Maharashtra’s animal husbandry minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil on Saturday sought to highlight what he called inadequate production of cattle feed in the state and said some of the big players in the business occasionally sell inferior quality feed. The minister was speaking at a function organised by a local animal feed manufacturer.
“There is not enough production of cattle feed in the market. The (yearly) deficit in the supply and demand for the same is around 30 lakh tonnes to 40 lakh tonnes. At times, the quality of the cattle feed available in the market is also questioned,” he said.
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According to the National Dairy Development Board, cattle feed is a balanced source of essential nutrients required for body maintenance, growth and milk production. It is comparatively cheaper and highly palatable to the bovine animals.
About quality concerns, Vikhe Patil said, “There are a few big companies in the business, but the situation is that the nutritional value printed on their cattle feed sacks does not match with the actual nutritional value. It is a big challenge for the state government.”
The minister said they receive complaints about the quality of cattle feed from time to time. “The state government is also facing the challenge of adulteration in milk,” he added.
