The Gir breed of cattle is amongst the most well known breeds attributed to India. It is known to have been bred for its milk production. Although there are some suggestions that it was bred out of kankrej, Sindhi and Dangi breeds, it’s exact genetic lineage is still an open mystery. Gir, having originated from the agricultural plains would have been part of the agrarian economy. Dairy not being an…
Cows
Heart and soul dedicated to Kasargod Dwarf cow
My passion in understanding native Indian cows such as the famed but increasingly rare breed of Kasargod cows led me to Perla, a village in the interiors of Kasargod district, where I had the good privilege of meeting Mr. Nekkaarakaleya Subrahmanyaprasad. Mr. Prasad has been working for the preservation and upliftment of the Kasargod breed for a long time in association with the Gau Bank of Hosanagara Ramachandrapura mutt. The mutt…
How to build a Cow Shed with Natural Materials
How to build a Cow Shed with Natural Materials Building a small structure is not a difficult task if you are from rural area or if you have some trees, mud and some natural materials around. It is ideal that cows don’t sleep on cement flooring. Chances are very high they will develop issues with their legs. Most of the cows nowadays sleep on rubber mats. Identify the soil and…
How to make Perfect Curd the Traditional Way
I have found that most women in Kerala are clueless about the correct method. They add 30 to 60 ml of curd or more to the milk with the assumption that this will speed up the process. It only leads to spoiling the taste of curd. Always remember less than one table spoon of previous days’ curd or butter milk is all that is needed to curdle milk. Process Guarantees…
What went wrong with Cattle Breeding in Kerala?
What has Kerala achieved after 50 plus years of cross breeding and after completely eliminating the local breeds. Hmm, let’s see… Sick and unhealthy cows with an average milk production of 9 liters (8.9 to be precise). Milk looks like water for which dairy farmers are regularly checked with a lacto meter and punished. Milk dependency on other states. More than 95 per cent of the cattle found in Kerala…
What happens to milk when pasteurized and homogenized?
Milk mixed with turmeric is an ancient elixir recommended for its many benefits including; relieving pain, boosting immune system, detoxifying, and reducing inflammation. Milk is the single super food known to increase ojas according to Ayurveda. Ojas is that essence extracted by our digestive system from all that we consume. Ojas is responsible for blissful eyes, glowing skin, healthy and active body; all the cells in the body are charged…