A woman collecting grass from fallow land

                                  An elderly man collecting weeds and wines in a wheel barrow for his cow

                                        A woman on her way back from selling milk taking home what she could find

A Autorikshaw and farmer getting fodder from the roadside

Fodder and feed accounts to about 60% of cost of dairy farming. The average kerala (Indian) farmer finds local weeds as one of the most important source of feed for his cattle. There is a question of quality, toxicity and efficiency of the same.

Breeds of goat from Kerala

There are two breeds of goat from Kerala, they are the Malabari or Tellichery and Attapadi black. Malabari comes in various colours and usually give birth to twins and triplets. Attapadi black goat is mainly by the tribals in Attapadi.

Malabari goat

Attapadi black

Vechur Cattle

This is a native breed of cattle from Kerala and is the smallest breed in the world.

Cross Bred Jersey Cattle from Kerala

Cross breeding in cattle had begun as a policy decision from the 1970's utilizing semen of exotic breeds like Brown swiss, Jersey and Holstein Friesan , resulting in conversion of majority of the desi cattle into crossbreds called Sunandini. Due to absence of proper record keeping the envisaged result has not been achieved.

Some important diseases of goat

Polioencephalomalacia (PEM)

Ethiology : Thiamin (B1) vitamin deficiency. It may either be due to the a)destruction of ruminal microflora as in acidosis with the increase in thiaminase producing bacteria (which produce thiaminase which destroy's thiamin) b) Ingestion of bacteria, plants etc containing thiaminase enzyme (eg bracken fern) c) Increase intake of sulphur containing water or sulpur rich plants.

Pathogenesis : Inflamation of the brain resulting in convulsions, paralysis towards one side etc\

Treatment : Thiamin containing preparations, Medications to relieve the brain oedema.

Hi for those from South India you are in time with me

Mumbai

WASTE AND WEALTH

We see such sacks on public roads with worms scrolling, couldn't these be used as feed for pigs or for composting and making fertilizer which would have solved one problem and served another