A Meat and Dairy Article from All-Creatures.org



Crisis Unfolds on India's Dairy Farms

From Sanket Jain, SentientMedia.org
October 2023

Despite the losses and massive climate pollution caused by the sector, the dairy industry is poised to pump out even more milk this year. U.S. Department of Agriculture researchers predict India’s dairy sector will produce 207 million metric tons of milk, yogurt, ghee and the like this year.

Indian dairy Cow

Subhash Gaikwad opened the viral WhatsApp video and felt terrified at what he saw. Several cows in India’s Rajasthan state lay dead on the ground, covered with red lesions across their bodies. “I always prayed that this disease shouldn’t reach our village,” the 36-year-old farmer says.

By disease, Gaikwad means Lumpy Skin Disease. This most recent outbreak has infected over 3.2 million cattle in India during a 10-month period, killing an average of around 600 cows and buffalo per day.

Despite the losses and massive climate pollution caused by the sector, the dairy industry is poised to pump out even more milk this year. U.S. Department of Agriculture researchers predict India’s dairy sector will produce 207 million metric tons of milk, yogurt, ghee and the like this year.

Millions of Dairy Cattle Fell Sick, and Prices Surged

Lumpy Skin Disease, or LSD, is a highly contagious virus. It afflicts cows and can be spread by blood-feeding insects, like ticks, mosquitoes and flies. In cattle, tell-tale symptoms include skin lesions and a high fever. Farm animals soon lose their appetite, and can experience swollen limbs and genitals.

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Please read the ENTIRE ARTICLE HERE.

In India, there are alternatives to animal-derived dairy, but it’s still early days and the plant-based market has a long way to go. The field is a fraction of the size of the massive dairy sector — worth $140 billion in India, while the market for plant-based milk stands at just $25 million.



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