This year marks the 15th anniversary of ISCOWP. We are thankful to you for your continued support.  You have allowed us the privilege to begin and continue ISCOWP's mission of spreading the knowledge of cow protection through personal example and outreach activities.

Some news in this issue: The loafing barn (top photo) is complete. Krsna and Balaram (saved last year from slaughter) are now oxen and have begun their training. ISCOWP is also training Brisham from the local NV temple (bottom photo).

"Not Just Milk! " This class (held at the New Vrndavana temple) will be given by ISCOWP at the Inspiration Festival, Saturday, May 7th, 12:20 - 1:45 pm. It will contain a narrated slideshow about the different aspects of cow protection. Please let us know if you would like to attend.

From: Tina <tinah@netscape.com>

 To: <iscowp@earthlink.net>

 Date: 11/22/2004 1:17:26 PM

 Subject: Jersey Steer

Greetings,

Thank you so much for your wonderful website and commitment. I was wondering whether or not you knew if Jersey steer  typically have the same "mean" temperament that the bulls are said to have?

Thank you, Tina

From: Iscowp Inc

To: <tinah@netscape.com>

Sent: 2/21/2005 11:17:10 AM

Subject: Jersey Steer

Dear Tina,

Thank you for your letter of 11/22/04. I was out of station for 4 months with very little time for internet interaction.

I have heard of mean Jersey bulls. I have also seen jerseys that were super affectionate. I do believe that a lot of the problems will come from the people handling the animals. Yes there will be some "GENE POOL" issues but a lot of the problems will also come from bad or mean handling of the animals. The old timers say about working with steers and oxen is that "You cant talk to them enough." There is nothing like having a loving relationship and exchange of affectionate touching. When I'm with my animals I'm always talking to them and touching them. Everyone likes a good massage and to be spoken to nicely. I have a pair of Jersey bull calves right now who are 8 and 10 months old. They were rescued from a petting zoo and already were used to being handled nicely. I will be having the vet come to do bloodless castration on them and when the swelling goes down I will start training them to voice commands.

Do you have a Jersey steer? What are you doing and where are you located?

I'm back at the farm now so any future correspondence will be much quicker.

From: Tina

To: iscowp@earthlink.net

Sent: 2/21/2005 11:05:04 PM

Subject: Re: Jersey Steer

Thank you for your response.  I do have two wonderful little calves-one is Jersey the other a Jersey cross (perhaps with an Angus).  They are now about 4 months old and quite a pair.  I bought them at the auction--so we've had our share of illness to contend with.  I live in a dairy community and bull calves are not treated well at all.  50-70 calves each week sold to slaughter. I'm certain these two received very little, if any, colostrums and have had their struggles with immunity as a result.  They must've picked up every bug known to the bovine at the auction yard and I have nursed each of them through several different illnesses.  I've also dealt with an anaphylactic reaction to Tetanus Antitoxin. 

My affection for them is deep and I spend as much time with the two of them that I can. Touch is a very natural way for me to communicate (I was a massage therapist for many, many years) and I enjoy it a lot.

Click on Picture to enlarge

Willing and Abel

They are comfortable in a halter and are very quick to pick up on what it is I'm training them to do.  One, (Willing) clearly the more dominate of the two, keeps me on my toes at times but I am very firm and consistent with him and he has responded well.  The other, (Abel) is content to do just what is commanded of him.

Thank you again for your commitment and all of the information and expertise you have shared on your website.  I am located in Santa Rosa, California.

Hi -- Women can do it too?!

Ox Yoking

From: TAYLOR, KATHERINE

To: iscowp@earthlink.net

Sent: 2/8/2005 9:56:46 AM 

Subject: Hi -- Women can do it too?! Ox Yoking

Hi,  I am a yak breeder/trainer located in Strasburg CO.  I am contemplating using yak/Belted Galloway crosses for yoking.  Do you have a good source for buying ox yokes?

