Latest news with #DepartmentofAnimalHusbandry
India.com
16-07-2025
- Business
- India.com
The Milk India Refuses To Drink: Why ‘Non-Veg Dairy' Is A Red Line In Trade Deal With US
New Delhi/Washington: In the backrooms of New Delhi's diplomatic zone, trade officials kept circling one issue that simply would not move. It was not fighter jets, data servers or farm subsidies. It was milk. Yes, milk. One of the biggest stumbling blocks in the India-U.S. trade pact is white, creamy and sacred to millions. And the problem lies not in how it is consumed, but how it is produced. Washington wants access to India's $16.8 billion dairy market, the largest in the world. It wants to sell its butter, cheese and milk powder to a country that churns out over 239 million metric tonnes of milk a year. But New Delhi is not opening that door. At the centre of India's resistance lies one demand – an assurance that the milk entering Indian homes comes from cows that were never fed meat, blood or animal remains. No exceptions. No compromises. Indian officials are calling it a red line. The idea of 'non-veg milk' does not sit well with millions of Indian households, especially vegetarians who see dairy as nutrition as well as ritual. Ghee is poured into sacred flames during prayer. Milk is bathed over deities. The concept of cows being fed pig fat or chicken remains crosses dietary boundaries and lines of faith. Trade experts struggled to explain this to Washington. 'Imagine eating butter made from the milk of a cow that was fed meat and blood from another cow. India may never allow that,' said Ajay Srivastava from the Global Trade Research Initiative in New Delhi. Despite U.S. claims that the concern is exaggerated, several American reports confirm the reality. A Seattle Times investigation documented how American cattle feed can legally include ground-up remains of pigs, horses and poultry. Even chicken droppings, known as poultry litter, sometimes make their way into the mix. The logic is economic – feed animals cheap and grow them fast. For Indian regulators, it is simply unacceptable. India's Department of Animal Husbandry mandates certification on all imported food items, including milk, to ensure no animal-derived feed is involved. This has long been criticised by the United States at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) as a 'non-scientific barrier'. But for India, it is not about science but belief. In 2006, the Indian government formalised this belief in trade rules. It resulted into high tariffs – 30% on cheese, 40% on butter and a whopping 60% on milk powder. For countries like New Zealand or Australia, breaking into India's dairy space is nearly impossible. For the United States, it is a billion-dollar hurdle. India's dairy sector feeds over 1.4 billion people. It employs more than 80 million, many of them smallholder farmers. Cheap American imports, experts say, could collapse local markets. A report from the State Bank of India estimates an annual loss of Rs 1.03 lakh crore if U.S. dairy is allowed to flood in. That is nearly 2.5-3% of the country's entire Gross Value Added. And the risk is not theoretical. 'If American butter comes in cheap, our milk prices drop. What happens to the village woman who sells five litres of milk a day?' asks Mahesh Sakunde, a dairy farmer from Maharashtra. Meanwhile, Washington sees India's refusal to open up as 'protectionist'. But India's negotiators stood firm. 'There is no question of conceding on dairy. That is a red line,' said a senior Indian official. The United States exported over $8.2 billion worth of dairy last year. Gaining access to India's vast market could supercharge those numbers. But Indian officials are unwilling to allow milk from cows that ate meat to be offered at temple altars or poured into toddler cups. And so, while the two countries hammer out trade terms with hopes of reaching $500 billion in bilateral commerce by 2030, the dairy debate remains unresolved. It may seem like a small detail in a massive negotiation, but in India, this is sacred, culture and a line that will not be crossed.
Indian Express
10-07-2025
- Indian Express
Rottweilers and Pitbulls set to be banned in Goa as cabinet approves Bill
The Goa cabinet Wednesday gave the nod to a Bill that proposes to ban import, sale and breeding of certain 'ferocious' dog breeds – including Rottweilers and Pitbulls — in the state. After the Cabinet meeting, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said The Goa Animal Breeding and Domestication Regulation and Compensation Bill 2025 will be tabled in the monsoon session of the Goa assembly, which is scheduled to be from July 21 to August 8. In February, following a spate of incidents involving 'aggressive' dog breeds, the chief minister had announced that the Cabinet had approved a ban on 'Rottweiler' and 'Pitbull' dog breeds in the state. At that time, Sawant had said the government will bring an amendment to the Goa Animal Breeding and Domestic Regulations and Compensation Ordinance 2024, to include a ban on the sale, import and breeding of the two dog breeds across the state. A government official, requesting anonymity, said: 'The Ordinance was passed by the Cabinet, but it was not promulgated. Now, the Bill is being introduced. It proposes to ban import, breeding and domestication of ferocious dog breeds. The dog breeds that will be covered under the purview of the ban will be notified once the Bill is passed. Those who already own the notified ferocious breeds will have to sterilise them and register them with the Department of Animal Husbandry. Penalties shall be imposed for non-compliance.' According to data shared by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in Lok Sabha in April, the number of dog bite cases in Goa increased from 8057 in 2022 to 11, 904 in 2023. In 2024, the number of dog bite cases further rose to 17, 236. In January this year, the state reported 1789 dog bite cases. In January 2025, a 40-year-old man suffered injuries after he was bitten by a pet Rottweiler in Assagao in North Goa. After the incident, Assagao village panchayat issued a notice requesting owners of certain breeds (Pitbull, Rottweiler) 'not to leave and roam with their pets in open public places', adding that the offence would be considered as 'punishable'. In August last year, a seven-year-old boy died after he was fatally attacked by a Pitbull in North Goa's Anjuna. The boy had accompanied his mother – a domestic help – to her employer's house where his dog bit the boy on the neck and body. The incident had sparked outrage and a clamour for stricter regulations, including a ban on certain dog breeds.
