HYDERABAD: Identifying the need to spread awareness about cow milk, a three-day Desi Cow Utsav, was inaugurated by Dr K P Srivasuki, CEO, AP Medicinal & Aromatic Plants Board, at the People’s Plaza on Wednesday.
The event is jointly organized by Dr BRKR Ayurvedic college and Charaka Dairy.
Various breeds of cow have been brought to encourage people to know more about them and give a boost to dairy farmers.
For the curious, workshops and seminars are also being organised. Appreciating the initiative, Dr Srivasuki stressed the need to spread the word about the medicinal value of cow milk.
“A cow, in its lifespan, feeds 4,40,000 people and one cow can help farm 30 acres,” he pointed out. Talking about the difference between desi cows and the hybrid ones, Dr BLN Sastry, Director of Charaka Dairy, said, “we had 51 different breeds of desi cows in the past. Most of them are extinct now. And only 29 varieties are left”.
He opined that though desi cows give only around 4 litres of milk a day compared to around 40 litres of milk given by normal cows, the value was much much higher.
Desi cow milk better
Dr Sastry said that the desi cow milk (A2 milk) was healthier than hybrid milk (A1 milk) which contains disease-causing Betacosmophorine-7 (BCM-7).
Maintaining that researches worldwide were working backwards to go back to basic breeds, he said, “The hybrid cow’s milk contains more of BCM-7, which is associated with diseases like high blood pressure, metabolic degenerative diseases, autism, diabetes type-1 in children, mental disorder in old age, sudden death syndrome in infants, etc.” Help for dairy farmers
Dr Sastry said that his dairy was not only educating dairy farmers for encouraging production of desi cow milk but also acting as a mediator in facilitating bank loans to them.
“We pay the rural dairy farmers Rs 30-35 per litre too,” he added.
The cow owners are invited to make use of the Charaka farm for taking expert advice or in-house facilities.
Under schemes like ‘Cow share programme’, he informed, a city resident can own a cow in the village, provide for its maintenance and collect the amount of milk produced at his/her home in the city.
Saptha Gomatha Pradakshina
The event also had something for those who consider cow holy.
A ‘Saptha Gomatha Pradakshina’ ‘goshala’ has been arranged for devotees here.
Narayana Rao, a business man, who took the opportunity to circumambulate around the ‘goshala’ said, “A cow represents 33 crore Hindu Gods.
Taking seven ‘pradakshinas’ represents touring the world and brings prosperity.”
Desi cow exhibition
Around 12 varieties of cows are being showcased at the Utsav.
One among those who exhibited their cows, was Pipreya Kiran Kumar, a businessman from the old city who takes care of more than 25 desi cows in his farm.
Proudly showcasing his ‘Gir’ and ‘Devini’ breeds, he said, “we do not sell the milk or the cows.
Cow means God to us and a symbol of purity. ,We believe that a home without a cow is a graveyard”. With cows that cost more than Rs 2 lakh each, he wishes to spread awareness about Hindu culture and the part played by cows.
Another dairy farmer from Inkapalli in Rangareddy district, Mukkamal Kotesh, who owns 13 desi cows and 40 buffaloes informed that he sells the milk for Rs 40-55 per litre.
“The milk we sell is organic and full of medicinal values. It is a complete diet by itself,” he said.
Free Ayurvedic consultations
Free consultations are being provided at the utsav by Ayurvedic doctors on health problems including skin complaints, ENT, digestive problems, joint pains, respiratory ailments, obesity, infertility etc.
The exhibition is open till March 30 at the People’s Plaza and is open to all.
Some facts
* Hybrid cows produce A1 milk which consists of BCM-7, which is associated with many diseases whereas Desi Cows produce A2 milk which has less BCM-7. Hence it is healthier.
* A cow in its lifespan feeds 4,40,000 people. One cow is sufficient to do farming in 30 acres
* There used to be 51 different breeds of desi cows in the past.
Most of them are extinct now and only 29 varieties are left.