A good Cow breed regularly giving one calf every 13-14 month interval

Jercy cow expected calf in SEVAI Cow farm

“A good Cow breed regularly giving one calf every 13-14 month interval” said by Sekar a leading cow farmer said to SEVAI team in Pudan chandai.SEVAI-OFI Cow project has procured four cows as initial step after completing the preparatory works of the cow shelter and the associated arrangements. Devendran, Hugues with the support of cow project volunteers and the workers of SEVAI team toiled hard for the past 10 days for the establishment of the Cow farm. The entire cow project will be in full form by the 1^st January in the infrastructure development pertaining to cow farming in Sirugamani.The working team of cow project of SEVAI-OFI had resolved and undertake the cow rearing steps, “Proper selection is the first and the most important step to be adopted in dairying. Records are the basis of selection and hence proper identification of animals and record keeping is essential. Cross-breed animals with exotic inheritance of about 50 percent are preferable. This preference is based on comparison of the performance of the animals with different percentage of exotic inheritance. Fifty percent of the native germplasm is helpful to retain the adaptability, heat tolerance and disease resistance traits of local animals, in cross breeds. Maintaining animals sustainable to the situation is the best policy and Bringing animals from different agro-climatic conditions should not cause problem that is why the purchase becomes absolutely essential it is from similar environmental conditions.SEVAI-OFI has taken a decision to purchase the cows based upon its breed characters and milk producing ability, The maximum yields by dairy cows are noticed during the first five lactations. There successive complete milking has to be done and an average of it will give a fair idea regarding production by a particular animal, a cow should allow anybody to milk, and should be docile, It is better to purchase the animals during the months of November and December and Maximum yield is noticed till 90 days after calving. Breed characteristics of high yielding dairy cows have Attractive individuality with feminity, vigour, harmonious blending of all parts, impressive style and carriage, Animal should have wedge shaped appearance of the body, It should have bright eyes with lean neck, The udder should be well attached to the abdomen, The skin of the udder should have a good network of blood vessels, All four quarters of the udder should be well demarcated with well placed teats”.Sekar a leading cow farmer of Pudan chandai suggested, “ Under Indian condition a commercial dairy farm should consist of minimum 20 animals. Middle class health-conscious Indian families prefer low fat milk for consumption as liquid milk. It is always better to go for a commercial farm. Conduct a thorough study of the immediate market where we are planning to market our milk. If proper care is given, cows breed regularly giving one calf every 13-14 month interval. They are more docile and can be handled easily. Good milk yielding cross breeds has well adapted to Indian climate. The fat percentage of cow's milk varies from 3-5.5% and is lower than Buffaloes”.-Govin

Dairy farming is a profitable business

Selection of cows by Hugues for SEVAI-OFI cow farm

“Dairy farming is a profitable business” said by Kalamegam who visited SEVAI Cow farm project preparatory works. The leading cow farmer Kalamegam spoke to SEVAI-OFI team and said, “Dairy farming is a profitable business but, before starting a dairy farm the farmers are advised to undergo   training on dairy farming. They can contact SEVAI, a Trichy based NGO, Local Animal Husbandry Department staffs/Veterinary College/Agriculture University etc. for the purpose. They should also visit progressive dairy farmers and agricultural university dairy farm in the locality. They must check the following points before starting a dairy farm such as Availability of good quality dairy breed cows  in nearby areas. Nearness of the Farm to Veterinary Hospital, Artificial Insemination Center/livestock Aid Centers, Marketing facility of milk and milk product, Availability of concentrates ,fodder & medicine in that locality. This project success is based on following practice such as freshly calved crossbred/indigenous descriptive cows in 1st or 2nd lactation to be purchased in two batches each at an interval of 5 to 6 months, Availability of cultivable land is prerequisite for the cow project, Fodder cultivation considered two crops per year, Cow dung produced will be utilized as Manure for fodder cultivation, Cost of rearing calves not considered as it will be nullified by their sale value, In case of death of animal new animal will be purchased from insurance claim money” Hugues and SEVAI animal purchase team visited various farms in the vicinity and selected four cows to begin with those are expecting calves in one to four weeks.Govin

Tilling performs all of the soil building activities

Tilling process in Marutham field of SEVAI

“Tilling performs all of the soil building activities” says Chinnadurai, the young farmers group of SEVAI-Marutham in Trichy district. Chinnadurai further added, “SEVAI prepares the soil for Co4 grass growing as fodder for OFI-SEVAI Cow Project by incorporating compost into the soil through tilling for cultivation. The tilling  activities improve the soil by allowing air freer passage, permitting better water drainage, making the soil more friable, reducing the number of insects, and controlling the weed population. Humus can also be introduced into the soil while tilling, to improve the soil’s fertility.Chinnadurai and his team in Marutham field started cultivating fodder for Cow Project promoted by SEVAI-OFI in Sirugamani.In the tillage, the surface of the soil is left rough to resist wind and water erosion. By working the surface, the finer soil produced on the surface will hold moisture in and to turn the soil over, a spading fork is usually better than a round-pointed shovel, though both are adequate. With the soil surface loosened by the hoe, go to work with the steel rake, smoothing and leveling the ground for planting. For row Co4 grass, the planting furrows in the raked ground with the corner of the hoe blade are maintained. Rotary tilling makes the soil more friable, helps hold moisture longer, keeps down the weeds and also eliminates the hand mixing of organic materials. This tiller can help and do better in a lot less time with a lot less effort and Gets humus into the soil by sheet composting, cover-cropping or green manuring; Prepares the soil for perennials before planting; Dig trenches for garbage in next year’s rows; Keeps weeds under control. In other words, tilling performs all of the soil building activities of hand cultivation with greater facility. The tilling gives Benefits of Proper Soil Preparation such as Reduced Use of Water, Fertilizer, Chemicals, Faster recovery from wear, Reduced Maintenance, Increased Density. Improved Uniformity and tilling allows for optimum root growth. By tilling the soil, air and nutrients are stirred up and made readily for rapid new root growth”. -Govin

