Cattle-based integrated intensive farming system
By Our Agriculture Correspondent
CATTLE-BASED integrated intensive farming system (IIFS) is ideal for small farmers. It is not only eco-friendly, but also much more economical for farmers to raise animals in an integrated farm, according to Mr. P. Gomathinayagam, a pioneer in organic farming in the Puliangudi village in Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu.
"We have twelve cross-bred milch cows and a stud bull in stall fed conditions. We make our own concentrate feed by mixing rice bran, green gram pod shells, black gram husks, powdered pearl millet (Cumbu in Tamil) and groundnut oil cake in the right proportions to meet the energy needs of the animals. The cost of the feed works out to Rs.7 per kg, and each milking animal is fed about two kg of the mixture in addition to liberal quantities of rice straw and green fodder," he explains.
The fodder and the straw and all the ingredients of the concentrate feed are grown in the farm, and cattle relish them well. Besides this feed, the animals are given 400 ml of lime water (calcium rich solution of slaked lime) in order to increase the calcium content in the milk.
"All our animals are periodically vaccinated, and kept in good health by providing regular veterinary care. We lay particular emphasis on the efficient collection of dung and urine.
We have two 3-metre-cube biogas plants, which provide continuous fuel supply to the kitchen.
The slurry from the biogas plant is used in making bio-active inputs such as Panchakavya, vermi-compost and Amirtha Karaisal, which are critical for successful organic farming," points out Mr. Gomathinayagam.
"The animals, on an average, yield 50 litres of milk a day, and we sell the milk locally at Rs. 12 per litre.
The dairy farm is central to our organic farming as the animals help in efficient recycling of the organic and crop residues from the farm. Our organic farm provides adequate quantities of high quality, poison-free straw to our animals, and in return the cows provide the much-needed energy for our kitchen and key inputs for making enriched organic manure.
The urine is mixed with the dung for feeding the biogas plants," say Mr. G. Jeeva and Mr. G. Nallathambi, the two progressive-minded sons of Mr. Gomathinayagam, who are actively involved in the integrated farming.
The integrated approach makes farming economically rewarding and intellectually gratifying, according to the sons.
The nutrient-recycling and the preparation of cow-dung and cow-urine-based plant growth promoters such as Panchakavya and Amirtha Karaisal have proved to be profitable and environmentally sound.
"By feeding the animals with organic rice straw and other crop residues without any insecticides, we are able to keep them healthy, and they yield milk of high quality," explain the brothers.
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