Kathy Taylor

From: Iscowp Inc

To: TAYLOR, KATHERINE

Sent: 2/10/2005 7:46:49 PM

Subject: RE: Hi -- Women can do it to?! Ox Yoking

Dear Kathy,

One of the best teamsters I ever say was a young lady who stood maybe

5'2" and maybe 110 lbs.  She never raised her voice but had such a connection with her huge team of Brown Swiss oxen (2000 lb) each that it was unbelievable what they would do for her.  Size doesn't matter, its all about relationship of team and teamster.  The loving relationship and loving exchanges were  evident when watching her with her team.  I encourage women to be teamsters as they tend to be less likely to become angry with their teams.  An article in one of the older issues of Small Farmers Journal written by an older ox man said that once anger comes into working with the oxen, they should be put away for the day.  Anger is like fire and in working with oxen it can spoil them.  Oxen are in the mode of goodness which equates with loving exchanges.  Anger is in the mode of passion and ignorance and has no part in working with oxen.  I firmly believe and agree with you that- - - Women can do it to.  And a lot of times better than men.

You can contact:

Tim and Wendy Huppe, 

phone 603-335-4475,

Berry Brook Ox Supply

www.Berry Brook ox supply.com

BerryBrookoxen@aol.com

I'm not sure of caps or lower case but try different ways if it comes back. They are accomplished teamsters as are their daughters. Let me know how everything works out.

Dying Cow

From: premanava.pas@pamho.net

To: "><iscowp@earthlink.net>

Date: 1/2/2005 5:47:11 AM

 Subject: Suggestion for dying cow

Over the last few years I heard about cows who are leaving their body and who get very bad wounds because of lying for a long time. I heard even a story of worms in the wounds. As far as I could understand these cows were lying all the time at the same side of their body.

 Last year two of our cows left their body and because I wanted to avoid these lying wounds I turned them over twice a day. In this way they don't get so quickly wounds and if they come you can threat them so they don't get infected.

This was successful. One cow was lying for 5 weeks and the wound didn't became so bad. I also gave them injections against infection of the boons to reduce the pain of the atropism and rheumatism.

Another advantage of turning them over is that their  stomach stays in a better condition.

From: Iscowp Inc

To: premarnava.pas@pamho.net

Sent: 2/10/2005 7:46:05 PM

Subject: Cows leaving their bodies   

Dear Premarnava Prabhu,

Yes, if the animal can be turned on a regular basis this is very good. It is hard for one person to do but if there is sufficient help this is good practice to help avoid "bed sores".

Just because they are preparing to leave their bodies, doesn't mean

our care for them decreases. In fact, the care for these animals in their final days actually needs to increase because of their helpless condition.

Thank you for your letter. It is very encouraging. Also when they are turned, the soiled bedding can be removed and replaced with clean bedding. If the animal is an ox then the urine is passed from the middle of the body and causes the bedding under the animal to heat up even more than the animals body heat. The final approach to the departing of the animal needs to be filled with extra love and devotion and also sound vibration. We recently had an ox down for 2 months. He had Srila Prabhupada bhajans (spiritual songs) playing 24/7 for the entire time and at the time of death there was no struggle. A Yogi? A devotee for sure!!!!! Born on the dham in a holy place) and served on the dham By being  one partner of a prime team used to train new teamsters,  his life was not wasted but utilized in service.

Powdered Milk from Protected Cows

From: aham brahman

To: iscowp@earthlink.net

Sent: 12/31/2004 1:23:50 PM

Subject: powdered milk from protected cows

I saw this on another forum, Audarya Fellowship, and liked the idea. Conditional veganism while simultaneously setting up a first class facility for producing powdered milk, Ahimsa Milk, to be sold to temples and others so the Deities (forms of God) could be offered milk from protected cows.

Perhaps you could open a discussion on the issue or produce an article on the pros and cons of powdered Ahimsa Milk.

Lecture Gita-nagari farm July 15. 1976

In India we are in scarcity of milk. So, krsi-go-raksya-vanijyam. [Bg. 18.44]: "Farming, cow protection and trade are the natural work for the vaisyas..."]

If you have got enough milk you can make trade. Vanijyam, that is Krsna's

instruction. It is not that we hate the modern system. No, we do not hate

anything. Nirbandhah krsna-sambandhe. [From Bhakti -rasamrta- sindhu 2.255: "When one is not attached to anything, but at the same time accepts everything in relation to Krsna, one is rightly situated above possessiveness. On the other hand, one who rejects everything without knowledge of its relationship to Krsna is not as complete in his renunciation."] we want to try to engage everything in Krsna's service. If modern machine is there, we don't hate it.

