What Are The Present Day Challenges Faced By Dairy Farming
                     What Are The Present Day 
Challenges Faced By Dairy 
Farming
India has a distinct system of milk production, processing, marketing and 
consumption that is unrivaled by any other big milk-producing country. India is the 
world's greatest milk producer and consumer of dairy products.
Despite the dairy industry's rapid expansion, India faces poor milk quality, low yield, 
 lack of infrastructure and fragmented production. There are still a lot of 
infrastructure-related constraints in both the back-end and front-end supply chains.
In the Indian dairy industry, there are several opportunities and challenges. Dairy 
products are a key source of affordable and nutritious food for millions of people in 
India and the sole acceptable supply of animal protein for a substantial vegetarian 
portion of the Indian population, notably among landless, small and marginal 
farmers and women.
Feed/fodder Scarcity
There is an overwhelming number of useless animals competing for available feeds 
and fodder with productive dairy animals. The grazing area is shrinking year after 
year due to industrial growth, resulting in a scarcity of feed and fodder to meet the 
overall demand. The ever-increasing disparity between demand and availability in 
feeds and fodder inhibits dairy animal performance.
Furthermore, providing low-quality fodder to dairy cattle limits the animal production 
system. The inability of small and marginal farmers and agricultural labourers 
involved in dairy development to purchase feeds and fodder results in insufficient 
feeding. Mineral deficiency illnesses occur when mineral mixtures are not fed to 
dairy animals properly.
System of breeding
Late maturity is a frequent issue in most Indian cow breeds. Cattle owners are unable to identify 
heat symptoms throughout the oestrus cycle. The calving interval is increasing, resulting in a 
decrease in animal performance efficiency. Diseases that cause miscarriage can cost the 
industry a lot of money. Fertility issues are caused by mineral, hormone and vitamin deficits.
Training and Education
A robust education and training initiative on dairy practices might result in the production of safer 
dairy products, but they must be participatory in character to be successful. In this regard, all 
farmers must be educated and trained so that they understand what they should do to create a 
feeling of ownership.
However, establishing and executing such initiatives in the dairy industry necessitates a strong 
commitment from management, which can sometimes be a stumbling barrier.
Health Care
Veterinary health care facilities are scattered throughout the 
country. The ratio of cattle population to the veterinary 
institution is greater, resulting in insufficient animal health care.
There is no regular and periodic immunization schedule and 
the regular deworming program is not carried out as planned, 
leading to high mortality in calves, particularly buffalo. It is 
because there is insufficient protection against numerous 
livestock illnesses.
Conditions of Hygiene
Many cattle owners do not provide adequate protection to their animals, leaving them 
vulnerable to harsh weather conditions. Mastitis is caused by unsanitary conditions in 
cowsheds and milking yards. Unsanitary milk production reduces storage quality and 
increases the deterioration of milk.
Pricing and Marketing
Dairy producers are not being paid a fair price for their milk supply. Since the widespread 
cross breeding effort with the Holstein Friesian breed, the fat content of crossbred cow's 
milk is falling, and a low price is provided because the milk price is determined based on 
fat and solid nonfat milk content.
Farmers do not have a good impression of commercial dairy operations as an alternative 
to other occupations due to a lack of marketing facilities and services.
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