The cow is the most revered among all the animals in the Hindu tradition and has been part of the Indian culture since time immemorial. This tradition got delineated in India slowly and steadily over the decades and has reached a level that the society needs some movement to save the cow. Use of cows for beef, leather, and production of other industrial products,  and indiscriminate and illegal killing of cows for these purposes has led to a drastic reduction in the cow population.  

Another matter of concern is the dominance of alien breeds of cows and cross breed cows in the dairy farming, which has led to the total elimination of small indigenous cow breeds from the dairy farming as well domestication. Many of the precious indigenous breeds like the Malnad Gidda , Vechur, and Kapila are almost on the verge of extinction represented by dwindling population even at their native tract. Advanced research on the quality and nutritional profile of the milk produced by different cow breeds has revealed the fact that the indigenous cow breeds produce the healthy A2 Milk and other breeds including the cross breeds produce the nutritionally risky A1 milk.

We have lost the health of a considerable section of our society owing to the influence of A1 milk consumption. The increased cases of obesity, cardiovascular disorders, diabetes, especially juvenile diabetes among our fellow beings have been linked to  A1 milk as one of the prominent culprits. These facts justify the need to save the cow, particularly the indigenous breeds and make the dairy industry totally supported by the A2 milk producing breeds.

Save The Cow – A Silent Revolution

Interestingly, a subtle revolution has been triggered in the dairy industry, of course,  not by the authorities but by the conservatives of the society and the knowledgeable consumers. The movement is being driven by so many organizations, few with a sole social cause, some with semi-commercial orientation and still others with fully commercial objectives. Whatever be the motto of conservation of Indian cow breeds, these organizations have collectively driven the invaluable movement of the conservation, breeding, and use of the milk of indigenous cow breeds in the dairy industry. Today, Indian cow farming is gaining momentum, at various levels, like the marginal farmers,  women dairy farmers, hobby farmers, conservation activists, non-government organization, etc. Surabhivana on the outskirts of Mangaluru, the coastal city of Karnataka and Sri Ramachandrapura Mutt at Hosanagra, are some of the leading organizations striving for the motto of ‘save the cow’ and liberating the dairy industry of the A1 milk producing cross breed cows in Karnataka.  Another dominant cluster of organizations working for the conservation of Indian cows is in Ahmadabad and neighboring localities. Apart from these, several other organizations are working for the cause in Haryana, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, etc.

The scope of utilization of  Indian cow breeds for dairy farming is viable and practical as the low milk yield is compensated by the higher price of A1 milk. The additional economic gain is the low cost of maintenance of Indian cows through open grazing, the requirement of less food and fodder by these cows, and the robust immunity of most of these breeds towards diseases and pathogens. The need of the hour is to create an awareness among the large scale dairy farmers about these facts and getting their focus turned towards Indian cow breeds. This will definitely boost the mission of  “Save The Cow” movement further.