Kozhikode: The district panchayat is all set to market milk from the proposed hi-tech dairy farm at Koothali under the brand name, ‘Organic milk’.
The dairy farm will be built as a part of the agricultural farm functioning here. The project which is estimated to cost Rs 35 lakh will be developed into a hi-tech farm and is an extension of the ‘Ksheera gramam’ project being jointly implemented by the departments of animal husbandry and agriculture to increase milk production in the district.
“This is an experimental project. In the first phase, 20 high yielding cows are required to implement the project. But as of now, we are starting with 10 cows,” said district panchayat president Kanathil Jameela. Already three cows, each yielding 20 litres of milk are in the farm and seven more will join soon. The hi-tech farm will have modern amenities such as machine controlled humidity maintenance system, music, mechanized milching system, automatic drinking water system etc. A biogas plant will be set up to process the garbage generated.
A plan to produce electricity out of the garbage is also in the offing. The 24-member staff in the agricultural farm will handle the affairs of the dairy farm and they are being trained by the experts at the Kerala Veterinary and Animal Science University.
As the 105-acre farm has plenty of green grass, it should be utilized as livestock. Besides, hay from the neighbouring farms of Perambra and Puthuppady under the district panchayat will be brought here.
“The proposed dairy farm will also act as an assistance centre to the umpteen dairy farmers in the district. It will herald a revolution in the dairy field,” said Dr Kanaran, the veterinary doctor at the district veterinary hospital, who is the implementing officer of the project.
