THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A national workshop on ‘new initiatives for milk and meat production by conservation and propagation of indigenous breeds of animals’ would be held at the Mascot Hotel here on Monday.
Kerala Livestock Development Board (KLD Board) managing director Ani S Das told a news conference here the other day that the Department of Animal Husbandry and the KLD Board were jointly organising the workshop.
He said the intention of the workshop was to share the experience of the KLD Boad in conservation of milch breeds like Gir,
Sahiwal, Kankrej, Vechur, dual purpose breeds
like Malabari and
Attappady black breeds
of goats, meat purpose breeds such as the Angamaly pigs and other indigenous breeds with the stakeholders across the country and to gain from their experience.
He said it was expected to evolve a suitable strategy for conservation and propagation of native breeds of livestock for enhanced milk and meat production.
He said Union Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution K V Thomas would inaugurate the workshop. Agriculture Minister K P Mohanan would preside over the function.
Dr Amarjith Singh Nanda, Animal Husbandry Commissioner, Government of India would deliver the keynote address.
Animal Husbandry director Dr R Vijayakumar would present a report.
Planning Board vice chairman K M Chandrasekhar, Shashi Tharoor MP, and K Muralidharan would participate.
Rise in Milk Production
Ani S Das said Kerala had recorded an increase in milk production during the last few years. From 20.3 lakh litres of milk in 2004, Kerala had increased the production by 28 lakh litres in 2011.
In meat production, there has been an increase of 50,000 tonnes. He said if Kerala wanted to increase meat production, the 2.5 lakh male calves being slaughtered even before attaining two months should be reared for at least six months.
Within six months, it would be adding a weight of up to 150 kilos. Now the meat production in the state stands at 2 lakh tonnes per year where the state’s requirement is 4 lakh tonnes.
He said Kerala had become the number one state in the country capable of preserving the semen of native breeds.