how to establish an organic dairy

[madhuriitd]

We have a dairy of 25 animals and sufficient land area to grow fodder for them. How do we go about getting the certification as producers of organic milk?

Also, what economic value does it have? Looking forward to valued and crisp info.

Thanks,
Madhur Singhal
Jaipur

[cnsant]

Dear Sir,

It is nice to know that you are going to establish a Organic Dairy.

The definition of Organic is to produce milk in its natural form using only Natural ingredients (specifically WITHOUT THE USE OF any Chemicals or better still to using ingredients from Natural Resources only) which then may give us milk which can safely be called Organic.

Is this really possible? I have some doubts due to the following reasons viz.:

There are two reasons precisely: Deworming Medicine & Mineral Mixture.

A productivity of an animal is dependent upon the digestion & all the living creatures have worms in their stomach whose average Life cycle is of 3 months ( in cows & buffaloes). These parasites eat off the digested food which is primarily required by the animal to give milk, give part to the growing foetus & thirdly for its maintenance.

These “worms” in the stomach eat off as much as 40% of the digested food thereby reducing the milk yield as well affect the overall health of the animal.

We have to use MEDICINES (every three months to kill these worms): Ayurvedic medicine effect in this respect have not yet been substantiated / nor substantiated with proper scientific data.

I would like anyone to please do send detailed reports on the efficacy of these medicines.
Thus we have to use various chemical compounds to GET RID of these worms.

Secondly ;Mineral mixture : It is a well known fact that One litre of milk contains about 1.2 gms of Calcium & 0.9 gms of Phosphorous along with 12 other minerals. It is very much essential to replace the minerals lost daily due to Milking as well as the amounts given for the growth of foetus (when the animal is pregnant) & for maintaining the body requirements.

Unfortunately we DO NOT have any natural source to fulfill all these criteria (which is economical & available) to meet these requirements in the animal.

(Thus a chemical product is being used today which is meeting the requirements of the animal & is also very economical to use)

If these two products are used then can we call this milk “Organic” ?

Please do let us know if you have certain other options.

Looking forward to views & comments.

Dr.Chandrakiran N.Sant
(Dairy Management Advisor)