Holy Cow?

www.economictimes.com | Bengaluru | 28 pages | `10

July 19-25, 2015

Wholly Cow

The Bigger Scandal Beyond Vyapam p.10 Chhattisgarh’s Tribals: Teetering Between a Rock and a Hard Place p.16

Is Organic Farming Food or Fad for Thought? p.18 RSS Now has a More Practical Approach towards Government: Walter K Andersen p.09

The NDA government begins work on its promise to protect and promote the bovine, stressing that the reasons are more pragmatic than sacred p.06-08

Side Effects of the Iran Nuclear Deal

p.03

06

cover story JULY 19-25, 2015

Holy Cow?

:: Shantanu Nandan Sharma fter recently retiring from the Merchant Navy, UK Pundir plans to start a dairy farm on the 2.5 acres of land he owns on the outskirts of Dehradun. He concedes it will be more of pursuing a passion and less of chasing returns to supplement his pension.

However, the engineer who understands the nuances of ship equipment is at a loss on which bovine to buy for his venture. Should he opt for the exotic international breeds of cows like Holstein and Jersey that are considered more efficient and productive than their desi counterparts? Or are there Indian breeds where the price-to-value equation works out better?

To find out, Pundir drives down 55 km from Dehradun to Kalsi, a sleepy village in Uttarakhand that houses a cow farm with over 500 Red Sindhis, one of 39 Indian elite cow breeds. For an hour and a half, Pundir walks around the 170-acre sprawling campus overlooking the hills. The farm was set up by a Muslim family in 1937, which possibly left for Pakistan during Partition. The property was briefly under Army occupation before it was handed over to the state government.

Pundir is impressed by the animals on the farm. He gets down to brass tacks: How much milk does a Red Sindhi give in a day?

Prem Kumar, the veterinary doctor in charge of the farm, offers him a cup of tea before explaining why litre-per-day dynamics could be grossly misleading.

“A Holstein [an exotic cow breed that costs about `70,000] may give up to 40 litres a day, but it can’t resist the hot and humid conditions of most Indian states,” says Kumar. Indian elite cows, whose price ranges from `20,000 to `60,000, are more heatand disease-resistant, and also have a higher number of lactations [formation of milk usually takes 300 days]. Also, the fat content of most Indian cows is higher than that of the foreign ones,” he adds, arguing that a desi cow of an elite breed, or even a goodquality cross-bred (for instance, Jersey cross-bred with a local breed) that Pundir could snap up for `30,000 per animal may make sounder economic sense.

A

The NDA government gears up for its mission — as promised in the BJP election manifesto of 2014 — to protect and promote the cow, but stresses that the reasons are more pragmatic than sacred

Enhance milk production and productivity of indigenous bovines

ABOUT MISSION COW The mandate of the `500-crore Central government programme called Rashtriya Gokul Mission

39 elite desi breeds such as Gir, Sahiwal, Rathi, Deoni and Red Sindhi will be the focus The scheme will cover

13 indigenous buffalo breeds too Genetic upgradation of nondescript cows by cross-breeding with Indian elite breeds will also be done

KAPIL

`105 crore disbursed since September 2014

07

cover story JULY 19-25, 2015

CATTLE CLASS How the indigenous 39 elite breeds compare with their Western counterparts More disease resistant

DESI ELITE

More temperature resistant Lower quantity of milk

STATS

(average 10 to 15 litres a day)

More lactation* Total Cattle Population

(8 to 10 times in a lifetime)

(Figure does not include stray cattle)

2007

More value of milk because of high fat content

19.9

Lower fodder input costs (* Formation of milk usually over 300 days)

crore

2012

19.1 crore

4% fall

This of cattle population is in sharp contrast to the

3.2% increase in buffalo population from

10.5 10.8 to

crore

crore

2007

2012

Source: Livestock Census

Number of cattle

in urban areas in particular saw a huge drop from

87.7 71.6 to

lakh

lakh

2007

2012

1 2 3 4 5 6

Less disease resistant

WESTERN COWS

Less temperature resistant (can’t resist extreme Indian hot and humid conditions)

Higher quantity of milk (A Holstein cow gives up to 40 litres a day)

Less lactation (4 to 5 times in a lifetime) Lower value of milk because of less fat content Higher fodder input costs Rajni Sekhri Sibal, joint

