further up to 3 years and in turn a pair of grown up bullocks may fetch around Rs.35,000
(within 2 years of rearing). Bargur calves are in good demand in areas like Aathur and
Thamampatti in Salem district.
Besides the dung of cattle is used for manuring his own field for raising cash crops viz.
banana, turmeric etc. Monthly he is getting 6 tonnes of manure from his herd, which is
valued at Rs1500 per load. For banana cultivation he completely replaced chemical
fertilizers with 10 tonnes of cattle dung in one acre. When manure is given as basal dose
then the banana / turmeric need not be given any top dressing with chemical fertilizers.
He also observes that such manuring practice enhances early maturity of banana
plantation at least by one month in red banana (instead of 13 months crop he harvests
mature fruits at 12th month itself).
Grazing system
He employs 2 labourers to look after the herd and he himself looks after grazing if
labourers some times do not turn up for work. He provides annual wage of Rs.30,000 per
person He takes the animals for hill grazing and he faces problems with forest
department. In the forest, the grazing land has been encroached with a exotic weed
species called as Lantana camera. He supplements animals with agricultural crop
residues such as banana stem (after harvest of banana fruits), maize stubbles (after
harvest of maize cob), sugarcane trashes, especially during summer i.e. March – June.
He feeds 3 kg of fodder approximately to each animal when they do not get sufficient
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