We  must find out the means how this machine can be utilized for Krsna's (God's)  service. So if you have got excess milk, you can make it powdered milk and you can send to India in any amount. It will be consumed. At least we can use it in our different centers, we can distribute. So there is no question.

Herein  is Srila Prabhupada's  key phrase "if you have got excess."  

Yesu Bhaktan

From: Hare Krsna dasi <npetroff@bowdoin.edu>

To: <yesu_bhaktan@sbcglobal.net>;

Date: 1/13/2005 1:40:07 PM

Subject: Re: powdered milk from protected cows

As usual, we must begin with Srila Prabhupada all-important phrase "if

you have excess." So the critical question is: What constitutes "excess milk"?

We can refer to principles number 7, 10 and 11  of my recent article on www.chakra.org "Improving Our

Cow Protection Standards"

7) No cow should be bred for milk production alone, without plans for

the resulting calf. No cow should be bred unless there is a clear and concrete plan for the care of the calf for its entire life, which may be 10-20 years. This means there must be adequate land, adequate funding and adequate trained personnel to care for the resulting calf.

10)  Milk production should not be developed primarily as a profit-making venture. "You say we must have a gosala (Place where cows are protected) trust, that is our real purpose. krsi-goraksya-vanijyam vaisya karma svabhava-jam, [Bg 18.44]. Where  there is agriculture there must be cows. That is our mission: Cow protection and agriculture and if there is excess, trade. This is a no-profit scheme. For the agriculture we want to produce our own food and we want to keep cows for our own milk. The whole idea is that we are  Iskcon (society founded by Srila Prabhupada) a community to be independent from outside help. This farm  project is especially for the devotees to grow their own food. Cotton also, to make their own clothes. And keeping cows for milk and fatty products. Our mission is to protect our devotees from unnecessary heavy work to save time for advancing in Krsna consciousness. This is our mission. So there is no question of profit, but if easily there are surplus products, then we can think of trading. Otherwise we have no such intention. " (Letter to Yasomatinandana -- Vrindavan 28 Nov 1976)

11) In general, all bull calves should be trained to work. As Srila Prabhupada stated to Teijas dasa at ISKCON's Hyderbad farm in the 1970's, "If you do not use the bulls for plowing, one day you will say, let us cut their throats." (ISKCON Farm Newsletter Vol. 2, No. 1, 1983)

So the point here is that the thinking must start *not with* whether technology is available, but *in fact with* whether a robust enough plan is already in place so that excess milk is produced from protected cows, who sons are being trained and used as working oxen. If that first condition of a healthy program of training and working the oxen is not in place -- then consideration of whether to export powdered milk should be immediately set aside.

So, do we indeed have "excess milk" in ISKCON? I think in most cases the answer must be no.

How can it be that we have "excess milk" when even the Deities in the majority of our most prestigious temples are offered ghee made from the butter of slaughtered cows?

So first we need to upgrade our standard of Deity worship to the point where the Deity form of Krsna is no longer offered ghee from slaughtered cows, then, second, we can begin to investigate technology for what to do with "excess milk."

That should be the order of priority. Not the other way around. And in this whole discussion, it must be clearly recognized that there is a whole social dynamic which is essential for the production of milk from protected cows and grains from protected oxen.

And this social dynamic is one of the central subjects of actual varnasrama (vedic social organization). And it requires an expertly trained social engineer, which we call a "ksatriya" to organize society so that not only humans but also cows and bulls are protected -- and even made happy! Sarve Sukhino Bhavantu!

 Back to index for this issue

Loafing Barn 2004 Campaign a Success!

Click on picture to enlarge

Inside the loafing barn, the old ladies and Asha are very comfortable on one side of the barn.

An extensive report was given in the last issue of the ISCOWP News concerning  almost all the progress that was made in building the loafing barn. The loafing barn for all intensive purposes is now finished.  However, there are some things that need refinement.

The electrical work is in place and working fine with the exception of the upstairs lights. The dedicated line for the water tank heating element is working great.  This one appliance pulls 1000 watts so we gave it a dedicated line so no breakers would be blown on a cold winter night if lights were turned on and the circuit overloaded.  This spring the upstairs lights will be fixed.