“We have given a huge emphasis on indigenous cattle. The setting up of two national breeding centres [one each in Madhya Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh] is an effort towards that. The idea is to upgrade our indigenous cows genetically” The animal husbandry expert at Kalsi may found pride of place in the BJP’s election mannot know it but he is actually echoing the prin- ifesto of 2014 under the sub-head of ‘cultural ciples that have laid the foundation of the heritage’. “In view of the contribution of cow NDA-government’s `500-crore Rashtriya and its progeny to agriculture, socio-economGokul Mission, an initiative largely focused on ic and cultural life of our country, the departIndia’s 39 elite cow breeds. The programme ment of animal husbandry will be suitably will cover genetic improvement of 13 buffalo strengthened and empowered… Necessary legal framework will be created to protect and breeds as well.

“Indian cattle breeds are robust and resil- promote cow and its progeny. A National CatTOP 5* ient. Increases in temperature due to global tle Development Board will be set up to implewarming will negatively impact milk produc- ment a programme for the improvement of tion. And the decline in milk production and indigenous livestock breeds,” reads an exKANKREJ reproductive efficiency will be the highest in cerpt from the manifesto.

The party has wasted little (GUJARAT & RAJASTHAN) exotic and cross-bred cattle foltime in getting on with it. And lowed by buffaloes. So, under the “I won’t be ‘Mission Cow’ is being pursued Rashtriya Gokul Mission, we are surprised if this against the backdrop of two of emphasising on indigenous catHARIANA BJP-ruled states, Maharashtra tle breeds,” explains Union agrigrand plan for (HARYANA) and Haryana, having passed culture minister Radha Mohan indigenous cattle more stringent laws that makes Singh, a five-time Lok Sabha member of Parliament repre- breeds turns out possession of beef a criminal senting Purvi Champaran in Bi- to be a gimmick” offence. Whilst most states barGIR ring exceptions like Kerala and har who had earlier served as the Yogendra Yadav, (GUJARAT) Nagaland have banned cow state BJP president. Bihar and Utpolitical analyst slaughter, there is no Central tar Pradesh, the two large Indian law on this. But the clamour for states that will go to the assembly polls this year and in 2017, respectively, consti- such a legislation may have well begun.

MALVI In March, a Reuters news report quoted tute the Indian cow belt, a term used to de(MP, RAJASTHAN) scribe the relatively underdeveloped heart- home minister Rajnath Singh saying India will land where cows, along with the river Ganges, use all its “might” to ban cow slaughter across the country — a country that is the world’s secare revered.

By crafting a focused mission on indigenous ond largest beef exporter and fifth largest conKOSALI cows and fast-tracking a disbursal of `105 sumer. “How can we accept the fact that cow (CHHATTISGARH) crore since September 2014 (earlier govern- slaughter is allowed in this country? We will ments used to spend about `20 crore a year use all our might to ban it. We will try to build for indigenous breeds), the ruling BJP-led gov- a consensus,” Singh reportedly said.

Further, Ashok Singhal, a senior leadernment has demonstrated its seriousness in conserving and developing the cow, an animal er of the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP), recently demanded a nation-wide ban that is sacred in Hindu religion.

To be sure, along with the Ram Mandir, Ram on cow slaughter so as to make India a Setu, and the Ganga, the ‘cow and its progeny’ “Hindu nation by 2020”, according to a

secretary, department of animal husbandry, who has just finished writing a book tentatively titled Kamdhenu: The Story of an Indian Cow

BREAK-UP OF ELITE DESI COWS Bottom 5

38,87,152

24,072 PONWAR (UTTAR PRADESH)

26,00,122

21,312 BARGUR (TAMIL NADU)

21,03,307

3,170 VECHUR (KERALA)

15,18,452

2,314

KRISHNA VALLEY (KARNATAKA & MAHARASHTRA)

15,00,000

The percentage

drop in indigenous milch cattle population between 2007 and 2012 was

3.38% (Like human census, the livestock census is also undertaken door-to-door. For 2012 Livestock Census, 1.7 lakh enumerators and 28,000 animal husbandry department supervisors were deployed)

771

PUNGANUR (ANDHRA PRADESH)

