NEW DELHI: India is expected to import around 10% of its required feed components in the form of Dried Distillers’ Grains with Solubles (DDGs) from the United States as part of a bilateral trade deal. DDGs are a by-product of biofuel production and are commonly used as animal feed.
India requires approximately 110 million metric tonnes (mmt) of feed to support its milk production. However, livestock keepers currently meet only about 50% of this demand, roughly 55 mmt, through domestic sources such as de-oiled cake from mustard, soya, maize and household food residues. Despite poor and unbalanced feeding practices, India produces around 239 million metric tonnes of milk, accounting for nearly 25% of global milk production.
“If India begins feeding its animals the required 110 mmt of feed, the country’s contribution to global milk production could increase to 45%,” said Sudhir Kumar Singh, President of the Indian Dairy Association (IDA).
Industry estimates suggest that producing one litre of milk requires at least 450 grams of feed. Currently, Indian cattle are underperforming due to inadequate and unbalanced feed supply.
Singh said India may import around 5 million metric tonnes of DDGs from the US under the proposed trade arrangement. The inclusion of DDGs is viewed as an important addition to the domestic cattle feed industry.
However, experts caution that importing DDGs could significantly depress domestic prices of feed and fodder crops such as maize, sorghum and soya.
At present, India’s average crossbred cow produces about six litres of milk per day, but with a balanced diet this could rise to 12 litres. Indigenous cattle produce an average of 1.5 litres per day, though output could also increase with properly balanced feed.
“A balanced diet improves animals’ physiological condition, including regular oestrus cycles in cattle,” Singh added.
In addition to promoting balanced feed, the IDA is advocating the use of in vitro fertilisation (IVF) in cattle breeding to increase the likelihood of producing female calves.
To address the challenges of ensuring balanced feed and advancing production technologies among stakeholders, the IDA is organising an industry conference. Singh described the event as a critical step towards fostering collaboration and developing future-ready solutions for the sector.