KOCHI: It was pure passion that inspired N V Balakrishnan, 52, from Atholi to embark on a mission to conserve endangered indigenous breeds of cows. Now, with 12 rare indigenous breeds, he is busy conducting exhibitions and awareness drives in and around the state.
When people visit the open farm near his home, all eyes lead to Manikyam, a Vechur cow (a dwarf cattle breed from Kerala), which he claims is shorter than the one mentioned in the Guinness Book of World Records.
“The star attraction of my farm is Manikyam and now we are doing the paper works to help her enter the Guinness Book of World Records,” he says. According to Balakrishnan, at present the Vechur cow that finds its name in the Guinness Book is 69.07 cm, but his Manikyam is only 61.5 cm high.
“Now most of the people prefer Vechur cows for the reason that its milk production is relatively higher compared to that of other local cows,” he says. There are many takers for his cattle since natural farming is gaining acceptance among the people.
“Desi cow’s dung is inevitable for zero budget natural farming, hence people are ready to buy it,” he smiles. He is happy about the change in the perspective of the people on cows.
The Kasargod Dwarf breed, a little taller than the world’s smallest breed Vechur; Cheruvally cattle, indigenous to Cheruvally, Mundakkayam and Kanjirappally regions of Kottayam district; Ponwar cow, a draught cattle breed and a native of Pilibhit district of Uttar Pradesh, Kangeyam cow that derived its name from Kangeyam taluk in Tamil Nadu; Krishnavali, an endangered breed which was used to plough fields; Vadakara Dwarf, a breed which is on the verge of extinction due to artificial insemination; Malnad Gidda, the dwarf variety of cattle known for its extreme shyness, a native of Malnad region; Gir cow that gives milk with medicinal quality; Jawari cow, known for its strong immune system; Khilari cow found in Karnataka and the Punganur cow found only in Chittur are the breeds he rears in his farm.
Praising his efforts in protecting the breeds, veterinary surgeon Priya K Nair says, “Balakrishnan is very much curious to learn about the better facilities that can be offered to cows to ensure their good health.
His devotion and love for cattle played a vital role in the protection of cows that are on the verge of extinction,” she says.
Last year, when the Earth Care Foundation conducted ‘Gramadarshanam -2014,’ an agricultural seminar and exhibition at Atholi Biopark, he gave the visitors a first-hand experience on cattle rearing.
“We were astonished to see the response of flat-dwellers. They were excited to see the rare breeds,” says Balakrishnan. In the recently held cattle expo which was organised by the Animal Husbandry Department, he displayed 11 breeds of cows.