LAHORE: Punjab Livestock & Dairy Development Department (L&DDD) is soon launching the third phase of 'save the buffalo calves & feedlot fattening' programme for the year 2021-22 aimed at enhancing beef production through saving the infant calves and motivating livestock farmers for feedlot fattening.
Departmental sources told Business Recorder here on Tuesday that during the ongoing fiscal a subsidy of Rs450 million will be extended to livestock farmers for rearing 40,000 calves under feedlot fattening and saving another 40,000 infant calves from slaughtering.
Farmers under salve the buffalo calves project will be given a subsidy of Rs6,500 each for rearing the male calf below one month age for a period of four months, after which these calves need no more milk and start grazing. While under feedlot fattening, farmers have to rear buffalo calves aged 1 to 1.5 years old for a six months period thus earning Rs 4,000 each in subsidy.
When asked why livestock farmers save a calf and rear it on buffalo milk when they can earn more during those four months, sources said that a saved calf not only earn Rs6,500 per calf but also make that calf available for fattening or selling on higher rates at the age of one year.
Punjab's livestock resources hold considerable potential for increasing the production of meat. It has been estimated that about 6-7 million buffalo/cattle male calves are available for fattening in the Punjab province. But majority of these calves are sent to slaughter at 1-3 weeks of age. Some calves are raised to 60-80 kg on extremely poor and unbalanced diets.
If these calves are saved and raised on balanced fattening diets based on crop residues and agro-industrial by-products to gain live-weight of 250-300 kg, it is estimated that total beef production could be doubled.
Sources said that farmers would be registered under these two programmes soon as advertisement will soon be released in the media to get applications. They said that any farmer who has the ability can apply for both the schemes.
Though livestock production is very fragmented and most farm units are small and only 10 percent of the farms in the Punjab hold from 10 to 20 buffalo /cows and 5 percent over 20 heads each. Such units are often run by capable and business oriented farmers who seem to be open to change and eager to adopt improved production practices if these prove profitable. Thus if sufficient subsidy and workable production programmes are given, their response is quick and positive.
Besides saving the infant calves and motivating livestock farmers for feedlot fattening, the project is also aimed at improving capacity of technical staff & farmers regarding the management of beef farming system, the sources concluded.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021