Sirugamani Cow project plants CO-4 grass as fodder to increase milk yield

Hugues introduces Co4

“SEVAI-OFI Sirugamani Cow project plants CO-4 grass as fodder to increase milk yield” said K.Devendran of SEVAI and Hugues, a French volunteer introduced CO4 grass for farmers for cultivation for feeding animals in SEVAI-OFI Cow farm at Sirugamani. Cow rearing is profitable if high cost of production is reduced, labour excess and availability of land.  “Dry straw (hay) used to feed cattle has become scarce due to decline in area under rice cultivation. It becomes a dire necessity for dairy farmers to start growing green fodder (grass) if they desire to run their unit profitably,” says K.Devendran, the farming coordinator of SEVAI, a Trichy based NGO. And he adds that the distribution of milch animals by the Government is of use to farmers but along with the animals cow farmers must be also made aware of the importance of growing their own fodder for the animals. Buying several commercial feeds available in the markets today is not profitable for a small farmer and is sure to burn a hole in their pocket, according to him. SEVAI encourages fodder production for its Self Help Group members and introduced different fodder grasses like CO3 and CO4. “We plant cuttings of CO4 grass from KVK farm and plant them in Marutham farming so that the cow farm in Sirugamani will get nutritious feed. This grass is nutritious and relished by cattle and has enhanced milk yield from 1 to 2 litres per day. The waste biomass and leaves can be used to generate methane gas, similar to gobargas. It is proposed to impart training to Dairy farmers of SHGs of SEVAI on scientific fodder management practices as an integral part of Cow project of SEVAI-OFI. This grass can be grown in most soil types, except in heavy clay, highly alkaline and water logged areas. K.Devendran is confident that CO-4 grass used as fodder increases milk yield considerably and said, “ SEVAI plans to offer co4 grass seed strips to SHG Cow farmers that co4 is a perennial grass which can be retained on field for 2-3 years. It has larger leaves, softer and less persistent hairs of leaf blades and sheaths and less sharp leaf edges”.-Govin

SEVAI -Cement block walls constructed are Energy efficient

Shelters constructed by SEVAI in Trichy with Cement Blocks

“SEVAI -Cement block walls constructed are Energy efficient” said B.Suda, the project coordinator of SEVAI.She further added, “In Trichy Slums, SEVAI, a Trichy based NGO had constructed shelter for fire affected victims in the recent past. In current construction scenario, concrete blocks are well-accepted masonry unit to build foundations, walls, door frames and windows, etc. A typical concrete block is equivalent to 4 bricks, thus construction is faster than with other masonry units. The mortar used is also less which results in cost saving. Concrete blocks have been extensively used in combination with conventional roofing systems like Mangalore tile roof, GI sheets, ACC sheets etc. They are also compatible with other materials like fired bricks, dressed stone and compressed earth blocks for composite wall construction. Acceptability of concrete blocks is very high in Trichy areas in simple shelters. It is a popular walling material for major qualities like low maintenance and investment for institutional and industrial buildings. The durability of a cement-based product is making concrete blocks a preferred choice in rural areas as well. Specifications and the characterizations of concrete blocks depend upon design mix and the machine used to manufacture the block. It is possible to produce construction blocks with the single machine by just changing the mould. The basic raw material is cement, fine aggregate and coarse aggregate. The mechanized compaction and vibration, gives the block high quality, inspite of the lean mix, which uses very little cement. Weight of an average concrete block is about 18kgs and these blocks are being produced in SEVAI Rural Technology centre in Trichirappalli District. The machine used in SEVAI with EcoN technology is high quality tabletop vibrator provides optimum vibration in the mix so that the ratio of cement used can be reduced substantially without compromising on the strength of the blocks. The design mix corresponding to required compressive strength is prepared using the mixer and then it is filled in the moulds, which are placed on the vibrator. The machine also compacts and consolidates the mix so that the blocks are uniform in size and attain desired physical properties. The blocks are cured for a minimum period of 14 days, before they are ready to use. On an average 600-800 blocks can be in 8 hours with 1 supervisor, 1 skilled and 6-8 unskilled workers. The advantages of this blocks are that these are Cost effective compared to other traditional walling systems, High quality – high strength, uniform size and shape, Energy efficient - Does not require any non-renewable resources for production, Environmental friendly - Utilizes wastes and local resources, Structural performance can be engineered as per application and Semi mechanized process produces high quality material and provide adequate working opportunities”.Govin