India produced 239 million tonnes of milk in 2023-24
It has 300 million dairy cows and buffaloes - the largest herd on the planet
It contributes 25% of global milk supply
The market is projected to nearly double in size by 2032
By any economic measure, this is a success story. It supports 80 million farmers, anchors rural livelihoods, and feeds a population of 1.4 billion.
Actual Numbers
As Discussed above, India has 300 million dairy cows and buffaloes. Most of them live in small family farms. But their condition is not right.
Study Published in 2020 observed 38 Dairy farms in Kerala and found something different.
100% of cows were tied through a hole pierced in their nose
On 50% of farms, animals were tied indoors for the entire day
Only 22% of farms gave animals free access to water at all times
Food access was restricted to an average of 4.3 hours per day
Access to clean water is one of freedoms for Animal welfare, Most basic. But majority of the farms have failed it.
Talking about regulation - The 2014 National Dairy Code of Practice was introduced with minimum welfare standards. Eleven years later, enforcement is still near zero.
What a Dairy Cow's Life Actually Looks Like
Cow only produced milk after giving birth. that is the simple biology.
To get milk, farmers artificially inseminate her roughly once a year.
80% of the cattle in India are bred in this way.
usually this procedure is done by untrained workers using unsterile equipments, leads to infection.
When a calf is born, within one of two days, the calf is taken away.
To keep producing milk after the calf is gone - Many farmers inject oxytocine.
AI Use Note: Main body text entirely human written. Claude (Opus 4.8) helped develop models of animal life histories in the appendix.
Cross-posted from Good Structures.
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