<p>Panaje Milk Society has started preparing arecanut leaf sheath as fodder for the cow, said Dakshina Kannada Cooperative Milk Producers’ Union Ltd (DKMUL) President Raviraj Hegde. <br /><br />Speaking to presspersons here, he said scarcity and subsequent steep increase in fodder prices coupled with acute labour shortage is resulting in dwindling milk production. <br /><br />Cows relish areca leaf fodder. Milk production also has shown slight increase in areas where areca fodder has been used. Instead of getting 5 litre milk, the farmers have started getting six litre milk with the supply of the areca fodder. The machine in the unit shreds dry areca sheath into small pieces, so that it can be consumed by the cattle easily.<br /><br />DKMUL Executive Director Chandrashekar Nayak said that a proposal on setting up of 20 such units have been sent to the Central government. Each unit will cost Rs 5 lakh. If the proposal is approved, then the fodder problem can be reduced to some extent in the district, he added. <br /><br />Hegde said that the DKMUL officials had visited Hassan and Shimoga to get details on the availability of fodder among the farmers and given it to the Milk societies, so that the farmers can purchase fodder directly from Hassan and Shimoga. <br /><br />Azolla cultivation<br /><br />Hegde said that the DKMUL has been giving emphasis for growing azolla which can be fed to the cattle. The Central government has already released subsidy for setting up 600 azolla units in Dakshina Kannada. Azolla is grown in cement tank. Each unit will cost Rs 5,000.<br /><br />The DKMUL will give subsidy of 2,500 per unit. The rest should be borne by the farmers. Under Fodder Development Scheme, the centre has released Rs 15 lakh to DKMUL to promote azolla.<br /><br />This fodder substitute can be fed to all kinds of farm animals including buffaloes, cows, oxens, sheep and goats. When mixed with animal food, it aids digestion capacity of the animals and also help increase milk production.<br /></p>
<p>Panaje Milk Society has started preparing arecanut leaf sheath as fodder for the cow, said Dakshina Kannada Cooperative Milk Producers’ Union Ltd (DKMUL) President Raviraj Hegde. <br /><br />Speaking to presspersons here, he said scarcity and subsequent steep increase in fodder prices coupled with acute labour shortage is resulting in dwindling milk production. <br /><br />Cows relish areca leaf fodder. Milk production also has shown slight increase in areas where areca fodder has been used. Instead of getting 5 litre milk, the farmers have started getting six litre milk with the supply of the areca fodder. The machine in the unit shreds dry areca sheath into small pieces, so that it can be consumed by the cattle easily.<br /><br />DKMUL Executive Director Chandrashekar Nayak said that a proposal on setting up of 20 such units have been sent to the Central government. Each unit will cost Rs 5 lakh. If the proposal is approved, then the fodder problem can be reduced to some extent in the district, he added. <br /><br />Hegde said that the DKMUL officials had visited Hassan and Shimoga to get details on the availability of fodder among the farmers and given it to the Milk societies, so that the farmers can purchase fodder directly from Hassan and Shimoga. <br /><br />Azolla cultivation<br /><br />Hegde said that the DKMUL has been giving emphasis for growing azolla which can be fed to the cattle. The Central government has already released subsidy for setting up 600 azolla units in Dakshina Kannada. Azolla is grown in cement tank. Each unit will cost Rs 5,000.<br /><br />The DKMUL will give subsidy of 2,500 per unit. The rest should be borne by the farmers. Under Fodder Development Scheme, the centre has released Rs 15 lakh to DKMUL to promote azolla.<br /><br />This fodder substitute can be fed to all kinds of farm animals including buffaloes, cows, oxens, sheep and goats. When mixed with animal food, it aids digestion capacity of the animals and also help increase milk production.<br /></p>
