Multiple Benefits Of Indigenous Cattle

Namaskaram!

Today, I introduce Dr Sosamma Iype to you. She is not only an eminent scientist but also a person who fought battles and underwent numerous trials and tribulations for the sake of defending certain stands. She played a big role in bringing back our indigenous breeds from extinction. These indigenous breeds, in turn, contribute hugely to the success of our afforestation programmes. It was Dr Sosamma’s Iype’s research project that made the conservation of indigenous breeds possible.

Teacher, how exactly did you arrive at the idea of protecting our native cows?

I belong to Kuttanad. The introduction of artificial insemination and the bringing of Jersey and Sindhi breeds into Kuttanad and places where we originally had the Vechur cow was done in order to increase milk production. The Jersey breed was first brought to Kurishumala ashram, and from that centre the government made arrangements for the collection of semen. It was Dr M. P. G. Kurup who brought the bulls there. Later Dr Abraham Varkey, my husband, took over. So, I have seen this project from 1962-’63 onwards. As only exotic semen was in demand, the native breeds began to vanish. However, I wanted to ensure they did not disappear altogether. We needed to have them at least to show the veterinary students. I happened to get a few students who thought out of the box, and they helped me search for and collect a few indigenous cows. It was difficult but we eventually managed to start our project with eight cows. However, it was our conviction that no purpose is served if 50 of those specimens remain in the possession of the university. The cows had to eventually reach the farmers.

Usually, projects like these remain confined within the university but this one was brought to the public sphere. However, there were people who criticized that at a time when the White Revolution was taking Kerala forward, a professor was pulling back the state to the bullock-cart era.

When people from Europe migrated to Australia, they took their big cows with them. But Australia did not have the beetles that could decompose the dung of these cows. Thus, at a time when people were trying to take beetles from Africa and Asia to Australia to solve that problem, we were growing fascinated with foreign cattle breeds.

Imagine that one day, our honey bees and mosquitoes disappear. As they bite and bother us, we may not be affected by it. But there are many other insects that feed on mosquitoes. They will be adversely affected because every organism is part of a chain. All types of creatures have to live. When we started realizing the fallout of this phenomenon, we wanted our children to learn about it. The new generation is more interested in the environment now.

There are a lot of discussions going on about Vechur milk. Old timers and Ayurvedic physicians recommended Vechur milk for senior citizens and convalescents. In fact, Vechur milk can be given to anyone because it is, unlike other types of milk, easily digestible. Tirupathi Venkatachalam did research on the fat globules in Vechur milk, and found that it is far smaller than those found in buffalo milk, and slightly bigger than those in goat milk. Vechur dung is also different in that it has many useful bacteria and microbes. There are published articles on these facts.

Subhash Palekar recommends exclusive use of the dung of indigenous cows as manure for farming. It was zero-budget farming that gave a boost to our native cattle breeds.

I have conducted experiments myself and found that plants grow faster.

If Jeevamritam is sprinkled, rose flowers become brighter in colour.

Miyawaki recommends mulching because it helps reduce the quantum of water used in irrigation. Besides, microbes will multiply exponentially.

The curry leaf tree here is a good indicator of the health of the soil in this plot.

There are plenty of earthworms in the soil. A lot of papaya plants sprout here on their own. All the seeds that fall on the soil are sprouting.

Isn’t locally available feed better for native cows?

Certainly. The quality of food definitely affects the produce. The quantity of milk that a native cow yields is very less but how much does an average family require for its daily needs? The native cow will definitely satisfy that requirement. Moreover, its milk and the curd and buttermilk we make from it is superior. The indigenous cattle must be given local feed. Banana plants, as long as they are not raised on chemical fertilizers, can be cut to pieces and given to the native cows. Its milk is the A2 variety. In fact, the milk of the Vechur cow and all the Indian breeds is A2. Even donkey and horse milk and breast milk is A2. It is said that A2 milk came first, and A1 milk came later through mutation. In Australia and the US, A2 milk is the more popular variety. There is a concept of grass- fed milk and a lot of research is undertaken in this field.

A long time back, I visited Kurien sir at his house in Pallom. He gives his cows only grass that grows in his plot, and plain water to drink. He actually throws away gruel because rice is grown using chemical fertilizers. So his idea is that cows require only grass and water. Once a professor from Virginia paid me a visit. He was an acquaintance of mine. What we have been preaching here are being scientifically proven to be true.

Indeed! The first cows did not get gruel to drink. Cows have been drinking gruel only for 2,000 years now.

Maybe it is because we think of meat that we desire to see fat cows.

A cow with normal production and reproduction can never be fat.

Teacher, you have taken measures for the conservation of the Cheruvally cattle breed as well, isn’t it, besides the Vechur?

Yes, Kerala has long had several native breeds of cattle. We have identified many of them like the Kuttampuzha dwarf, the Vilwadri cattle, the Periyar cattle and so on. Now there is an awareness about the need to conserve all of them. Considering the importance of breeding, people have come to know that a breed can be maintained only with proper and systematic breeding programme. If we have a native cow, we cannot cross it with an exotic bull. So the right type of bull has to be chosen, and insemination done.

Now our country has acknowledged your efforts by conferring Padma Shri on you this year. But while you were engaged in this work, you had to suffer challenges for 15 years. What do you feel about that experience, on looking back?

When I began it, as a scientist, I had merely taken up an assignment. I never imagined the huge challenges that would come in its wake. I did it out of my interest in it, and was determined to overcome the challenges. Of course, luck also helped because otherwise, I would not have gained victory. In my reckoning, it was the mercy of God. I am a believer and I pray for it just as I pray for my children. Isn’t it said that if we sincerely wish for something, the entire universe will conspire to make it happen? That happened in my case. If I had been defeated, it would not have meant the failure of Sosamma the individual. Rather, it would have been the failure of a system and a university, and a failure for the farmers. Now, the financial aspect has also changed. A Vechur cow costs Rs 50,000. Now there are 8,000 head of Vechur cattle in the possession of farmers.

Teacher told us a lot of things in a very casual manner. But there is more to say, if we set aside scientific subjects like cattle breeds and so on. Look at the change that has come over Kerala. We now have 8,000 to 10,000 head of cattle, that together yield up to 20,000 litres of milk. That is the first change. The second is that if one cow drops 10 kilos of dung, imagine the change that will happen to our soil when it collects the dung of 8,000 head of cattle over a period of 8-10 years. Think of the increased fertility, the microbes, the micro-organisms and so on. The coming generations ought to study these seriously. This is the change that was brought about by the sheer will power of one individual even when she had to undergo grave challenges. It was the result of the struggle conducted by a group of like-minded people, her students, her husband Dr Abraham Varkey and others. One sincerely wishes we had more scientists like her in our midst.