FARMER'S NOTEBOOK
Cattle-based integrated farming system
M.J. PRABU
|
The animals help in efficient recycling of organic crop residues
|
— Photo: M.J. Prabu
HARNESSING ENERGY: E. Lakshmanan, a farmer from Hanumanthapuram village near Chengalpattu district, Tamil Nadu with his biogas unit.
CATTLE-BASED integrated farming system (IFS) is ideal for small and medium scale farmers. It is not only eco-friendly, but also more economical for farmers to raise animals in an integrated farm, according to Mr. R. Ranganathan, President, `Poison- free-food' association at Kelambakkam village in Tamil Nadu.
The association consists of about 300 farmers who grow their crops organically as members from all over the country.
"The main emphasis for our members is to grow crops organically and farmers are encouraged to rear cattle and goats or sheep as it becomes an easy source for them to procure organic manure," he said.
The waste obtained from the animals not only provides organically rich manure but also helps in manufacturing biogas, he said.
Cheap alternative
Biogas technology provides an alternative and cheap source of energy that meets the basic need for cooking fuel in rural areas. Using locally available resources such as cattle waste and other organic wastes, both manure and gas are derived.
Preparation of cow-dung and cow-urine-based plant growth promoters such as panchagavya has been proved to be profitable and environmentally sound according to experts.
Mr. E. Lakshmanan of Hanumanthapuram village, near Chengalpattu district in Tamil Nadu, a beneficiary, has adopted the technique of cattle-based intensive farming.
He has about 2 hectares of land and is engaged in a variety of intercropping with paddy as the main crop and has also set up a biogas unit.
Mr. Lakshmanan has about 10 crossbred cows of which three are milking and a stud bull maintained under stall fed conditions.
"I make my own concentrate feed for my cattle by mixing rice bran, ragi , powdered pearl millet (known as Kumbu in Tamil) and groundnut oil cake to meet the energy needs of the animals," he explained.
Feed cost
The cost of the feed works out to about Rs.12 per kg, and each milking animal is fed about two kg of fresh grass in addition to liberal quantities of rice straw.
"The straw and the ingredients of the concentrate feed are grown in my farm and the cattle relish it," he said.
All the animals are regularly vaccinated and maintained in good health by providing regular veterinary care. "We lay particular emphasis on the efficient collection of dung and urine by our farmers. Urine and dung are mixed together for feeding the biogas plant.
The slurry taken from the biogas plant is used for making panchagavya and vermicompost which are essential commodities for organic farming," said Mr. Ranganathan.
"A 3-cubic metre biogas plant, which provides a steady supply of fuel to my kitchen, has been constructed with technical assistance from the association.
"The animals, on an average, yield about 10 litres of milk a day, and I sell the milk locally at the rate of about Rs.11 per litre," explained Mr. Lakshmanan. The dairy farm is the central focus of organic farming enterprise as the animals help in efficient recycling of the organic crop residues from the field.
"Good quality, poison-free straw is obtained for my animals and in return the cows provide the much-needed energy for my kitchen and key inputs for making enriched organic manure," said Mr. Lakshmanan.
Healthy animals
"By feeding my animals with organically grown paddy straw and other crops grown in my field, I am able to keep them healthy and they in turn yield good milk without any toxic residues," he said.
Readers can contact Mr. Ranganathan, President, Poison-free-food, No16-Vanigar street, Thirupporur, Tamil Nadu-603 110, phone :044-27446369, mobile: 94433-46369, email: tedetrust@rediffmail.com and Mr. E. Lakshmanan can be reached at Hanumanthapuram village, via Sembakkam, Chengalpattu district, Tamil Nadu- 603 108.
Printer friendly
page
Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
Sci Tech
