India’s dairy industry has come under renewed scrutiny following an opinion piece published by Policy Circle that highlights what it describes as a fundamental contradiction between cow protection politics and the economics of dairy production. The article argues that while cows have become a powerful symbol in religious and political debates, the dairy sector itself depends on practices that ultimately require the disposal of unproductive animals.
According to the analysis, dairy cattle must undergo repeated reproductive cycles to sustain milk production, while male calves often have limited economic value and older female animals are frequently sold once their productive years end. The author notes that maintaining non-productive animals is economically challenging for dairy farmers, particularly smallholders, and points out that India is both the world’s largest milk producer and among the leading exporters of beef and leather products.
The article references the views of Verghese Kurien, who opposed a blanket cow slaughter ban, arguing that dairy expansion and strict cow protection policies are difficult to reconcile. The author further contends that recent appeals by some Muslim organizations to avoid cow slaughter during Eid al-Adha have brought renewed attention to the relationship between dairy economics and cattle disposal practices. The piece concludes that if cow protection is viewed as an ethical commitment, broader questions surrounding animal welfare, artificial insemination, calf separation, and the treatment of unproductive animals must also be addressed. (Policy Circle)
Source: Dairynews7x7 06 June, 2026 Read full story here
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