The government has taken up a project to conserve and promote the Malnad Gidda cow breed, according to A. Manju, Minister for Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services.

Addressing a gathering at a function organised to lay the foundation stone for a veterinary college at Koila, he said that the project would be implemented at the livestock breeding and training centres at Koila in Dakshina Kannada and at Koodige in Kodgadu district.

“The government has sanctioned Rs. 5 crore for the project,” he said adding that 50 cows had been selected now for breeding.

Maland Gidda is an indigenous breed of cow whose numbers are on the decline.

The veterinary college at Koila would be opened in 2018. The Minister said that the State’s milk production had touched 75 lakh litres a day now. He said that the government would recruit 650 veterinary doctors within a month.

Mr. Manju said that the government had constituted Karnataka Sheep Federation with 260 cooperative societies attached to it.

U.T. Khader, Minister for Food and Civil Supplies, urged the Minister to open a dairy unit of Dakshina Kannada Cooperative Milk Union Ltd. at Koila.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Mangaluru / Special Correspondent / Koila (Puttur Taluk) / October 10th, 2016