Thiruvananthapuram, June 21 (IANS): Kerala Animal Husbandry and Dairy Development Minister J. Chinchurani on Friday said the state government will soon start an awareness campaign for dairy farmers on the scientific diet for cows, to ensure cattle are fed properly and kept in fine fettle.

Chinchurani said new legislation has been passed in the Assembly regarding cattle feed, poultry feed and mineral mix in the wake of cattle's death due to improper feeding.

"As per this law, if a cattle dies after consuming a feed, strict measures will be taken against the perpetrators," said the Minister soon after launching the highly-nutritious 'Mahima' feed of Kerala Feeds Limited (KFL) for livestock, mainly cow, besides buffalo, goat and poultry.

Chinchurani said the government would come to the help of dairy farmers who lost more than 450 cows this year due to the sweltering summer and those who lost 800 cows due to lumpy skin disease, besides offering interest-free loans for buying cows.

The state-run Kerala Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation (KCMMF), known by its brand Milma has around a million dairy farmers affiliated to its network of around 3,300 primary milk cooperative societies and procures close to 1.2 million liters daily from farmers.