At a time when the National Dairy Development Board aims at increasing the number of pure breed Sahiwal cow population in the country, M. Vijaya Ram, a farmer who owns four Sahiwal cows, began developing pure breed Sahiwal cattle in Krishna district.
It is being widely discussed in India that the number of the pure breed Sahiwal cow and bull, a risk-resistant and heat tolerant, has been dwindling in the country over the years. The Sahiwal, a breed of Zebu cattle, known for its high resistance to parasites both internal and external, was originated in the dry Punjab region that lies along the India-Pakistan border.
In 2012, Mr. Ram had brought two Sahiwal cows from Haryana to Tarakaturu on the Vijayawada-Machilipatnam national highway, where he runs a cattle farm, a home for nearly 50 cattle of several breeds. “Now we have three Sahiwal cows and a bull. Scientists at the Sabarmati Ashram Gaushala, Bidaj in Gujrat, supplied the Sahiwal semen that was injected to these cows,” Mr. Ram told The Hindu .
“The delivery of the three Sahiwal cows carrying pregnancy is due for October-end. Since the fifth generation cow or bull born to a Sahiwal cow can be considered as the ‘pure breed’, our mission will go on until four more deliveries of the first generation two cows take place on our farm,” added Mr. Ram. He is also preserving and made available the semen of the Sahiwal to supply it to the needy.
Despite the Sahiwal cow is a dairy farmer’s friend by yielding eight litres of milk per day, the humble conservator of the cow never runs for the yield. The small Sahiwal bull is always allowed to enjoy the milk from its mother on the farm. “We aimed at contributing a few pure breed Sahiwal cow to our country,” Mr. Ram, who also owns eight Gir cattle and eight Kankrej cattle including cows and bulls on his farm.