The Hindu
06-07-2025
- Health
- The Hindu
Over 500 dogs vaccinated at NTR vet hospital on World Zoonosis Day
Special Chief Secretary, Department of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry, B. Rajasekhar on Sunday highlighted the need for timely vaccination of domestic animals, maintaining hygiene and responsible pet ownership to prevent the transmission of diseases from animals to humans. Speaking at an awareness programme and a free rabies vaccination camp, organised by the Department of Animal Husbandry, at NTR Veterinary Super Speciality Hospital (NTR VSSH) to mark World Zoonoses Day, Mr. Rajasekhar spoke elaborately about the significant impact of zoonotic diseases on human health. Vijayawada East MLA Gadde Rammohan Rao said adopting the 'One Health' approach was crucial in the fight against zoonotic diseases. He called for coordinated efforts in maintaining the health of animals, humans and the environment for effective control of zoonoses. Director, Department of Animal Husbandry, T. Damodara Naidu said the free rabies vaccination camp would benefit many pet owners and animal caregivers. He said though rabies was a fatal disease for humans, it was entirely preventable. A total of 520 dogs, both pet and stray, were administered free anti-rabies vaccination at the camp. The event was organised under the supervision of the Joint Director of NTR VSSH P. Prem Chand, Deputy Directors K. Srinivasa Rao, K.R. Subramanyeswar and K. Ramesh Babu along with other veterinary officers, para-veterinary staff and support personnel were present.
The Hindu
06-07-2025
- Health
- The Hindu
Anti-rabies vaccination drive: 17,000 doses ready in Andhra Pradesh's Kadapa district
Pet owners have to hurry up as there are as many as 17,000 doses of anti-rabies vaccines ready to be administered to pet dogs in Kadapa district. Launching an anti-rabies vaccination drive on the occasion of 'World Zoonosis Day' at the veterinary polyclinic in Kadapa on Sunday (July 6, 2025), district Collector Sridhar Cherukuri called upon pet owners to make use of the facility. He also gave a clarion call to the animal activists to help spread the message so that the doses are put to productive use during the free vaccination drive period. Anti-rabies vaccine alone is not enough when children suffer deep stray dog bites, says Tamil Nadu Directorate of Public Health Recalling the origin of the day when the first vaccine was administered on July 6, 1885 by Louis Pasteur to a boy bitten by a rabid dog, he called upon pet owners to make out a point to get their family members vaccinated, in view of their closeness with pet animals, and as such, a higher risk of virus spread through potential bites. Mr. Sridhar also called upon veterinarians, who also stay in the midst of animals, to make it mandatory to get vaccinated periodically to steer clear of risks. Marking the 'Fodder week' observed from July 7 to 14, the Collector formally released a poster brought out by the Department of Animal Husbandry.
The Hindu
04-07-2025
- Health
- The Hindu
World Zoonoses Day: Andhra Pradesh government to administer 5.37 lakh free anti-rabies shots to dogs on July 6
The Department of Animal Husbandry has announced a series of awareness programmes and preventive measures to commemorate World Zoonoses Day on July 6, 2025, aimed at educating the public about zoonotic diseases and how to prevent them. In a press release on Friday, Animal Husbandry Department Director T. Damodara Naidu said that on July 6, over 5.37 lakh free anti-rabies vaccines will be administered to dogs across the State in government veterinary institutions, including area veterinary hospitals, polyclinics, and super-speciality veterinary hospitals, with an estimated expenditure of ₹75 lakh. Dr. Naidu said zoonotic diseases — infections that can be transmitted between animals and humans — have become a growing concern, especially for veterinarians, farmers, slaughterhouse workers, and pet owners who are in close contact with animals. Diseases such as rabies, brucellosis, tuberculosis, bird flu, and encephalitis fall under this category, and they can spread through dog bites, mosquito bites, consumption of contaminated water, improperly cooked meat or eggs, and contact with infected animals or polluted air. Andhra Pradesh is a safer and healthier State by preventing the spread of zoonotic diseases through knowledge and action, he said. World Zoonoses Day commemorates Louis Pasteur's historic success on July 6, 1885, when he administered the first successful rabies vaccination to a boy bitten by a rabid dog. Since then, July 6 is observed globally to raise awareness about zoonotic diseases and encourage preventive healthcare practices.
