In order to promote the dairy products of Badri Cows, the Dehradun district administration will soon set up two more Dairy Growth Centres in Tiuni and at Kalsi in district Dehradun.
This was informed by Anurag Mishra, Assistant director of dairy development department here today. Explaining as to why the department chose to promote the dairy products prepared from the milk of Badri Cows, Mishra informed that the milk of such cows have several medicinal values but this uttarkhand’s local breed of cow has so far been ignored.
Mishra asserted that these indigenous cows now identified as Badri Cows earlier did not even have any specific name but with the efforts of animal husbandry department, the State Government named this state’s local breed as Badri cows which is now its official name.
Referring to first Dairy Growth Centre of the district in Lakhamandal, Mishra said that the growth centre was set up after a thorough survey which helped to identify the area where people have the maximum number of Badri cows. According to him, Badri Cows produce milk which varies from one litre to two litres which is the main reason they are not used for commercial production of dairy products. Therefore, the department has decided to open more of such growth centres in the mountainous and rural areas of the district. These centres can be used to collect milk from the local farmers and pay them more money for their milk than what they get through milk unions. Since people mostly use the milk of Badri cows domestically rather than for business purposes, the administration took this initiative so that people would domesticate more of such cows and also help to preserve them, stated Mishra.
Informing about Lakhamandal Growth Centre, Mishra said that the prices of the milk in the centre are fixed as per the fat and SNF (Solid Not Fat) percent content present in it which are determined by the laboratory testing of the milk. He said that presently, the department is focussing on producing Ghee of Badri cows which has several medicinal values and is available in various Aanchal Dairy outlets in Dehradun. As informed by an Aanchal Dairy outlet of Raipur Road, the Ghee of Badri Cow is available for around Rs 800 per kilogramme.
Moreover, the production of Churpi cheese was also started recently but since its consumption is not much in northern states, they are being sent to the southern states. He further informed that the district administration is also planning to open two more Growth Centres at Atal village in Tiuni and at Sahiya village in Kalsi. He said that the teams are currently doing a survey there and soon, two more Dairy Growth Centres will be set up which will focus on the products prepared from the milk of Badri Cows like cheese and Ghee.
He said by setting up such growth centres, the administration in other way is also increasing the employment opportunities in the district besides promoting dairy products of Badri Cows.
Saturday, 05 December 2020 | PNS | Dehradun