We were able to salvage a lot of tin from the old loafing shed and a couple of other projects that had some extra tin.  Because these pieces of tin had nail holes in them there are some leaks in the roof.  We had already done some hole hunting and tarring but there are still some holes which need found and patched.  As soon as we have nice warm weather, this project will be addressed.

The gate on the barnyard side of the loafing shed was a very old gate that we used as a temporary gate.  Needless to say, the cows destroyed it and it needs to be replaced.

On the big side of the loafing shed, we have four of the older cows and Asha who has a hip problem.  On the smaller side, we have some frequent visitors like Jaya and Nanda, Sarasvati and Dwadasi.  What we have noticed since the loafing shed was put into use is overall, every member of the herd is much more peaceful. This is because the biggest animals with the biggest horns are not controlling the eating program.  Everyone can eat at any time without having to look over their shoulder to see if someone is coming to push them aside.

An annual financial report is now being compiled and will be sent to all donors for 2004 who have given to the loafing shed project and other activities of ISCOWP during last year. Our most grateful thanks to all of you!

Training Krsna, Balaram and Brisham

Krsna and Balaram (saved from the slaughterhouse last year) started acting like little bulls about a month ago.  They would try to mount each other and whoever had the service of feeding grain each day.  With their own 800 pound round bale of hay, they would like to try to push it around and attack it with their little horns.  We called the vet  and he  “pinched” them  and they were turned into steers.  The old timers called young neutered bulls “working steers” until they reached 4 or 5 years of age.  At that time, they were referred to as OXEN.

The method of castration we use is called “Bloodless Castration.”  There is no cutting of the testicle sacks and removal of the testicles.  In “Bloodless Castration,” there is a tube in each of the testicle sacks called a spermatic cord, which carries semen.  The first thing that we do is to give the animals a fast acting sedative called Rhompum.  It takes about 3 minutes for the sedative to activate at which time the animal is in “LA LA Land.”  The eyes glaze over and he starts to drool.  At this time, the spermatic cord in each testicle sack is “pinched” or “crimped” with a tool called a Burdizio that is designed specifically for this procedure.  Each side takes 2 to 3 minutes to “pinch.”  After the second side is done, the animal usually sits down and waits for the sedative to dissipate.  After the sedative is gone, the animal is up and eating and drinking as if nothing has happened.  However, he will be walking a little bowlegged for a couple of days until the swelling goes down.  The results of the procedure that the bull hormones are blocked. 

Krsna and Balaram went through the Bloodless Castration with no complications and the swelling is gone.  On February 25th they were taken out of their part of the barn and experienced snow for the first time. They were taken to a fenced area close to the barn and spent the next 1/2 hour exploring the snow and new area.  This area is where their initial voice command training will start on February 28th.

Click on picture to enlarge

Balaram calmed down after examining the ring's fence line and nuzzled Balabhadra.

Click on picture to enlarge

Krsna wanted to walk the fence line of his training ring to become familiar with the boundaries

 Brisham is a 5 year old ox of Holstien/Semiental breed.  As a young calf he was taken for casual walks by Dristadhumna who was heading up the small barn at New Vrindavan.  He is gentle natured and knows most of the necessary voice commands to start working.  Jay Prabhupada, who is now heading up the small barn, and myself have started working with him to see what he does and does not know.  The immediate goal is that this summer he can be doing some light work around the temple and in the woods, hauling firewood.

Click the picture to enlarge

Brisham, the ox, getting sweet words of encouragement from Balabhadra and Jaya Prabhupada during a break while training.

Jaya Prabhupada is from Brazil where he worked with cows on the devotee farm.  He is working with Balabhadra several times weekly to bring Brisham up to a working status.  Jaya Prabhupada will also be trained by Balabhadra on how to train oxen from the very beginning by helping with the training of Krsna and Balaram.

Back to index for this issue

Editorial Desk
Published: February 6, 2005

Most Americans do not want to know how the meat they eat is produced, if only so they can continue to eat it. Nearly every aspect of meat production in America is disturbing, from the way animals are raised, to inadequate inspection of the final product. When it comes to what happens in the slaughterhouse, most of us mentally avert our eyes. Yet in the past decade, the handling of livestock on their way to the killing floor has actually been one of the parts of the business that has improved most significantly. What is most alarming at the slaughterhouse is not what happens to the animals -- they have already met their fate. It is what happens to the humans who work there.

