Dairy in dire state

Taiab Ali nursing his sick milch cow on Fringikanda Bazar road in Manikganj. PHOTO: STAR

They are bewildered with sick milch cows and lack of fodder.

Most of the farmers who took shelter on roads, embankments and high lands along with their cows are not going back home.

Tap here to add The Daily Star as a trusted source

Floodwater has receded from many areas but has destroyed cow sheds. There is no fodder in villages, they said.

Many cows have become sick in confinement now, they told this correspondent during a visit to Firingikanda Bazar road where many farmers have taken shelter along with their cows.

Savar upazila Livestock Officer M Abdur Razzak said there are over 11220 cows in 361 registered farms and over 400 unregistered farms in the upazila, which produced nearly 1.12 lakh litres of milk daily.

Each farm has at least five milch cows.

"I left my wife and children behind and shifted to Firingikanda Bazar road with my six cows as water submerged my small farmhouse. I do not know how my family is doing now", said Taiab standing by his cows under the sky on the road.

"My cows used to produce 120 litres of milk every day but the production has dropped significantly due to scarcity of fodder in the last three weeks", he said. His hay stock was rotten in the deluge.

Several hundred others with their herds took refuge on roads. Many of them said milk production has fallen drastically.

However, some rich farmers in Savar municipal area have erected large platforms for their cows. But they are also worried due to lack of fodder.

Shukur Ali of Firingikanda said grass, the most essential fodder for milch cows, has been destroyed totally. Moreover, prices of oil cake (Khoil) and wheat bran (bhushi) have skyrocketed since beginning of floods.

The livestock official said green fodder like Napier grass on 1652 acres of grazing land has been totally destroyed in an area and it will take months for new grass to grow.

Amir Hossain an affected dairy farmer said, "I lost grass on three bighas of lands. I have to buy Tk 1000 fodder of a day but earn Tk 900 to 1000 by selling 90 to 100 litres of milk.

"Three of my cows are now attacked with skin diseases. No veterinarian came here to see our cows", he alleged.

He said he needs grass seedlings and interest free loan to survive.

Many others including Dudu Mia, Hazrat Ali, Abdur Rahman, Lehaj Uddin, Alauddin, Abdul Aziz, Josim Uddin who came from of different villages in the area said similar things.

Lehaj Uddin could not check tears while saying that one of his cows which he had bought with Tk one lakh died of disease. "I do not know how the rest of my cows will survive", he said.

The Upazila Livestock Officer said 53 high yielding cows died and 163 farms were badly affected by the floods. He estimated the loss to the sector at Tk 8.17 crore.

He said the worst days for the sector are ahead because the fodder crisis will deepen till damaged grazing lands turn green. The farmers need loan to survive, he said.