Stray cattle menace: Reasons and Solutions

Pashu Sandesh, 15th January 2020

Today stray cattle menace is a big problem in most of the Indian states, particularly in northern and central India. Every year thousands of lives are lost in road accidents caused because of stray animals. In urban areas and highways, free-roaming stray cattle nap on city streets and highways, blocks traffic, causes jams and accidents. On the other hand, the problem in rural areas is more grave. The stray cattle are doing big harm to the crop of farmers. Many farmers have left cultivating their land in particular seasons. This is adversely affecting the rural economy.

What are these stray cattle?

80% of stray cattle are abandoned non-milking cows of indigenous and non-descriptive breeds and male calves of all breeds. Due to scarcity of fodder and poor economic condition small farmers cannot afford to feed unproductive cows and calves, so they abandon these animals.

Why this problem intensified

In the past few years, most of the state governments in the north and central India imposed tough regulations on cow slaughter and cattle transportation. Previously, unproductive cattle ultimately reaches the illegal slaughterhouses through known and unknown channels. Since the implementation of strict laws, cow vigilantes are keeping a strict watch on illegal trafficking of cows. This many times results in mob lynching and poses a situation of law and order. So illegal trafficking of non-productive cattle is almost stopped and these animals are abandoned.

Another reason is the mechanization of agriculture. Due to mechanization of agriculture use of bullocks is marginalized in farm practices. Its value as a drought animal is lost. Further, the technology of artificial insemination ended its breeding value also. Is there no utility and economic value of male calves are left? today no farmer wants to rear a male calf. To save the feeding and maintenance cost farmers generally abandon these male animals.

Solution

At this stage, the only solution is that the government should adopt and own these stray cattle. State governments should open cow shelters (Gaushalas) and encourage & support shelters run by social organizations. In the long term, the government can control this problem through the following measures.

1. Sexed semen – It’s evident that the days of bulls are gone. No one wants to rare male calf. Sexed semen is the only solution to this problem. But the problem with sexed semen is its cost and availability. The government should work in the direction to ensure availability of sexed semen at an affordable price at farmer’s doorstep.
2. Breeding policy - Government must accept that today there is no utility of drought breeds. Breeding with semen and bulls of draught breeds should be discouraged and breeding of milch breeds should be encouraged. For scientific reasons, draught breeds may be conserved at specific breed conservation farms.
3. Nutrition – Malnutrition is the biggest reason for infertility and infertility is the biggest reason why people abandon cows. The government should focus on fodder production and subsidizing cattle feed to combat the problem of infertility.
4. Dry dairies – Government should promote the concept of dry dairies where farmers can park their animals during the lean period.