2% annual milk production loss due to global warming: research

India is currently losing nearly two per cent of the total milk production, amounting to a whopping over Rs 2,661 crore due to rise in heat stress among cattle and buffaloes because of the global warming.

"The estimated annual loss at present due to heat stress among cattle and buffaloes at the all-India level is 1.8 million tonnes, that is nearly two per cent of the total milk production in the country," said RC Upadhaya, Principal Scientist, Animal Physiology at National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI).

India produced about 110 million tonnes of milk last year. In monetary terms, the loss amounts to a whopping Rs 2,661.62 crore a year, Upadhaya said.

Animal stress level is calculated on the basis of fluctuation in temperature and humidity and is measured using Temperature Humidity Index (THI).

The mounting temperature negatively impacts growth and time to attain puberty of livestock species, he said, adding reproductive efficiency of livestock was also negatively influenced by the high ambient temperature.

While high THI index had UP, the largest producer of milk in the country, lose 25.4 million tonnes a year, Tamil Nadu was losing 23.8 million tonnes followed by Rajasthan, Bihar, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Haryana, he said.

Similar research works on the subject in the USA, Brazil, Germany, France, UK and Australia have also pointed to similar results, the NDRI scientist said.
    
The findings are a part of the two ongoing research projects, funded by the Union government, he said.