Ganjam: When everything is getting hi-tech, why not farming? These days when animals also have several ailments, precise information on health and disease management can go a long way in helping livestock farmers avoid losses.
Sourajya Gouda of Sikiri village in Ganjam’s Hinjilicut block is one such beneficiary. Sourajya started his entrepreneurship as a livestock owner nine years with four cows, with each costing Rs 11,000 to Rs 20,000. Today, he owns 13 cows with their prices ranging between Rs 17,000 and Rs 22,000.
“ I get an average of 150 litres of milk and purchase 400 to 500 litres of milk from different villages. Then I prepare cheese out of the milk and sell it in the nearby market at Rs 260 per kg,” said Sourajya.
“As a livestock owner, I used to face problems related to the cows’ health, their feed and fodder management on a regular basis. To address these issues, I used to visit the block veterinary office frequently or contact some key livestock owner for help. Sometimes, veterinary doctors were not available,” he added.
It was then that he chanced upon an article on Reliance Foundation in a daily newspaper and got the toll free help line number 1800 419 8800 for further queries. “Then I started following the articles in newspapers. I got information regarding livestock vaccination, seasonal health and disease management, cattle shed management, clean milk production, feed and fodder management as well as other agricultural aspects. The information not only solved my day to day problems, but also helped me to earn more by keeping my livestock healthy,” said Sourajya.
He also came to know about Hybrid Napier cultivation from the Reliance Foundation bulletin, boosting his income. “I started a new venture to cultivate fodder plants two years ago. This video advisory is also available on Jio chat channel. It is very useful for us as we can now see practical videos and also get variety of information,” he added.
“Now I don’t have to buy feed for my animals from the market and this has helped in increasing my profit. My monthly income is now Rs 32,000 to Rs 36,000,” said Sourajya.
“Some of the villagers are also following the advisory of the Reliance Foundation. I am really thankful to the Reliance Foundation for making our day to day life easy and helping us earn more,” he added.
