Cows in India are not just animals, but are revered as one of the icons of the country’s very culture and civilization, and are indeed worshipped as “cow-mother.” In the course of their local evolution through the ages, Indian native cows have developed their own characteristics, which are acclaimed the world over for their wonderful properties. Absorbing energy from the sunrays through a “solar pulse” on their back, the native cows yield milk of the highest quality, with superlative qualities to enhance man’s physical, emotional, mental and spiritual well-being.
Apart from milk, Indian native cows are also valued highly for their urine and dung, which are finding increasing applications in almost every aspect of human life today, and novel products like “cow shampoo,” “cow soap,” “cow incense sticks,” and “cow insect-/pest-repellants” are now becoming increasingly popular in the country, among health-and-environment-conscious consumers.Native Indian cows have ever lived happily and healthily in the country’s physical and human environments and rendered yeoman service to the country’s economy not only by their milk output, but also by their invaluable aid in ploughing, transportation and several other agrarian operations –- all with the least demands on maintenance and investment.
In spite of all their value and virtues, and ironically enough, Indian cow breeds are being criminally ignored inside their own native land, owing to lack of awareness on the one hand and craze for hybrid and foreign breeds on the other. Little realizing the purity and distinctive nature of each individual breed, the local people are indiscriminately intermixing the breeds, and much to the horror of all right-thinking citizens, they are allowing cow slaughter at an alarming rate of 20 cows per minute. While only 236 slaughterhouses existed in India prior to independence, today there are 36,000 such killing fields, leading to the virtual extinction of several irreplaceable breeds. Believe it or not, only 33 native breeds have survived now, as against a diverse range of 70 breeds a few years ago.
Apart from milk, Indian native cows are also valued highly for their urine and dung, which are finding increasing applications in almost every aspect of human life today, and novel products like “cow shampoo,” “cow soap,” “cow incense sticks,” and “cow insect-/pest-repellants” are now becoming increasingly popular in the country, among health-and-environment-conscious consumers.Native Indian cows have ever lived happily and healthily in the country’s physical and human environments and rendered yeoman service to the country’s economy not only by their milk output, but also by their invaluable aid in ploughing, transportation and several other agrarian operations –- all with the least demands on maintenance and investment.
In spite of all their value and virtues, and ironically enough, Indian cow breeds are being criminally ignored inside their own native land, owing to lack of awareness on the one hand and craze for hybrid and foreign breeds on the other. Little realizing the purity and distinctive nature of each individual breed, the local people are indiscriminately intermixing the breeds, and much to the horror of all right-thinking citizens, they are allowing cow slaughter at an alarming rate of 20 cows per minute. While only 236 slaughterhouses existed in India prior to independence, today there are 36,000 such killing fields, leading to the virtual extinction of several irreplaceable breeds. Believe it or not, only 33 native breeds have survived now, as against a diverse range of 70 breeds a few years ago.
Growing Interest Abroad:
The superior value of India’s native cow breeds has attracted worldwide attention and people from all continents have carried these breeds to their native lands and successfully re-bred them there. Brazilians have raised hundreds of thousands of cows from the “Ongole” breed Andhra Pradesh and similarly, New Zealanders have redeveloped the Indian “Vechur” breed and Americans and Australians have raised a whole new generation of cows called “Brahman” from an Indian breed.
For our very survival and growth in the future, it has therefore become essential for all of us to protect and promote the native Indian breed of cattle, in all seriousness.
The superior value of India’s native cow breeds has attracted worldwide attention and people from all continents have carried these breeds to their native lands and successfully re-bred them there. Brazilians have raised hundreds of thousands of cows from the “Ongole” breed Andhra Pradesh and similarly, New Zealanders have redeveloped the Indian “Vechur” breed and Americans and Australians have raised a whole new generation of cows called “Brahman” from an Indian breed.
For our very survival and growth in the future, it has therefore become essential for all of us to protect and promote the native Indian breed of cattle, in all seriousness.