Indian-Dutch exploration on ways to reduce antibiotics in dairy farming

A group of Dutch veterinarians and farmers during 
their week visit to the I-AIM Institute 
in Bangalore, South India.

In recent years, and as initiative of I-AIM (Institute for Ayurveda and Integrated Medicine) and the Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Science University (TANUVAS – www.tanuvas.tn.nic.in ), practical methods have been developed on basis of medicinal plants to control common ailments in dairy farming, such as mastitis and calf scour.

In April 2014 the E-Motive exchange program has facilitated a group of Dutch dairy farmers and veterinarians to visit southern India. They wanted to learn more about the expertise on medicinal plants that has been developed over the past 30 years by the Institute of Ayurvedic and Integrated Medicine (I-AIM) in Bangalore, together with the Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (TANUVAS) in Chennai.

This exchange project aims to reduce the use of antibiotics in dairy farming in both India and the Netherlands. For this aim the Indian expertise on the use of medicinal plants is combined with expertise on dairy farm management from the Netherlands. In this way we will collaborate to improve animal health as well as milk quality, with positive effects for both producers and consumers.

In October 2014 the Indian experts will come to the Netherlands to support the experiments of the farmers, and to exchange views with farmers, veterinarians and other organizations.

HERBS REPLACE ANTIBIOTICS - An Indian-Dutch exploration of ways to reduce antibiotics in dairy farming