ANANTAPUR: It is not just farmers, but even livestock is affected by the delayed monsoon and deficit rainfall in the erstwhile undivided Anantapur district. The prevailing drought conditions have led to a scarcity of fodder. As a result, dairy farming, which is an alternative source of income for small and marginal farmers, has also been affected. With the increasing cost of dry fodder and cattle feed, dairy farmers are distressed unable to meet the rise in expenditure. Five years ago, the cost of a tractor load of fodder was Rs 8,000, and now it has gone up to Rs 16,000. To cultivate fodder in fields locally, it costs about Rs 10,000 per acre. With severe fodder scarcity in the district, livestock farmers have started taking their sheep and goats for grazing to villages in neighbouring Karnataka as these animals are not allowed into the forest area.
The incidence of cattle being shifted to abattoirs is also on the rise in the drought-hit areas. Pullanna, a physically challenged shepherd of Sanapa village in Atmakur Mandal, who has a herd of 300 sheep and goats, said, “We are facing an acute shortage of fodder and feed this year. We are unable to afford the rising cost of fodder. I do not know anything except rearing sheep. With no other way, I am taking my sheep to the neighbouring Karnataka region for grazing.”
According to official statistics, Anantapur district has 2.16 lakh cows, 1.9 lakh buffaloes, 22.94 lakh sheep and 4.12 lakh goats. In Sri Sathya Sai district, there are over 7 lakh head of cattle (cows and buffaloes) and 31.39 lakh sheep and goats. Compared to 9.44 lakh litres of milk procured in the last fiscal, in the first five months of the current fiscal only 3.48 lakh litres of milk procurement was recorded. According to animal husbandry officials, one unit of cattle needs 5 kg of green fodder. One cow is considered as a unit, in the case of buffaloes, it is 1.5 and for sheep 5.
Officials have identified a shortage of 3,843 metric tonnes of green fodder. In Anantapur, 3,000 metric tonnes of fodder, 2,500 metric tonnes of feed, and 600 metric tonnes of total mixed ration (TMR) are required, while in Sri Sathya Sai district, 843 metric tonnes of fodder, 700 metric tonnes of feed and 500 metric tonnes of TMR are needed. Proposals have been sent to the State government seeking a supply of fodder and feed to cattle. Meanwhile, 219 metric tonnes of corn has been supplied on subsidy in Sri Sathya Sai district, hoping that it will help to meet the fodder shortage to a certain extent.
“It is true that with scarce rainfall this year, there is a shortage of fodder and feed. We have taken stock of the situation and sent proposals to the State government. We are hoping for a positive response from the government to overcome the fodder shortage,” Dr Subhadas, Animal Husbandry Officer of Sri Satya Sai district, told TNIE. Anantapur Animal Husbandry Officer Dr Subrahmanyam has agreed with the assessment of his Sathya Sai counterpart.