New rules may hit animal husbandry prospects

There are fears that the latest directive on sale of cattle for slaughter by the Central government may hamper the economics of cattle breeding, while keeping milk production largely unaffected.

According to experts in the dairy industry and animal husbandry, the regulation, which aims to protect the animals from cruelty, will require policy integration in terms of formation of large-scale cow sheds or gau shalas and cattle hostels or panjarapols to reduce the economic burden on the cattle breeder.

According to the rules framed by the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF), the provisions of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Regulation of Livestock Market) Rules, 2017 addresses the illegal sale and smuggling of cattle more specifically than the existing trade for slaughterhouses.

Quick estimates put India’s bovine animal population at about 300 million, of which 2/3rd is cow and the remaining 1/3rd is buffalo.

Milch animals have, on average, five productive lactation cycles, post which milk production drops drastically, thereby making the animal economically unviable for the farmer.

Faced with the new rule, farmers may either disown or hand over the cattle to the smugglers for slaughter.

According to dairy expert Ujjval Shah: “These rules essentially apply to trade taking place at cattle markets, ensuring sale is for the agriculture purposes only. However, in areas such as Bihar and West Bengal, where cattle smuggling to Bangladesh for slaughter is rampant, this rule will keep a check. Overall dairy sector will not get affected as dairy production is not likely to go down.”

Cooperative leaders and dairy experts foresee a long-term impact from measures such as the slaughter ban and recent regulations on cattle trade as the additional legal protection for cattle will eventually increase milk production in the short term, but will increase cost of maintenance for farmers, thereby making animal husbandry unattractive.

“Farmers know economics best. If they find that due to regulations, the cost of maintaining an animal is increasing, they will start losing interest in animal husbandry. In the long term, we see dairy production drop. Only time will reveal farmers’ behaviour,” Dr Sudhir Bobde, Principal Secretary, Animal Husbandry, Government of Uttar Pradesh, told BusinessLine .

Bobde, who is also MD of the Uttar Pradesh Milk Cooperative Federation, added that policy support in terms of creation of cattle hostels or cow sheds, will be required to reduce farmers’ burden.

In Gujarat, Kaira District Cooperative Milk Producers’ Union (Amul Dairy) Chairman Ramsinh Parmar commented that farmers in Gujarat followed a tradition of not selling cows for slaughter at cattle fairs.

“Farmers normally follow a tradition of sending the cattle to panjarapol (cattle hostel) in key urban centres or district headquarters. These panjarapols are run on donations and grants. So, this doesn't put any burden on farmers,” said Parmar.

Bobde maintained that the UP Federation may consider replicating similar models as the State, as per the Animal Census, 2012, has 5 crore bovine animals, the largest population of milch animals, of which 3 crore are buffaloes and 2 crore are cows.

“Currently, most livestock markets, or pashu haat/mela or shandy, are open markets selling both milch animals and animals for slaughter. The idea behind the new rules, is to ensure that only healthy animals are traded for agricultural purposes, whereas animals for slaughter must be sourced directly from farms to ensure traceability,” said NG Jayasimha, MD, HSI India and Former Member, Legal sub-committee, Animal Welfare Board of India