Hybrid cows imported to increase milk production

by P. Krishnaswamy

The Ministry of Livestock and Rural Community Development has refuted reports in sections of the Sinhala and Tamil media that the recent import of hybrid cows from Australia by the National Livestock Development Board was a plot to destabilise the dairy farming industry in Sri Lanka.

The Ministry has denied the reports, attributed to certain organisations, that the animals had infectious diseases, which could pose a threat to local animals and that proper import procedures were not followed with regard to their import.

Secretary to the Ministry, Dr. K.M.T. Kendaragama has, in a statement to the media, stated that the Ministry decided to import hybrid Friesian cows from Australia to upgrade the quality of local cows, so as to increase milk production and achieve the target of self-sufficiency in milk by 2016.

The decision was approved by the Government and Minister of Economic Development Basil Rajapaksa was present at the Colombo Port when the animals were unloaded.

The fact that some of the animals contracted the Salmonella dublin infection while being shipped and some pregnant animals among them suffering miscarriages is not an unusual phenomenon with regard to the transportation of cows.

Salmonella dublin infection in cows is a widespread disease in many parts of the world, especially in Europe, and it is not dangerous and infectious as the news reports claim, the Ministry Secretary has stated. The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), in consultation with the World Trade Organisation, has listed animal diseases which are barriers in international trade. The list of diseases and the reasons for their listing are clearly mentioned by the OIE, it has been stated in the Ministry statement, adding that Salmonella dublin is not in this list.