A 3000 Cow unit- sounds familiar.....

As I have travelled around the world (it seems like I've been everywhere, but Facebook app assures me it is only 21%) I have seen that there is a trend towards large scale herds based on US style feed lots.
The most succesful of these seem to be around 2-3000 cows based in sheds of 500 each with loafing areas in between.
I have no doubt that these type of farms will become more common place in the UK, but I'm sure that the Nocton boys will tell you, the UK is a different market to deal in.

In Chattisgarh we visited Mr Bahudir Ali's ABIS Dairy farm where 2000 cows were kept in clean well designed feed lots, a bit like the one I saw in Sydney, Australia (run by the excellent Michael Perich)





The ABIS farm employs someehre around 50 people, the wage bill for a basic farm worker is about £10 for a 6 day week. So, it is no problem over staffing!!

The milk price is similar to the UK and with the ability to grow up to 3 crops of maize in a 12 month period and soya grown in India feed does not seem to problem.

This lady is sweeping feed up to the cows constantly. Another similar lady was sweeping up poo, it seemed as if there was almost someone following the cows with a shovel!! Interestingly, the poo was scooped and sent away to be pelleted at another ABIS factory for fertiliser.

In the calf houses two men were on duty 24/7 so the calves were extremely clean and well fed. any ailments were treated almost immediately.

The whole operation was overseen by two vets and all in all a credit to them.

The Indian people fully beleive that they will be able to fulfill increased demand of more than twice their current (2nd Highest in the world after the US)) production.

I doubt that many of us in the UK gazing into our navels about milk price and what bad boys the supermarkets are even considering exporting to India at the moment (they said they would love our cheese and what lovely green hills we have...)