As summer time peaks and temperatures rise, administration of dairy cattle assumes extra significance. Dairy farmers say there’s a 20-25% dip in milk manufacturing throughout summer time months. Shortage of inexperienced fodder, warmth and sure ailments have an effect on the milk manufacturing.
Since Kerala has greater than 96% cross-bred cattle, applicable summer time administration advisories have to be adopted to take care of milk manufacturing. Excessive summer time circumstances create shortage of inexperienced fodder, vitamin A deficiency and incidences of bovine mastitis (udder irritation) amongst cattle. There may even be elevated respiration fee and physique temperature, says T.P. Sethumadhavan, former director of Entrepreneurship, Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences College (KVASU).
“So as to maintain milk manufacturing, scientific interventions must be adopted throughout feeding and administration phases. Provision for enough air flow have to be assured within the cattle shed. Followers and cooling methods, together with sprinkling of water, will be organized. Adequate ingesting water have to be made out there. Attempt to feed through the cooler instances of the day, and recent feed is really useful. Excessive-quality forages with elevated fibre content material will ease digestion,” he mentioned.
Sreeja Ok.V., a dairy farmer from Arangottukara, Thrissur, says milk yield clearly goes down in throughout summer time. “Some farmers in our area have began rising fodder grass to beat the shortage. We attempt to hold them underneath tree shades. Scarcity of water can also be an issue,” she says.
Dr. Sethumadhavan factors out that milch cattle have to be given 60 g of vitamin-mineral combination each day to counter deficiencies. “If enough amount of inexperienced fodder isn’t out there, vitamin A will be supplemented orally at a fee of 1 ounce per 2-3 days interval. The cattle shouldn’t be allowed to graze throughout scorching hours of the day,” he says.
Probabilities of milk spoilage is extra throughout summer time. Therefore, milk have to be chilled or boiled instantly after milking or applicable motion could also be taken to market the milk on the earliest, he advises.
“Care have to be taken to keep away from infestation of ecto-parasites and to guarantee the standard of ingesting water. Throughout excessive scorching hours, 30 g of sodium bicarbonate will be added to the feed. Feed and water will be given individually. Current analysis reveals that curcumin on the fee of 1 g per day facilitates milk manufacturing and guarantee immunity in opposition to warmth stress in cattle,” provides Dr. Sethumadhavan.