*In terms of population among 39 elite indigenous breeds

CATTLE SHARE (2012) In percentage

Madhya Pradesh

Uttar Pradesh

West Bengal

Maharashtra

Rajasthan

Bihar

Odisha

Assam

Gujarat

Chhattisgarh

Andhra Pradesh

Karnataka

Tamil Nadu

Jharkhand

Other states

10.27 10.24

8.65

8.11

6.98

6.41

6.09

5.40

5.23

5.14

5.03

4.98

4.62

5.47

7.38

08

Distilled cow urine at a farm in Kalsi before it is sold to Baba Ramdev’s ashram at Haridwar

cover story JULY 19-25, 2015

“Please Don’t Connect

this Mission with any Political Agenda”

Union agriculture minister Radha Mohan Singh is a five-time member of Parliament from Bihar, which goes to the polls later this year. Singh, who headed the BJP’s Bihar unit between 2006 and 2009, understands the nuances of politics in the cow belt and how important it is to use symbolism to consolidate voters. But while talking to ET Magazine’s Shantanu Nandan Sharma, he repeatedly denied that the newly-crafted Rashtriya Gokul Mission that emphasises on 39 elite desi cows has any political bearing. Excerpts from the interview: On the emphasis on indigenous cow breeds: Our Indian cattle breeds are robust and resilient. Studies on impact of climate change and effect of temperature rise on milk production of dairy animals indicate that temperature rise due to global warming will negatively impact production. We may see this problem as early as 2020. The decline in milk production and reproductive efficiency will be highest in exotic and cross-bred cattle followed by buffaloes. So, under the Rashtriya Gokul Mission, we are emphasising on indigenous cattle breeds.

On the importance of cows: During 2013-14, 62 million tonnes of milk was produced by cows, which was about 45% of the total milk produced in the country. Thus, cows play a significant role in milk production in the country. Most of the indigenous breeds possess the milk [A2 allele of beta-casein protein] that is not associated with disorders like diabetes, heart-diseases etc [unlike A1 milk of exotic cows]. Also, biogas is an important green power and can reduce the carbon footprint. Biogas plants have been made an integral part of Gokul Grams, bull mother farms and semen stations across the country. Panchgavya [a mixture of cow dung, urine, milk, curd and ghee] is said to have medicinal values and will be promoted under the Rashtriya Gokul Mission.

On the correlation of the Mission with BJP’s Hindutva ideology: P l e a s e don’t connect this mission w i t h a ny political agenda. First, cows play an important role in the Indian agrarian economy. Second, it has been proven that in-

digenous cattle are robust and resilient and have qualities of heat tolerance, resistance to diseases and the like. Even researchers in the [milkproducing] countries such as Australia and New Zealand are saying Indian indigenous cattle could play a major role in milk production when global warming will impact production.

On the dwindling cow population in India: Yes, the cattle population has declined by 4% between 2007 and 2012. But the female cattle population has increased by 6.5% during that period. Productivity is increasing, and there has been no report of decrease of milk production. In fact, total milk production in 2014-15 increased to 145 million tonnes from 137 million tonne in 2013-14.

On the UPA’s policy on cows: The earlier government too initiated programmes for genetic upgradation of the country’s bovine population. But there has been no focus so far on development and conservation of indigenous breeds. And because of the lack of focus, the population of good indigenous breeds has been declining and their performance is still below potential. Hence there is an urgent need for their development and conservation.

On the new cow centre in the PM’s constituency, Varanasi: The Gangatiri breed of cattle was known among the farmers in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar for its disease resistance and high productivity over the decades. Gangatiri breed was not recognised as a separate indigenous breed. After the new government came to power, this cattle got recognised as a separate breed by National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources.

Under the newly launched Rashtriya Gokul Mission, `7 crore has been allocated to the government of Uttar Pradesh for the establishment of Gangatiri Cow Conservation and Development Centre in Varanasi. It will maintain the elite animals of this indigenous breed. It will be a source for high-genetic bulls for artificial insemination. The milk produced in the farm will also be made available to the consumers in the adjoining areas.

