After five years research in ethno-veterinary medicines (EVMs), the Malabar regional division of the Kerala Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation, generally known by its trade name, Milma, has launched eight types of EVMs in the market as low-cost alternatives to allopathic veterinary drugs.
Continuous research is on to bring out five more types of medicines for the complete healthcare needs of the animals, especially for dairy cattle. The efforts of the Milma have been recognised by the union government and the Prime Minister has recently appreciated it in his monthly radio speech, ‘Maan ki Baath’ programme, says Dr. Ahmmad Khaise, veterinary officer at the Malabar region of the Milma.
The Milma has signed an MoU with a local Ayurveda manufacturing company at Kozhikode to procure raw-materials and manufacture the medicines. Dr. Khaise said the National Dairy Development Corporation (NDDC) in Gujarat had earlier started research in herbal-veterinary medicines. When the corporation came to know about the on-going project of Milma in Kerala, NDDC has given full support to the research in Malabar. Milma is using Ayurveda medicines along with chemicals and minerals to make the ethno-veterinary drugs. All the eight drugs have proven their efficacy. So far, 77,000 bottles of the total medicines were sold across Kerala, said Dr Khaise.
Talking about the benefits of the medicines to the dairy farmers, the doctor said the treatment cost for animal diseases could be reduced on one side, and the antibiotic residues could be controlled on the other side. According to him, the allopathic treatments make the farmers to spend a minimum of rupees six thousand for mastitis alone. Whereas, masticure costs only Rs. 200 and brings the desired result within three days.
When asked how the veterinary doctors with allopathic background could do research in ethno-veterinary medicines, Dr. Khaise said the government of India has brought out a mobile application for the research and findings of the NDDC in Gujarat and indigenous research done in various parts of the country by local farmers. In addition to that, Milma received research advice from Dr. Punyamoorthy, the veteran veterinary doctor from Tamil Nadu, who conducted research in veterinary herbal medicines and brought good results.
The other seven ethno-veterinary medicines launched by Milma are Pyrex Care for treating fever in cattle, Dair End for diarrhea, Rumatore to cure indigestion problems, Heal All for external application for ulcers, Crack Heal to treat skin diseases, Fly-Repel to use as insecticide to protect dairy cattles from biting flies and other insects, and Milk-Let, an Ayurveda product to increase the production of milk in cattle.
The Ayurveda drug control department in the state approved the drugs and gave licences.
