Dairy farmers in Erode district are being sensitised to the ration balancing programme (RBP), an intervention by National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) to educate milk producers on balanced feeding of their dairy animals.
The benefits are multi-pronged, according to P. Muthukumar, a dairy farmer of Kuzhalipalayam village, who is keen to avail himself of the benefit of door-step advisory services on proper use of locally available feed resources at least possible cost; increasing milk production with more fat and SNF (Solids Not Fat) percentage; improving reproductive efficiency by reducing inter-calving period and increasing productive life of animals; improving general health; and improving growth rate in growing calves leading to early maturity.
The NDDP has made available detailed guidelines on RBP and fodder development in its website: http//www.nddb.org/ndpi. Projects submitted by cooperative Milk Unions, State Dairy Federations and producer companies have been approved for Coimbatore, Tiruchi, Madurai, Vellore, Villupuram, Erode and Salem Milk Unions.
So far, around 6000 dairy cooperative societies across the country have been covered under the project. Under National Dairy Plan Phase -1, Rs. 360 crore have been earmarked for RBP implementation in 14 States, according to official statistics.