CASH COWS What a Cow Farm can Produce MILK BIO-GAS Wholesale Also called gobar gas, it can work rate is `34 out cheaper than conventional per litre electricity by a third

VERMI-COMPOST This organic manure is sold at `6 per kg (wholesale rate)

Ajay Pal Singh Aswal, in-charge, Embryo Transfer Center, Kalsi with one Red Sindhi cow and eight of her calves born at one time

COW URINE Sold at `25 a litre after distillation

breed improvement of high dairyvalue cattle breeds and buffaloes,” he says. Indian cows are in high demand across the globe for genetic research. But there has been a total ban on export of Indian cows, mainly because of the fear that researchers in foreign laboratories may prepare medicines out of cows and patent those abroad. Agriculture minister Singh explains: “There has been a demand for indigenous Press Trust of India report. The Embryo transfer technology holds breeds like Ongole, Kankrej and the key to enhance population of Gir mainly from Brazil. But our VHP is a right-wing Hindu fundapure Indian elite cattle breeds government is not contemplatmentalist organisation that is ing to relax norms for export of aligned to the BJP on many ideoUnder this, fertilised bovine germplasm. After all, our logical issues. oocytes are collected from farmers have the first right.”

The consensus that Singh talks the reproductive tract of a Medicinal values of cows are about building won’t come easy genetically superior cow recognised, although not fully — not when Muslims, Christians and transferred to a substantiated. It is believed that and sections of Hindus themgenetically inferior cow selves view the meat as a cheap Panchgavya (a mixture of cow source of protein. Political anadung, urine, milk, curd and Embryos can be collected lyst and former Aam Aadmi Parghee), for example, has medici3-4 times a year ty leader Yogendra Yadav says nal properties, and hence the unlike ‘Love Jihad’ (a campaign government has decided to offiGenetically inferior cows backed by the VHP against Mus- are often used as surrogate cially promote it under the Rashlim men marrying Hindu womtriya Gokul Mission. Similarly, en and in the process converting yoga guru Baba Ramdev sells From a donor cow, up to 25 good-quality embryos can be them to Islam) which was concow urine under the brand name collected in a year cocted to flare up communal Patanjali Godhan Ark, a 100 ml passions, the BJP in protection of bottle of which costs `50. And About 30 calves can be indigenous cow breeds has Punganur, a dwarf cow found in produced in a lifetime found a real issue. “But the BJP’s Andhra Pradesh, is much soughttrack record of converting its ideafter (it costs over `1 lakh) for its ologies into actionable governmilk that is high in fat content as ment plans has been exceedingly poor. Whether well as in medicinal values. it is the promotion of indigenous language [Hindi “If the Royal Bengal Tiger or the Gir lion is the for example], or indigenous medicines or knowl- pride of India, why not cow breeds like Red Sinedge, the party has failed to deliver. I won’t be dhi or Kankrej? Cross-breeding over the years surprised if this grand plan for indigenous cattle has led to an identity crisis of pure Indian elite breeds turns out to be a gimmick,” says Yadav. breeds. We must adopt embryo transfer techThe agriculture minister, however, vehement- nology to increase the population of Indian ly objects to any attempt to correlate mission cow elites,” says Ajay Pal Singh Aswal, a veterinary with a Hindutva ideology (see “Please don’t doctor who has been experimenting with this Connect this Mission with any Political Agenda”). technology for the last 10 years.

In the late ’70s, the late American anthropoloUnder the Rashtriya Gokul Mission, elite desi cow breeds such as Gir, Sahiwal, Rathi, Deoni, gist Marvin Harris wrote a path-breaking piece Red Sindhi, Vechur and Punganur will take centre ‘India’s Sacred Cow,’ in which he attempted to stage. They, however, form just 35% of the 19 explain to the Western world why the attitude of crore cow population of India, a majority of Indians towards the cow was indeed not strange which are nondescript. One objective of the mis- or irrational. “The sacredness of the cow is not sion is genetic upgradation of nondescript cows just an ignorant belief that stands in the way of progress. Like all concepts of the sacred and the via cross-breeding with elite Indian breeds.

The objectives may be noble, but they need the profane, this one affects the physical world; it accompanying infrastructure backup. T Nanda defines the relationships that are important for Kumar, chairman of National Dairy Development the maintenance of Indian society.” The short Board (NDDB), the parent body of milk marketer point of Harris’ piece was that if the cow has Mother Dairy, argues that work on improving been traditionally revered in India, it’s because quality of semen, distribution and artificial in- the bovine has been extremely useful. Further semination needs more attention. “If there is one increasing its utility, efficiency and numbers is thing that is to be done urgently, it is the establish- perhaps also the most pragmatic form of worment of a world-class genomic centre to take up ship of the Great Indian Cow.

THE FUTURE