Are your Standard Operating Procedures fit for purpose?
The next number of weeks might be a good time to review your Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) on farm or even creating some new ones ahead of the new production year, explains Padraig O’Connor. A SOP is a document consisting of step-by-step instructions on how to complete a particular task. SOPs can be created for…
COP28 summit: Cow burps, food waste in focus on agriculture day
Climate advocacy groups are pressuring world governments gathered at this year’s United Nation’s COP28 climate conference in Dubai to commit to cutting global food sector emissions, as the conference host promises to put agriculture in the spotlight. Global food systems– including farming and land use, livestock production, household food consumption and waste, and energy used in the…
Milk prices are falling because of adulteration in Maharashtra?
Distantmers who have been affected by climate change are now facing plummeting prices of agricultural produce. In addition, the main milk business for the farmers is also betrayed and the price of milk directly dropped from 34 rupees per liter to 25 to 26 rupees per liter. While there is a shortage of water and fodder in…
A farmer’s fate: living in hope or perishing in despair
Kolakkad native M R Albert (73) committed suicide in Kerala on the day after the national Milk day. He had served as the president of Kolakkad Dairy Co-operative Society for 25 years. He had to give his life because of a paltry Rs 2 lakh loan from Kannur District Co-operative Bank. How much does a…
Higher production, sustainable development must for dairy
The department of dairy science and food technology, of the Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, along with the Indian Dairy Association (Eastern UP chapter), organised a national conference on Thursday to commemorate the 102nd birth anniversary of the ‘milkman of India’, Dr Verghese Kurien. The theme of the conference was “Intensive integrated dairy development in eastern…
Plans to present meat as ‘sustainable nutrition’ at Cop28 revealed
Big meat companies and lobby groups are planning a large presence at the Cop28 climate conference, equipped with a communications plan to get a pro-meat message heard by policymakers throughout the summit. Documents seen by the Guardian and DeSmog show that the meat industry is poised to “tell its story and tell it well” at the Dubai…
Natural livestock farming to reduce antibiotic use in dairy sector
In the world-wide quest for dairy modernisation, the focus on crossbreeding and productivity increase of dairy cattle has — besides enhanced milk production — also resulted in high use of agro-chemicals. The use of antibiotics for common cattle diseases, such as udder infection and diarrhoea, is widespread. This contributes to the global threat of anti-microbial resistance…
Country faces fodder crisis , milk prices may rise
New Delhi: India is facing a major shortage of dry fodder, according to two scientists at the Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute (IGFRI), pointing to a supply gap that could further inflate milk prices. The shortage of between 25% and 90% of the critical livestock input is put down to increased cattle population, low…
Increased turnover for DIMUL despite slump in milk collection
The Dimapur District Cooperative Milk Producers’ Union Ltd (DIMUL)in Nagaland state affected a 33 percent increase in sales registering a turnover of Rs 23.5 crore for the year 2022-23. The most well known milk producers union in the state, better known by its acronym— DIMUL, has a Central Dairy Plant in 7th Mile with a…
J&K Govt catalyses dairy revolution by empowering entrepreneurs
In a visionary move, the Jammu and Kashmir Government has introduced compelling schemes to uplift the dairy sector, directly impacting the socio-economic fabric of the region. Meet Manzoor Ahmed, who transitioned from a small dry fruits shop owner to a successful dairy entrepreneur in Bankoot, Ramban district. Through the Integrated Dairy Development Scheme (IDDS), he…