Project to boost milk, meat production
The government has undertaken a project to boost milk and meat production through modernizing the cattle breeding system in all the eight divisions of the country to meet the demand.
In this regard, the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock has sent a development project proposal (DPP) titled “Proven Bull Creation to Increase Milk and Meat Production” to the planning commission for the executive committee of the national economic council (ECNEC) approval, a senior official of the planning commission said.
Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute (BLRI) will implement the project by June 2028 with an estimated cost of Tk 399.94 crore, the official said.
About the matter, AKM Fazlul Haque, Member (Secretary), Agriculture, Water Resources and Rural Institutions Division of the commission said that the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock had sent a proposal to the commission. The commission will approve the project after scrutinizing it, he mentioned.
The main objectives of the project are making proven bulls in increasing and sustaining cow productivity, conservation and development of genetic characteristics of indigenous breeds and skill development of farmers and departmental manpower to increase milk production.
Officials of the commission said that the project would help in increasing the productivity and sustainability of livestock to meet the food security of the country, meet the nutritional needs of the people, reduce poverty and improve the standard of living.
Apart from this, the ‘National Livestock Development Policy-2007’ has given instructions to select animals with high breeding value through proper genetic evaluation to produce superior breeding bulls and spread them across the country, they mentioned.
According to the project proposal, many hybrid cows in the rural environment now give 25-30 litres of milk per day. High-yielding cows require good quality semen to maintain productivity. It is very important to develop proven bulls to sustain the current production.
Under the project, a total of 1,200 bull calves including Desi-Friesian and Desi-Sahiwal crossbred, Red Chattogram, Pabna, Munshiganj and North Bengal Gray breeds will be collected from all the upazilas of the country based on the average milk production of the mother.
Besides, a total 34,375 farmers will get training under the project. Out of this, 7500 high productive cow owners will be given elite cow incentives. Farmers will be encouraged to use proven bull semen. Vaccines, medicine and feed will be purchased.
Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends consuming 250 ml of milk per person per day.
Per capita daily milk and milk product consumption is significantly low in Bangladesh, which is 34.1g, according to the Household Income and Expenditure Survey-2022.
