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The cattle industry is a cornerstone of the world food system and makes contributions to agricultural growth, food security, and poverty eradication.
The FAO estimates that livestock sustains about 1.3 billion people's livelihoods and their ability to eat and be well nourished. Livestock provides 40% of the value of the world's agricultural production.
Nevertheless, a lot can be done to make the practices in the livestock industry more egalitarian, sustainable, and low-risk to both animal and human health.
Without cows, bulls, goats, buffaloes, and other domesticated animals, Indian agriculture is unimaginable.
Numerous domesticated animals were helpful to farmers.
Male buffaloes, bulls, and even camels were employed.
Cows, goats, and buffaloes were employed for their milk and dung, which gave an extra source of money for the farmers, to till and plow the field.
The importance of these domesticated animals was significantly diminished due to the mechanization of agriculture and the extensive use of fertilizers during the Green Revolution, which led to a drop in the number of cattle in India.
Sustainable food systems heavily rely on livestock; for instance, manure is an essential source of organic fertilizer, and livestock utilized as draught animals may increase productivity in areas with low levels of mechanization. For communities that are at risk, livestock is a valuable resource.
Local livestock farming practices can support carbon sequestration in biomass and soils as well as biodiversity preservation.
Livestock is frequently the only sustainable means to transform natural resources into food, fiber, and labor power for nearby populations in tough locations like mountains and drylands.
Many farmers and organizations involved in sustainable agriculture are rethinking the importance of these animals, especially the crucial role played by cows in agriculture, as the negative effects of chemical fertilizers and pesticides have come to light with the growing demand for chemical-free food.
Therefore, it is now crucial to comprehend the numerous justifications for why cows and other domesticated animals are still regarded as the backbone of Indian agriculture and close companions of farmers.
Cows are considered sacred in Indian culture and are venerated for their usefulness.
They play a vital role in subsistence agriculture.
In addition to providing food, cows also contribute to agriculture through their manure, urine, and animal power.
For many Indian farmers, besides the income generated from their small farms, livestock provides an additional source of income.
Farmers who possess cows, buffaloes, and goats sell their milk and milk products to sustain their families.
Many people have also dabbled in the selling of dried cow dung cakes and animal dung manure, both of which are abundant sources of organic fertilizers and fuel, respectively.
Cattle are another sort of capital reserve that may be accumulated during prosperous times and utilized when harvests are unsuccessful, or the family is faced with significant costs like the cost of a wedding or medical emergency.
In many Indian communities, using cow manure, in particular, to produce biogas, is becoming more popular. Indian rural families have been urged to switch to less expensive energy sources that can be used for both power and cooking due to the non-renewability of fossil fuels and the emission of greenhouse gases by the burning of fossil fuels and wood.
The following subsections delve deeper into the benefits of cow dung and cow urine as bio-fertilizers:
1. Cow Dung and Other Animal Dung as Fertilizer:
Cow dung and other animal waste cannot be used as manure directly since it contains little nitrogen and can also burn plants due to their high ammonia concentration.
Cow dung and other animal waste are therefore first composted before being used as fertilizer on farms.
Animal feces is composted to remove ammonia gas, pathogens like E. coli, and weed seeds as well as to contribute a significant quantity of organic matter to the soil.
By integrating this compost into the soil, the earth's ability to retain water is improved. As a result, plants require less frequent watering since their roots can access extra water and nutrients as needed. Additionally, it aids in breaking up compacted soil, which improves aeration.
Compost dung manure also contains beneficial bacteria that can convert nutrients into easily accessible forms, which can be slowly released into tender plant roots.
2. Importance of Cow Urine as Bio-Fertilizer:
Cow urine has been used as a fertilizer and medicinal in India from the Vedic and pre-Vedic eras. Cow urine has received a lot of attention as a medication because of its tremendous medicinal efficacy.
Cow urine has been revealed to include salt, nitrogen, sulfur, and vitamins A, B, C, D, and E in laboratory studies. Numerous other minerals, including manganese, iron, silicon, chloride, magnesium, calcium salts, phosphate, lactose, and carbolic acid, are also abundant in cow urine.
Cow urine can be used as a bio-pesticide in organic farming along with cow dung, cow milk, and other herbal ingredients.
Farmers who have used cow urine have found that the residual effect is pronounced even in the next cropping. Cow urine can help improve soil texture and create a good environment for the growth of earthworms in the soil.
Cow urine could also be used as a growth promoter for various crops.
The five cow products that makeup Panch kavya—milk, curd, ghee, urine, and dung—are also utilized as insecticides and fertilizers in farming activities. Studies have also demonstrated that when combined with other plant preparations, including excellent organic manure, cow urine is a highly efficient pest controller and larvicide.
According to studies, using cow urine as a pesticide when coupled with neem extracts has two benefits for farmers. Neem protects against pests, but cow urine is a significant supply of urea, a crucial component for boosting soil fertility. The second benefit is gained by him in the form of cheaper input costs.
Source: FAO Article.
Importance of Cows and Other Animals in Agriculture
By K H Akhil Srinivas.
(KHAS)
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