A large slaughterhouse is the truly industrial end of industrial farming. It is a factory for disassembly. Its high line speeds place enormous pressure on the workers hired to take apart the carcasses coming down the line. And because the basic job of the line is cutting flesh -- hard, manual labor -- the dangers are very high for meat workers, whose flesh is every bit as vulnerable as that of the pork or beef or chicken passing by.

The problem of worker safety is compounded by the fact that meatpackers, driven by the brutal economics of the industry, always try to hire the cheapest labor they can find. That increasingly means immigrants whose language difficulties compound the risks of the job. The result, according to a new report by Human Rights Watch, is ''extraordinarily high rates of injury'' in conditions that systematically violate human rights.

In fact, the report finds, some major players in the American meat industry prey upon a large population of immigrant workers who are either ignorant of their fundamental rights or are undocumented aliens who are afraid of calling attention to themselves. As a result, those workers often receive little or no compensation for injuries, and any attempt to organize is met with hostility.

The industry has little incentive to improve conditions on its own, except a decent regard for human rights. The only reasonable prospect of improvement depends on the enforcement of federal and state law. Unfortunately, those laws at present are too weak and too riddled with loopholes to provide the regulations needed to increase worker safety and improve workers' rights. A systematic regulatory look at the meat industry, with an eye to toughening standards, is desperately needed.

In recent years, Americans have had the habit of thinking of wide-scale workplace abuses as foreign affairs -- the kind of thing that turns up in Southeast Asia, for instance. And, in a sense, the abuses found in American slaughterhouses are international matters, because so many of the workers are actually citizens of other countries. But in this case, the abuses are taking place right at home, and as part of our food chain. In a carb-conscious era, the meat processing industry should be a place of opportunity for workers who put all that protein on your plate. Right now, that is hardly the case.

ISCOWP Editors Note:

Usually you read about horrific conditions in slaughterhouses from animal rights groups. One may wonder if perhaps the situation is exaggerated by the writers to prove a point. After all, how many of us have actually visited a slaughterhouse? The prestigious New York Times’ reputation is not to be prejudice on the side of animal right’s and vegetarianism. Therefore for the New York Times editors to recognize the horrific conditions of a slaughterhouse gives more validity to the position that they do exist.

However, we do disagree with the NYT editors on a some points in their article. Of course, we are particularly informed about the conditions in the beef industry since our mission is cow protection

"...most alarming at the slaughterhouse is not what happens to the animals -- they have already met their fate." According to www.GoVeg.com from the moment the animal enters the slaughterhouse he has entered into the deepest hell. Even if he has been lucky enough to be dead before they prepare his flesh for meat, he has already witnessed the animals in line before him being killed and has heard  and smelled their fear.

"Yet in the past decade, the handling of livestock on their way to the killing floor has actually been one of the parts of the business that has improved most significantly." Since when is killing by any method an improvement?

"In a carb-conscious era, the meat processing industry should be a place of opportunity for workers who put all that protein on your plate."  How can there be opportunity in the killing field besides the opportunity to be on the receiving end of "what comes around goes around."  Most of the world's people believe in this Karma. But here in the United States, the largest consumers of meat (beef), this understanding is not part of the traditional American culture and that is reinforced by their desire to consume the flesh of animals. On this point the NYT editors are correct: "Most Americans do not want to know how the meat they eat is produced, if only so they can continue to eat it."

A few days before passing away

Little Shyam left his body on January 10, 2005.  He was a gentle soul with a great personality and handsome face. He loved to be hugged.  As a worker, he was honest and did his share in the yoke.  In his last months, he never complained and was resigned to the fact that his time was nearing.

Shyam was the partner of Agni.  As partners they were used as the training team for new teamsters.  They were medium in size, which made it easier for new teamsters to handle. 

When we used Vraja and Gita as a training team, it was a daunting task as they are huge Brown Swiss oxen each weighing over 2000 pounds and standing 6 feet tall at the shoulder.  Both great teams, but for new teamsters, Agni and Shyam were an easier team to learn how to drive.

As most of you know, Shyam had been an invalid for about 9 months. In April, Balabhadra (William Dove who is president of ISCOWP) noticed that Little Shyam was walking with a limp.  He called the vet who diagnosed that  Shyam’s legs and  sternum were fused together and his condition was  too advanced for improvement. The vet said that this can happen after a fall.

