Where to get expert labor for dairy farming? asked Dairy farmer Rajiv Singh, UP
Commercial dairy farming means rearing cattle on a large scale and making profits by producing milk from them. Obviously, good and skilled staff is needed to rear animals on a large scale. But it is often seen that dairy farm owners are struggling with the shortage of expert labour. In fact, taking care of an animal is not an easy task, it is very important to have experienced and knowledgeable staff. But in the dairy farms located in remote areas, there is always a shortage of labour and it also affects the work of the dairy farm very much.
Where to get experienced employees for dairy
Rajiv Kumar Singh, a dairy farmer who runs a successful dairy farm in the Jamui district of Bihar, also has the biggest problem with the lack of expert labour. He said all resources can be mobilised for a dairy farm, but it is a very difficult task to raise experienced labour. There are 40 cows and twenty calves on their dairy farm, but they are always struggling with the problem of labour. While the animals are not taken care of in the same way, milk production is also affected.
Saving from technology
It is because of the difficulty in getting labour that dairy farmer Rajiv Kumar Singh ji is very much in favour of the use of technology in dairy farming. He said that the more technology we use, the more the dependence on labour will be reduced. It was because of not getting labour that he brought milking machines to his dairy farm. The problem of timely milking of cows from milking machines was solved. He said another thing that he sells the dung of his farm for about 85 thousand rupees in a year, but it costs more than 75 thousand rupees to lift that dung. If the machine is used in lifting dung, there can be a lot of savings.
Not aware of the importance of data in dairy farming
Dairy farmer Rajiv Kumar Singh has no knowledge about the importance of data in dairy farming. He said that because of this, he suffered a lot. The absence of data did not show how much was being spent on which cow and how much was the benefit. The economic location of the form can be accurately assessed by analyzing the data. However, now they are thinking of keeping the milking, feeding, heat time and AI data of each cow through the online data management app. He said that if breeding, feeding and marketing are given a good focus, then there is no loss in the dairy farming business.
No benefit of animal insurance
Asked about the benefits of insuring animals in dairy farming, dairy farmer Rajiv Kumar Singh said that his experience is that there is no benefit from it. The reason for this is that if the cattle are properly taken care of, their medical check-up is done on time, medicines are given, then the animal does not fall sick. Not a single cattle have died on his farm in the last five years. He also said that even if someone thinks of getting insurance, the premium is so high that he is not able to muster up the courage. It costs one to one and a half lakh rupees to insure animals on a medium-scale farm, but all the money is wasted, it is of no use. However, he also said that in areas where the epidemic of animals like FMD, Brucellosis is more widespread, or if there is a flood-affected area, then the animals must be insured to avoid damage. In Bihar, there is no problem in getting cattle insurance in their Jamui district. There is a problem with payment from government companies, but claims are easily received from private companies.
Not a good facility of AI
Rajiv Kumar Singh, a dairy farmer, said he wants to work on breeding on his farm, but there is a problem in getting a good breed of semen in his area. Along with this, there is also a huge shortage of expert AI technicians. Those who do the work of AI do not have its modern equipment. Apart from this, often the good for nothing AI technicians make AI from useless semen to ai and it is of no use. In such a situation, when the cow comes back into the heat, they have to be called again and one-and-a-half months in it goes waste, which causes a lot of damage. On the subject of calf rearing, dairy farmer Rajiv Kumar Singh said that rearing a calf on the farm costs around 55 to 60 thousand rupees in its catering and care. But after two years, when the calf becomes an advanced breed of cow, it is easily sold for one lakh rupees. So there is an advantage in rearing the calf, but in Bihar, they do not get to take it.
There's no point in buying animals online.
Rajiv Kumar Singh, a dairy farmer, said that he is thinking of expanding his dairy farm and for this, he is going to buy many HF breed cows. For this, he has contacted an animal trader who will bring cows from Punjab and deliver them to his farm. Regarding the online cattle trade, he said that cattle should be bought by taking care of themselves. There is no sense in buying animals online.
Deworming of animals is not necessary.
Asked about the government veterinary system in Bihar, he said that veterinary doctors are not available in government hospitals, so they have to depend on private veterinarians. Dairy farmer Rajiv Kumar Singh considers the vaccination of animals very important, but he does not consider deworming to be necessary. He said that when the cow gives the child, then at that time, drink neem leaf, all the insects will die. There is no need to feed medicines for deworming in the rest and time.