Cow population rises to 1.96 lakh in East Godavari

Kakinada: Cow population has increased to 1.96 lakh in East Godavari in the past five years with many farmers adopting zero budget natural farming.

Five years ago, the cow population in the district was one lakh and now it rose to 1.96 lakh. Animal Husbandry Department Joint Director Dr N T Srinivasa Rao told The Hans India that the farmers in the past used to raise cows. The farmers did not evince much interest in raising cows after they started using fertiliser and pesticides in farming, he said.

With the zero budget farming becoming popular, the farmers have now started raising cows. The cow urine is the most important ingredient in natural farming, he said.

Animal Husbandry Assistant Director M Srinivas Reddy said the farmers are using (panchagavya) cow urine, cow dung, and neem leaves to enhance the fertility of fields. The yield of paddy in this pattern is 48 bags per acre, whereas it is be 35 bags per acre in the other fields in which they use pesticides and chemicals. He said even if the production is in the natural farming, the product is healthy, he said.