Arun Uppinangadi

Daijiworld Media Network - Puttur (SP)

Puttur, Oct 26: At a time when more and more farmers have been resorting to ending life, having been devastated by the losses they suffer out of agricultural activity, the family of William Lobo from Malebttu in Karaya village, Beltangady taluk, which has a different story to tell, has been leading a happy life out of dairying.

William, son of the late Cyprian Lobo, was working as auto rickshaw driver in the past. After finding that this job did not yield enough income, he turned his attention towards dairying. He availed a loan of Rs 3 lac at an annual interest rate of 18 percent, and began dairying on a small scale. As of now, he owns 22 cows of HF species. In the initial days since he started dairying activity, he used to get seven litres of milk. The size of his activity has now grown manifold and the average milk generated in his shed at present is around 300 litres per day. The milk he produces is collected by Tannirupantha Milk Producers Cooperative Society. This year, he has got bonus of Rs 1.37 lac at the rate of 1.82 rupees per litre of milk.

William's younger brother Ronald Lobo who was employed at Bengaluru too has left his job to return home and get fully involved with dairying. Now his entire family is engaged in dairying activity. As all the work involved with dairying is attended to by the family members together, the family has never faced shortage of labour. Therefore, the money the family otherwise would have to pay for labourers has been saved.

Fodder

William has grown green fodder of CO 3 and Sampoorna varieties in his three-ace plot. After harvesting the grass, the grass is shredded into small pieces by using machine, before feeding the same to cows. In addition, he also gives nutritious food to the cows. After the grass is cut, the fodder is ready for harvesting again in 60 to 70 days. Therefore, William's family has never faced shortage of fodder.

The family takes lot of care before acquiring new cows. William has brought pure HF breed cows from Mysuru by paying Rs 1.25 lac for each cow. Each of these cows yield over 20 litres of milk every day. Out of calves he gets from the cows, William retains two heifers each year and gives the others free of cost to interested people. In the case of male calves, he also gives some money along with the calf.

William has provided rubber mats in his cattle sheds. He says that he gives maximum importance to cleanliness of the environment by washing away cows and the cattle shed four times everyday. As soon as dung is accumulated, it is removed. As food is provided to the cattle regularly at stipulated time, the cattle discharge dung and urine at regular intervals. By keeping the surroundings clean, it can be ensured that the cattle do not suffer from diseases. Therefore, for the success of dairying activity, cleanliness is of utmost importance, he explains.

William collects cattle dung in a big pit and uses it for farming and operating gobar gas plant. He sells remaining dung and earns income out of it. He has dug a big pit into which urine and water used for washing the cattle shed flows. The slurry which gets stored there is sprayed by him for areca nut cultivation and for growing fodder for the cattle.

One of the cattle sheds here has tiled roof, and the others are covered by cement sheets. During summer months, as the cement sheets hot up, water is continuously sprayed on it with the help of sprinkler. At the same time, fans fitted in the cattle sheds are operated all 24 hours of the day. Therefore one who enters the sheds from outside gets the feeling that air-conditioner is functioning there. The water of the sprinkler getting sprayed on the roof too does not get waste. It enters the cattle sheds and flows into the pit with the slurry.

Mechanized systems

In William's dairy unit, most of the things like milking the cows, cutting grass and other things are done with the help of machinery. The cattle sheds are washed by sprinkling water with the help of water jets at high pressure with the help of machines. Care is taken, with due regard to the health of the animals, to see that cattle come into contact with human hands minimally.

In the mornings, work begins at the cattle sheds by 4 am and continues till 6 am. Thereafter collecting grass, washing of cattle sheds etc are shared by family members through mutual understanding. Because of harmonious work system, the family has succeeded in dairying occupation.

Although William also has 1,800 areca nut trees and rubber plantation, the family has given prominence to dairying. William expresses the opinion that any occupation where one gets involved with work with total affection and puts in full efforts, success is a foregone conclusion. He feels that no one should nurse the feeling that he knows everything. He feels that people should always look to learn something or the other from others. He gratefully notes that the family, which undertook dairying by borrowing at high rate of interest of 18 percent per annum in the past, is now stable because of dairying.

He reveals that he neither avails agricultural loans nor is he in need of benefit from loan waiver scheme. He reveals that he has not suffered loss in dairying, and credit for his success also goes to Milk Producers Union, Tannirupantha Milk Producers Cooperative Society president, Niranjan Bavantabettu and Sri Kshetra Dharmasthala Rural Development Project who have supported him and ensured his growth to the present level. He also says that several others too have contributed to his success. "In Dakshina Kannada district, I stood first thrice in the matter of milk production. Several awards have come seeking me. I also attend dairying training seminars as resource person and provide training to the interested persons. I take care to promptly provide treatment to cows when they fall ill, provide food to the cows and give enough time for them to chew the cud, and maintain cleanliness. Therefore dairying has given me a life of contentment," William reveals.

William's bother, Ronald Lobo, who left his job at Bengaluru to get involved with dairying here says that he was working in fabrication unit at Bengaluru. He said he felt fed up by the tension-filled life there and decided to come back to his native place and work hand in hand with his elder brother. "I am totally contented now. Like the adage which says that a person who is ready to get his hands soiled is sure not to go hungry, I have got good reward for my work, and we are able to live happily," he says gleefully.