Punjab Animal Husbandry Department has chalked out a special programme to prepare online directory (herd book) of the best cattle breeds in the State.The department has initiated the work on this special program which is a brainchild of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, said the state Animal Husbandry Minister Gulzar Singh Ranike on Monday.

He said that Chief Minister had envisioned this unique online database during the National livestock Championship enabling the cattle-rearers to easily identify cattle of quality breed besides giving a boost to dairy farmers.The department was now preparing online directory of cows and buffaloes in State, he added. Ranike said that free registration has begun for Sahiwal, HF and jersey breeds of cows, Murrah and Neeli Ravi breeds of buffaloes.

“Cattle-rearers could contact the nearest veterinary hospitals for the purpose. Registration can be done for Sahiwal giving 11 liter milk, HF cow giving 25 liter milk, jersey cow giving 14 liter milk, Murrah buffalo giving more than 14 liter milk and Neeli Ravi buffalo giving 11 liter of milk,” he said.He said that with a gap of every 28 days, the production of milching cattles will be assessed by the officials of department for 10 times.

“They will then calculate the average milk production. If the milk produced is more than the set average, the department will upload information about such cattle online,” he said.The Minister added that the information database will include name and address of rearers, mobile number, age of animal, milk produced, information about calves, number of times the animal has given birth, among other things.“The data, uploaded on online directory, will enable the animal owners to buy and sell the best quality of animal,” he said while appealing the cattle owners to get their cattle registered at veterinary hospitals near them.