Cow the economic angle

Author :- By Subodh Kumar
India has the world’s oldest tradition of domestic Cow. Indians have learnt that bounties that cow offers have many facets that provide with sustainable economic and environmental security.
1. Pastures fed cows provide the lowest cost of producing milk.
1a. This milk is rich in CLA i.e. Omega 3 and Omega 6 that provide health and disease immunity to human body.
1b. This milk is also rich in Carotenoids the main antioxidants that ensure healthy eye sight.
1c. As these cows spend most of their time under sun their milk is rich in natural Vitamin D , and there is no need to fortify like the US and Canadian dairy milk with synthetic Vitamin D.
1d. Cow milk is the only source of essential Vitamin B12 for vegetarians.
Such cow’s milk enables cheapest method of obtaining a healthy disease free human body and saves tremendous expense involved in dietary supplements of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, vitamin D capsules.
2. Cow Urine finds many Ayurvedic medicinal uses. For common man most interesting use of cow urine has been developed by MGIRI ( Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Rural Industries ) at Wardha. Cow urine contains natural biocidal properties of phenol and carbolic acids. Research at MGIRI has standardized formulation of natural organic floor cleaner as a substitute for chemically formulated phenyl used in homes.
3. Cow dung has been used as a plaster for building rural houses, as the cheapest sustainable building material for houses. It also provides hygienic living.
4. 95% of phosphorus for Indian chemical fertilizer industry is imported at a cost of over 2 billion dollars. Cow Dung contains up to 0.4% phosphorus. Entire cow dung in India as fertilizer will not only reduce the requirements of pesticides in agriculture but also will save foreign exchange expense.
5. Traditionally in rural areas dried cow dung cakes are used as cooking fuel. India has been promoting biogas plants. Methane produced by cow dung is a global warming gas. Biogas plants harvest all the cow dung methane, for use as cooking fuel. This also prevents cow dung methane to aid in global warming.
6. Slurry produced by biogas plants contains all the soil nutrients including the most important component phosphorus. This is also the cheapest and sustainable soil fertilizer.
7. Cow slaughter has been a very emotional issue in India. When a cow is well looked after it can easily provide an average of 1500 liters of milk in one lactation period. But when cows are not well looked after the milk yield falls to very low uneconomic levels and all such cows get diverted to slaughter houses to provide cheap meat. No good cows are ever discarded for slaughter. It is matter for community to have the resources and skill to maintain cows in good health and be able to provide adequate milk for as many as ten lactations. Cow slaughter agitation will no longer be necessary. Productivity of a living cow is economically far higher than a slaughtered cow. In due course every born cow will meet natural death. Leather from such cows will be always available
8. As far as meat eating is concerned world has become wiser. Meat has the highest water foot print among all foods. Scientific community is of the opinion that meat eating will not be able to sustain food production for the growing population of the world. This is where Indian wisdom of vegetarian diet becomes relevant.
9. Latest researches have confirmed that Indian breeds of Cows are producers of A2 type milk that is considered safest for human health. A2 type milk enjoys high customer preference in world markets. US cross bred cows produce A1 type milk that has been associated with incidence of diseaesc such as obesity, diabetes, cancer heart trouble etc. Even Indian constitution provides for conservation of Indian breeds. Gujarat Govt. is the first in the country to stop cross breeding. Gujarat is also home to the best Indian breed of Gir cows and has become the largest exporter of milk abroad.