 We let him stay in the pasture with his friends. But in July we noticed that he was lagging behind the other cows. We were concerned that he would lay down in the pasture and not be able to get up. At that point we walked him to the barn to stay there. The walk uphill was difficult for him. At that point, he was  able to walk, however feebly, from the barn to a small paddock near  the barn to graze each day.

In October, Shyam’s health took a turn for the worse.  We noticed that Shyam hadn’t gotten up all day and was situated in the corner of the paddock up against the fence. His back legs seemed oddly placed beneath him and we became concerned that something had happened. We presented grain to him and he tried to get up but could not. Four strong men came from the community to help us move him. We cut the fence and he bolted but fell. We rolled him a few times to try to get him in a good position which we did. Then we decided to leave him there to see if he could possibly get up later after resting. Later in the day we found him walking around eating all the new grass he didn’t have access to before. We brought him into the barn, which was a safer place for him. From that point he was not able to get up again.

His last months were spent in the newly renovated loafing shed.  He was checked every few hours during the day to see if he would take some hay or water.  Sometimes he would eat and drink and sometimes he would not show any interest.  During these checks, his area was also kept clean of stool and new bedding added to keep him clean and comfortable. 

During his illness, we tried a number of remedies including homeopathy and several herbal remedies to try to rebuild the depleted bone mass in his hips and spinal column that were causing his problems.  At this time he was adopted by Nada Gregg who sponsored all his medicines. Near the end of his life, he was given a tablet called “Bhut” which in essence is aspirin for cows and horses. 

He had a separate area but at the same time had full view of the other cows when they were in the barnyard area. The other cows could also visit him and come to within 10 feet of his actual area. Throughout his illness he had been listening to Srila Prabhupada (spiritual master of the Hare Krsna movement) singing sacred mantras 24/7. This seemed to relax him. He was like a yogi preparing for the next phase of his eternal journey.  A great soul, of this we have no doubt.  He will be fondly remembered.

Back to index for this issue

From: Down to Earth

Science and Environment Online

Oct 31, 2004

68 million draught animals

What runs the small farming economy?

This, after four decades of government efforts to promote farm mechanization through tractors. Can tractors — small tractors, whenever they will be built — completely replace draught animals?

Small and marginal farmers comprise over 80 per cent of cultivators in India. They can’t afford tractors. Average farm size, too, is becoming smaller due to fragmentation. Also, there exist large tracts of low tractor density. Besides, difficult terrain in several regions (say, hilly areas) prevents tractor use. So, exactly how viable is the small tractor for such farmers?

Can animal power be done away with, post-mechanization? No

A single fact could clinch this argument. Draught animal population in India has been steadily declining (see table above: Just about pulling). Government has poorly invested in research on draught animals. The only time a concerted effort occurred was in the mid-1980s, propelled by sizeable funding — from foreign and multilateral sources, alarmed at the African food crisis (the absence of draught animals in sub-Saharan Africa meant that ploughs were pulled by humans).

India has always had the best draught animals. The research funds came to institutions affiliated to the Indian Council for Agricultural Research. By the late 1980s, research papers were generated highlighting the most critical issues in the draught animals sector. This was also the time when the value of draft animals to India’s economy was calculated and understood.

Animal Assets

• India’s 68 million draught animals carry more than five times the freight and four times the passenger traffic carried by railways, in terms of originating traffic
 

• Draught animal power contributes 27,000 megawatt of power
• It saves 24 million tons of diesel per year, worth more than Rs 33,000 crore
 

•Draught animals cultivate about 65 per cent of India’s total cultivated area
 

•The present value of draught animals (Rs 12,000 per pair) is Rs 40,800 crore
 

• It would take 6. 8 million tractors to replace draught animal power. This would cost Rs 23,800 crore

• Draught animals provide dung worth Rs 5,000 crore annually. Five million tons of firewood will be needed as substitute. Then, there are the costs of producing organic fertilizer for speedily depleting soils

In 1987, a national seminar was held on draught animal power at the Central Institute of Agricultural Engineering (CIAE), Bhopal. Since then interest, more importantly action, in this area has waned.

