To increase milk production and encourage dairy farmers in Punjab while introducing them to different breeds of cattle in the state, Punjab Government has decided to hold a cattle milking competition once a month at the block level.
“The Animal Husbandry Department has invited farmers owning good breeds of cows, buffalos and goats to take part in the competition,” said Dr Inderjit Singh, who is an international expert on buffalos, and the state’s Animal Husbandry director.
He said that the milking competition, which is the brainchild of Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh and the state Rural Development, Animal Husbandry, Panchayats and Higher Education Minister Tripat Rajinder Singh Bajwa, will be held on the second Tuesday and Wednesday of every month in all 147 blocks of the State.
He said that to participate in these milking competitions, the farmers can contact the local animal husbandry office or the Animal Husbandry’s district Deputy Director.
The breeds which are expected to take part in the completion include buffalos belonging to Murrah and Murrah Graded (yielding 16 kg or more milk),
Neeli Ravi and Neeli Ravi Graded Buffalos (yielding 14 kg or more milk), Sahiwal and other native breeds of cows (yielding 12 kg or more milk), HF and HF cross cows (yielding 30 kg or more milk), Jersey and Jersey cross cows (yielding 16 kg or more milk), and all breeds of goats (yielding 2.5 kg or more milk).