an objective to increase the productivity  and lactation cycle throughout the life span of the animal

Initially, the pilot programme has been kick started in four Verka Dairies namely Ropar, Ludhiana, Jalandhar & Patiala with a objective to encourage the farmers to provide essential nutrients during advance stage of pregnancy to ensure that the calf born is healthy. The female calves are taken special care by feeding them on Calf Starter & Calf Growth meal for achieving early maturity weight  subsequently reducing age at first calving. This in turn is also effective to reduce the mortality rate among female calves.

This project will comprise of 80 villages covering 10,000 female calves under one Verka Dairy. Field Supervisors are allotted for recording information in user friendly Software (INAPH) on pregnant animals, calves born, monthly body weight etc. Awareness campaigns would be organized and information would be provided on the pregnancy feed, calf starter, calf growth meal which is formulated on the scientific lines. Identified pregnant animals in there last trimester would be with 3 kg of pregnancy feed daily up to parturition which would be provided to farmer on 50% subsidy. Born female calves would be fed Calf Starter and Growth meal daily up to 106 weeks of age. Body Weight would be recorded on monthly basis and age at first calving would be registered.

Expected Benefits of the Programme:

• Average age of first calving in Murrah Buffalo is 48 months which would be expected to reduced by 6 months.
• Calf Mortality would be reduced by 10%
• Av. Lactation length is 270 days which is expected to Increase up to 300 days.
• Calving interval is 18 months, which is expected to reduce by 2 months.