NE BUSINESS BUREAU
NEW DELHI, APRIL 23
Apex dairy body National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) on Thursday said it has started providing ”reformulation support” to cattle feed plants amid non-availability of key raw materials for the same in the wake of COVID-19 lockdown.
Compound cattle feed is a crucial input for milk production and the lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic has pushed the cattle feed production into a crisis, it observed.
According to NDDB Chairman Dilip Rath, “Many cattle feed plants are facing problems of irregular supply of feed raw materials and packing ingredients. Reduced inter-state movement of trucks, as well as labour shortages, have also been reported.”
However, some relief can be expected with the easing of restrictions on key industries from April 20 onwards, he said.
“Against the backdrop of non-availability of key raw resources for cattle feed production, NDDB has started providing reformulation support to cattle feed plants to meet the cattle feed demand,” Rath said in a statement.
Rath further said that NDDB’s animal nutrition experts have provided support for ”reformulating cattle feed” for many cattle feed product lines using Least Cost Formulation (LCF) software after considering prices and local availability of regular raw materials as well as incorporating novel raw ingredients (such as corn gluten feed) whenever necessary.
The NDDB will be happy to extend this formulation support to all cattle feed plants across the country to smoothen the production process, he said.
Regular use of feed in prescribed quantities increases reproductive efficiency of dairy animals, keeps animals healthy, improves growth rate in young calves, increases milk production and reduces production costs, which will ultimately help dairy farmers to deal with the post COVID challenges, he added.
