‘Anna Pratha’: crisis for cattle welfare and farmers' livelihoods

Abandoning the cattle — Anna Pratha — as it is known in Bundelkhand region is part of the contingency plan that has become a tradition of dark times. Free grazing, also known as anna pratha (or chhooth pratha), is the practice of allowing livestock to roam freely after the rabi crop has been harvested. Farmers in the Bundelkhand region typically abandon their cattle during the lean and rainy seasons, resulting in a lack of emphasis on cattle housing. 

The region is divided into 13 districts: Jhansi, Jalaun, Lalitpur, Hamirpur, Mahoba, Banda, and Chitrakoot in Uttar Pradesh; and Datia, Tikamgarh, Chhatarpur, Damoh, Sagar, and Panna in Madhya Pradesh. This region is prone to drought, which causes tremendous issues such as poor rainfall, low agricultural and animal production, water crisis, soil erosion, water resource degradation, fodder crisis, high cow mortality, non-sustainable sources of livelihoods, and so on.

Dr. Vikas Singh from Jhansi district in Uttar Pradesh looks after the functions of Balinee, a milk production company in bundelkhand region of Uttar Pradesh. This organisation employs around 40,000 women from 800 villages. Singh informed Ground Report,

“We procure milk from across 800 villages and guide farmers for animal care.”

He told us that one of the major concerns is the welfare of these cattles when they are not lactating.  According to him, 76 per cent of milk comes from buffaloes and the rest from the cows. The majority percentage from buffaloes is not only due to their larger population, but it is the profitability for the milk farmers as well. While the cow milk costs between rupees 40 to 50, the buffalo milk rates in the range between 60 to 80 rupees. Explaining the reasons he said,

“Dairy farmers abandon cows once they are pregnant or not giving milk, who then roam on roads or damage crops. Buffaloes can be sold to slaughterhouses after they stop producing milk and so farmers prefer to opt for them.”

Malnutrition among dairy cattles

One cannot raise the milk yield of dairy cows beyond their genetic capacity. However, most dairy farmers in India do not receive the full potential milk yield from their dairy animals. The fundamental cause of this deficiency is that the dairy cattle are exposed to malnutrition and  a variety of stressors. 

The Indian Council for Agricultural Research estimates that during 2015, there was a 21%, 26%, and 34% deficit between the amount of dry fodder, green fodder, and concentrates needed and available. By 2025, these will rise to 23%, 40%, and 38%, respectively. 

The livestock population in Madhya Pradesh saw an increase of 11.81 % as compared to the 2012 census, while states like Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan witnessed a decline in the livestock population. According to the 2019 Livestock census, there are more than a million stray cattles in Uttar Pradesh, the number has slightly increased as compared to the last census in 2012. Whereas Madhya Pradesh, though lesser than Uttar Pradesh in numbers, has increased to almost double between 2012 and 2019. 

“There is more fat in a buffalo’s milk as compared to the cow milk, dairy farmers are more inclined to buffaloes as it has more profit,” added Singh.

According to the recent reports, though UP produces 23.91 million tonnes of milk, only about 1 million tons of milk are processed through the organized cooperative dairy sector in the state, indicating that cooperatives have almost failed to provide efficient services in milk collection and competitive prices for the produce. This increases the burden on dairy farmers .

A rise in Anna Pratha

A survey reveals that thousands of livestock are let to graze freely until September or October, when sowing begins for the following season's rabi crop. Every year, roving cattle destroys around 25 to 35% of agricultural yield during the kharif season. Most animals stay malnourished and frequently migrate too far from their homes, dying.

But many dairy farmers believe they have no other choice but to abandon their cattles. Pappu, a dairy farmer from Tikamgarh district of Bundelkhand region in Madhya Pradesh said he had no choice but to free his two cows as he was unable to feed them when they stopped producing milk.

“I was not earning from them and so I had no other choice but to abandon them,” he informed.

He owns seven buffaloes and one cow. He mentioned that he spent around 10,000 rupees on fodder and their upkeep. He also noted that many of his fellow dairy farmers choose to abandon their cattle or leave them at gaushalas, while some struggle to make ends meet and continue caring for their animals. Anna Pratha, along with the rising impacts of climate change, is jeopardizing the health of cattle and making it harder for farmers to manage their herds.

Rising Threats of Climate Change on cattles

Purshotam Rajput, a dairy farmer from Ramgarh in Jhansi district owns 7 buffaloes. He also works as a helper for Balinee. He talks to us about the worrisome situation of the cattles in his area.

“This year alone more than 200 cows are abandoned by the dairy farmers here. Some of them live in the gaushalas, while others are left to roam on the roads,” Rajput told Ground Report.

He highlighted the growing difficulties in dairy farming due to rising temperatures. Recurrent droughts caused by erratic rainfall have made it increasingly challenging to secure water and fodder, particularly during the summer. Rajput observed, 

Climate change has profoundly affected livestock in Bundelkhand, especially cattle. The region’s rising temperatures and decreased rainfall create significant stress, particularly in its arid and semi-arid zones. Livestock typically thrive in temperatures between 10–30°C; when temperatures exceed this range, feed consumption drops by 3–5% per degree increase, leading to lower milk yields and poorer health in cattle. Droughts exacerbate this by reducing the availability of both fodder and water, posing additional hardships for cattle farmers.

“Over the years, we’ve noticed a decline in milk yields from the cows. Maintaining their health has become a struggle, forcing many farmers to abandon their cattle. The situation has progressively worsened as climate change intensifies these challenges,” Rajput added.

Changes in climate also alter disease patterns among livestock. Higher rainfall can trigger outbreaks of diseases like Rift Valley Fever, while warmer conditions promote the spread of tick-borne illnesses. These combined effects make it difficult to sustain the health and productivity of cattle in the region. As the number of abandoned cattle continues to rise, it creates a host of interconnected challenges.

Abandoning cattles: An issue unaddressed 

Following the Anna Pratha, the number of stray cattle on roads has noticeably increased, leading to significant traffic disruptions and a rise in road accidents. This situation also poses challenges in ensuring the safety and well-being of the animals. Another pressing concern is the intrusion of cattle into farmlands in their quest for food, which not only results in substantial crop damage but also places an increased strain on farmers who are already facing numerous challenges. Ground Report has earlier reported on the impacts of cattle menace on the farmers.

The Livestock Census conducted by the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying in 2019 indicated that there were around 300 million cattle in India, but exact figures for stray cattle can differ.

Most dairy cows have a lifespan of up to 15 years, but they typically cease milk production after about seven years. In India, approximately 3 million cows stop producing milk each year. The cow slaughter is banned in both Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, which has led to a rise in the cases of smuggling. The growing trends of Anna Pratha and impacts of climate change together pose a risk to the health of the cattle.

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