Why do we Need to Protect our Indigenous Indian Cows
Our country is known for its vast agricultural lands and rich cultural heritage, and undeniably, our indigenous cows. From ploughing, to farming, to providing manure for agriculture, to carrying loads, Indigenous cattle have helped us in countless ways since time immemorial. Standing tall and beautiful, indigenous, or Indian cows can often be found in shades of brown and white, with a magnificent hump on their backs. These features make them easily distinguishable as opposed to a foreign-bred Jersey cow by their mere appearance.
Negligence in Cow Care
Not only have cows have been helpful in agriculture and transportation, but they also provide healthy milk from which we make several other products such as ghee, dahi, and panner that is consumed in every household. It is not surprising that Indian cows are given the title of mother “gau mata” and are also considered sacred.
However, generation after generation, people became increasingly ignorant towards the value of indigenous Indian cows as time passed by. There was a rise in apathy due to misinformation. Consequently, there was a rise in the neglect of cow care.
Globalization and Desi cows
With the advent of globalization and commercialization, people were led to
believe that foreign-bred cows provided better quality and nutritious milk as
opposed to Indian cows. As a result, there was a steep decline in people buying
and consuming milk that came out of desi cow farms.
This, unfortunately, led to the extinction of over 120 breeds of Indigenous cattle with only 30 breeds remaining. This makes it all the more important for us to protect our Indigenous Indian cows, or as we typically refer to them as ‘Desi cows.’
Desi Cows and A2 Milk
One of the most significant factors for protecting our indigenous cows is the
quality of milk they produce. Nutritionists and health experts suggest that
native Indian cows like Hallikar and Gir cows provide better quality milk when
compared with mix-breed cows from foreign countries. This is because native cow
milk has the A2 protein which helps in preventing coronary diseases and
eliminates the problem of lactose intolerance.
Most households consume milk produced by foreign-bred cows. This milk contains both A1 and A2 proteins. A1 protein is found in abundance in foreign-bred cows, which is the primary cause of lactose intolerance and indigestion in many. However, the same mixture does not exist in the A2 milk of Indian cows, which makes it ideal for anybody. Hence it is recommended to switch to A2 milk produced at genuine desi cow farms.
Cows and Ecosystem
Even the dung of these cows helps in maintaining ecological balance. “Slurry” or the digested organic matter can be used as a natural fertilizer for crops. This reduces the need for chemical fertilizers and maintains soil quality by retaining its fertility and productivity, thereby promoting healthy agricultural and terrestrial ecosystems. Moreover, biogas technology provides favorable conditions for bacterial action to produce methane gas.
So, let us all come together and pledge to protect our existing indigenous Indian cow breeds and reap its benefits in a healthy manner.