THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With large-scale cattle loss reported in the mid-August floods, the Animal Husbandry Department (AHD) is planning remedial measures, including cattle ‘imports’ from other states, to replace the lost animals. The department has, as a preliminary step, submitted a Rs 195 crore proposal to the state government which covers a multitude of requirements, including replacement of cattle and poultry, goats and goat breeding programmes.
Animal Husbandry director N N Sasi said a final decision on the remedial measures would be submitted by September 15. “As per the latest reports, 12,000 animal deaths have been reported in the floods. We are looking at purchases from outside the state — for instance, buffalo from Haryana and Holstein-Friesian cattle — to replace the animals lost in the floods,” he said.
An even more important step is the proper, healthy management of the surviving animals. While quick replacement of animals through purchase from outside the state is indeed an option, acclimatisation and survival rates in the local environment do pose issues, Sasi said.
With thousands of head of cattle killed in the floods, internal milk production had taken a hit with Animal Husbandry officials projecting a 30-35 per cent dip.“The floods came at a time when animal husbandry was emerging as a primary opportunity for farmers rather than an allied sector,” Sasi said.