Lessons Learnt

Among leading researchers on draught animal power were N S L

Srivastava and T P Ojha, both former directors of CIAE, and N S Ramaswamy, former director of the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore. "Draught animals and tractors are complementary sources of power on Indian farms and will continue like that for many more years to meet the increased demand of power, of increased production and productivity," says a 1987 paper Ojha wrote, analyzing draught animal power and tractors. It points out that a 35 hp tractor can prepare the seed-bed and sow 0.2 hectare (ha) in one hour at Rs 270-300 per ha.

Bullocks need an entire day for the same area, at Rs 300 per ha. The problem is that draught animals have to be fed throughout the year, though their optimal use is restricted to three months in the year, Srivastava told Down To Earth. The viability of draught animals depends on the availability of free fodder, through crop residues or from grasses in village pastures. The mid-1980s also saw the most comprehensive study of the destruction of village pastures, by N S Jodha of the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development, Kathmandu. But the most serious challenge, it emerged, was the destruction of valuable breeds.

They Were Draught Animals

India has the world’s best draught animals, particularly cattle (see ‘India

Carriers Inc’, Down To Earth, June 15, 2000. This article was printed in full in the Vol. 11 issue 1, ISCOWP News which can be found at:http://www.iscowp.org/11-1/Volume%2011%20Issue%201.htm#india) They were promoted in pre-Independence India by princely states and temple trusts, which provided funds to develop specialized breeds as well as stud bulls for breed improvement in villages. Some excerpts from that article follow.

1) "So, what's special about this Ongole? 'It is the tallest, hardiest cattle breed of the world, and has been around since the early days of civilization,' says Kethineni Venkateswarulu, a farmer from Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh. How does he know? 'The sculptures on the walls of ancient temples show Ongole bulls,' he explains. With pride breaking through the innumerable wrinkles on his modest face, he tells you that Lord Shiva, the mightiest Hindu god who is beyond time and space, rides an Ongole. Nandi? Yes, the most famous bull of India, depicted in statues outside millions of temples of Lord Shiva, is an Ongole. Now, how many Hindus know that?

And then the farmer shows his prize pair of bullocks. Both are well over six feet (about two meters) in height. They can plough 6-7 acres (2.5-2.8 hectares) of land in one day or pull a cart with four tons of load. Why doesn't he use a tractor? 'Only the rich farmers can afford tractors. Ongole cattle need very little fodder if you consider their size.' Another farmer who owns prize Ongole bulls says a team of breeders from Brazil visiting the fair offered Rs 2 lakh for each of his bulls. 'They use this breed for beef because it grows big so very fast, eats so little and has a lot of resistance to disease. They buy off the best animals at fairs like this. But it is different for us. These bulls help me earn my living,' says Venkateswarulu."

2) "As Yadav gets busy, B S Borgaonkar, a veterinarian and breeder with the state animal husbandry department in Latur, explains the story behind the Deoni breed, which has won the national cattle championship 17 times over. 'About 100 years ago, the Nizam of Hyderabad wanted a strong and hardy cattle breed to haul his army. A facility was set up in Deoni village of what is now Maharashtra. The Nizam’s people got the choicest animals of the Gir breed of Gujarat, known for its strength, and crossbred it with Dangi, a breed native to Nasik that is known for being very hardy and possessing good stamina. Through careful selection of the crossbred animals, a special breed was created and named after the village of its development. It has all the good qualities of both the breeds and none of the undesirable ones.'  One may ask, are all native cattle breeds this versatile. No. Some are extremely specialized. Take Khillar, for example, known as the horse among cattle — a veritable sports breed. Khillar bulls are raced with horses in parts of Sholapur district of Maharashtra. The breed is used for quick transport and is not very good at hauling a lot of weight. It can be marked out by its tall, slim build, and by its horns, which arch back to its neck and then turn upwards."

Of India’s 27 known cattle breeds, most were developed for draught in times the economy ran on animal power. Milk production wasn’t the focus of cattle breeding, then. With the Green Revolution, it was assumed tractors would make draught animals irrelevant. Government support for breed maintenance died out. Provisional figures for the 2003 Livestock Census show indigenous cattle have decreased by 13 per cent from 1992. Crossbred cattle have increased by 46 per cent. So much so, most indigenous cattle — 80-90 per cent — is now categorized as ‘non-descript’.

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