Dairy expo to get bigger,Holstein’s to be auctioned

The annual expo has catapulted this bustling Punjab town onto the world diary map. The event is organised by the Progressive Dairy Farmers Association (PDFA),Punjab. Such is its growing popularity that the show is now sponsored by Punjab Farmers Commission,Punjab Dairy Development Board,Guru Angad Dev Veterinary Animal Science University,Punjab Animal Husbandry Department,the Dairy Development Department and various private organisations.

President PDFA Daljit Singh told The Indian Express that the auction of high-pedigree animals is an essential feature of any international dairy expo. “We tried this on a small scale last year. This time,we are going big with it. The dairy industry across the country will see Jagraon as the best market for the high-breed cattle. Our farmers have worked very hard on breed improvement,and the auction will give them high results for their efforts,” he said.

Among the high-profile breeders in the state is Rajpal Singh,the owner of a dairy farm near Jagraon. Singh,who owns 150 cows,is now rearing the fourth generation of the high-pedigree Punjab Holstein. This is a cross between the desi cows of Punjab and the Holstein Friesian bulls.

“Earlier the only criteria of a prized animal was high milk production. Now we have multiple criteria like health traits,excellent udder formation,strong legs. All these criteria are closely observed by breeders,down to the cow’s somatic cell count,which is an indicator of its quality of milk,” Rajpal Singh said.

Talking to The Indian Express,Director Dairy Development Department Inderjeet Singh said contests to rank cattle in terms of milk productivity and breeding quality,which were introduced last year,have greatly motivated farmers to breed high-pedigree animals. “The expo is increasingly helping dairy farmers to identify new markets,agents and distributors,and adopt innovations and the latest technology in the industry.”

Anil Kaura,Dairy Consultant with Punjab Farmers Commission,added that driven by the success stories showcased at the expo,more and more people in the state are becoming dairy entrepreneurs.

The show has a special slot for women to encourage them to take to dairy farming.