At 34, Akta Raval begins her day at 5 am, with a 30-minute autorickshaw ride from home, near Gujarat’s Gandhinagar, to the farm for her herd of indigenous Gir cattle.
On arriving, she goes about milking the cows with farm hands, supervises mixing of fodder for the morning feed, and checks the quality and yield of early morning milk. She then goes home to serve her son lunch, and returns to the farm by 5 pm for the evening milking and distribution of the day’s yield to nearby collection centres, returning home after dark.
Watching this jeans-clad woman milking her cows, it is difficult to believe that Akta has no formal background in animal husbandry.
In fact, till December last year, she had never handled a cow. One wonders, what made a schoolteacher and mother give up her city job for the remote, rural and demanding life of rearing cattle.
“Though I love animals, growing up in Patan and marrying a photographer in Ahmedabad meant, my exposure was limited to dogs and other pets,” explains Akta with a smile.
“I worked as a schoolteacher in Ahmedabad till a year ago, when I was diagnosed with a thyroid problem.
An ayurvedic physician helped me recover, and told me about India’s indigenous breeds and the need to preserve them, and I decided to start a Gir cattle farm with my husband’s support.” The decision wasn’t easy— it meant giving up the security of a teaching job to start a business of which they knew very little, moving their son from his school in Ahmedabad to small town Gandhinagar, from where her husband Kartik would have to commute an hour each way to his studio. But they went ahead and bought four Gir cows for their farm, where Akta learnt how to handle and milk them on the job.
Says Akta: “The Gir is hardy and adapted to Gujarat’s warm climate. Though yield is about five-and-half litres, I have met people who gave up Western breeds that yield 20-25 litres but incur high cooling, fodder and medication expenses. Indigenous breeds are more economically and ecologically sustainable.’’ Within three months, Akta felt confident enough to invest in more heads of cattle. “Fortunately, a family friend offered me 30 acres of land to expand my business.
I took up his offer and built a barn where I now house 24 heads. From a daily yield of over 120 litres, I produce 25 kg ghee which goes for about Rs 1,200 per kg. Whatever milk is left, goes for about Rs 14 a litre,” Akta explains, “I have planted fodder grass to be self-sufficient.” Having had personal success with Ayurveda, Akta uses herbal and alternative Indian medication for her cows too.
Her dream? “I hope to own 150 to 200 Gir cows, besides indigenous breeds of horses, goats and other livestock,” she says. “Then, I will ask the state to incentivise preservation of indigenous breeds.”