Building Resilience: Safeguarding Tamil Nadu’s Dairy Sector against Rising Temperatures

 Capt. (Dr.) A.Y. Rajendra, CEO - Animal & Aqua Feed Business, Godrej Agrovet Limited

 As the world’s largest milk producer, India accounts for nearly a quarter of global supply.[1] However, inadequate nutrition and poor animal health keep its per capita milk yields at just 1,700–2,000 liters annually, well below the global average of 2,500–3,000 liters. Heat Stress is one of the major causes affecting the nutrition and health of the cattle. 

Soaring temperatures –A growing crisis in Tamil Nadu’s Dairy sector 

With around 1 crore cattle and buffaloes in Tamil Nadu,[2]the state before summer season in the year 2024 had average yield of five litres of milk per day which reduced to four litres in May in   that      year.[3]

The heat stress leads to reduced feed intake, increased water consumption, and a higher vulnerability to health issues in cattle. Reproductive performance also suffers, with lowered fertility rates in dairy animals. As the state faces rising temperatures due to climate change, managing these challenges has become crucial to ensuring the continued success and sustainability of Tamil Nadu’s dairy sector. 

Their impact goes beyond just the financial hit from production losses. Farmers, for instance, will have to invest in cooling equipment and more frequent veterinary check-ups to treat animals affected by the heat. This will drive up the cost of milk production, in turn pushing up milk prices for the consumer. 

Need for the state to Adapt to build resilience 

The Tamil Nadu dairy industry must adapt animal husbandry and rearing practices to make cattle resilient to rising temperatures and mitigate their impact on milk production. 

Farmers will have to build new well-ventilated barns, fitted with a sprinkler system for example, to give animals a reprieve from the heat when they are indoors.

Ensuring easy access to clean, cool drinking water can play a crucial role in regulating cattle body temperatures. Farmers must be provided with support for water storage solutions, shaded troughs, and cooling systems that prevent water from heating up under direct sunlight.

Nutrition and feeding schedules can also be calibrated to build the resilience of animals to the heat. Cattle can be fed high-quality feeds like total mixed rations and more fresh feed.

Nutrition and feeding schedules can also be calibrated to build the resilience of animals to the heat. Cattle can be fed high-quality feeds like total mixed rations and more fresh feed. 

Supplements such as electrolytes, vitamins (particularly A, D, and E), and minerals like zinc and selenium also play a crucial role their consumption can improve heat tolerance, boost immune response, and reduce oxidative stress. These supplements can help maintain milk production and animal fertility, even during extended periods of high temperatures. 

The frequency of feeding can also be increased with feeds scheduled for cooler times of the day. Farmers can also feed their animals high-quality forage and fibre, or turn to hydroponics to grow high quality feed all year round. They can additionally use bypass proteins to enhance the yield and protein content of the milk. 

With level of heat rising each year,Tamil Nadu needs to build resilience, protect livelihoods, and secure its dairy sector’s future against the growing threat of heat stress.