State to start awareness on scientific diet among dairy farmers, says Chinchurani 

Launches highly-nutritious Mahima cattle feed 

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, 22 June 2024: Kerala state government will soon start an awareness campaign on scientific diet for cows among dairy farmers to ensure the cattle are fed properly and kept in fine fettle, said Animal Husbandry and Dairy Development Minister Mrs J Chinchurani.

“A 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,” the Minister said.

Mrs Chinchurani was speaking while launching the highly-nutritious ‘Mahima’ feed of Kerala Feeds Limited (KFL) for livestock, mainly cow, besides buffalo, goat and poultry recently. 

Commenting that awareness on the scientific diet will spread across Kerala, Smt Chinchurani said ‘Mahima’ feed can be given to calves as young as six months.

The minister also said the government would provide succour to dairy farmers who lost more than 450 cows this year due to the sweltering summer and for those who lost 800 cows due to lumpy skin disease, besides offering interest-free loans for buying cows.

Calves require high-quality feed to grow into cows that yield milk of quality and quantity. To maintain cows that have stopped lactating, farmers need to get low-cost feed to rein in expenditures and earn a decent income.

KFL Managing Director Dr B Sreekumar said two to three kg of ‘Mahima’ can be fed daily for calves, depending upon their size and weight. Buffalo calves, too, can be given KF ‘Mahima’ for better body weight.

The 20-kg Kerala Feeds Mahima will cost INR 540. Feeding ‘Mahima’, which is high in nutritives, ensures the calf grows into an adult and promptly shows signs of fertility. However, this feed isn’t meant to increase milk production.

Already, KFL has slashed the price of its cattle-feed bag by INR 50, considering the higher expenses the dairy farmers face in raising cows during the rainy season. The 45-kg bag of best-quality Dairy Rich Plus is being offered at a rebate of INR 50, while the 50-kg bags of Midukki and Elite are being sold at a discount of INR 40 and INR 25, respectively, during this monsoon. The price cut will continue till KFL makes an official announcement.

 KFL Marketing Manager Jayachandran B; Deputy Managers P P Francis and Shine S Babu were also present.

The 1995-founded KFL, headquartered in Kallettumkara near Irinjalakuda in the Thrissur district, manufactures products for various breeds of cows with the aim of keeping them in good health and improving their productivity and milk quality.