PUM, Netherlands and BDFA, Bangladesh arranged a four-day long “Training of Trainers: Sustainable Dairy farming in Bangladesh” at Clinical building 3rd floor at Chattogram Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (CVASU), Chattogram from 16th November to 19th November 2019. The training program was supported by Udder Health Bangladesh (UHB) and ACI Animal Health. The resource person was Dr. Marten Pelleboer who is a PUM dairy farming expert. Dr. Marten graduated from Utrecht University and was involved in dairy practice for more than three decades in the Netherlands. The training was facilitated by Prof. Dr. Mizanur Rahman, coordinator UHB. Prof. Dr. Mohammed Yousuf Elahi Chowdhury, Head, Department of Medicine and Surgery; Md. Ali Azam Rahman, Vice Precedent, BDFA, and Mohd. Shah Emran, General Secretary, BDFA, Mohammed Iqbal Hossain, President Chattogram division dairy farms association, Nayeem Uddin, Secretary, CDFA were also present in the first-day training session along with other dairy farmers and several field practitioners. In the 4-days long training sessions, 11 veterinarians including Upazilla livestock officer, livestock extension officer, masters students and 27 selected farmers from different regions of Chattogram were present in the training as trainee. 

Training session

The whole training program was conducted by Dr. Marten Pelleboer. At 1st day of the training, he talked over rearing youngstock on a dairy farm. He said that there are four motivations for rearing young stock and these are- milk production, the growth of the herd, replacement of old or sick or problem cows and genetic progress. Calf rearing is to key to success in a dairy farm and farm profitability depends on it. He emphasized discussions on different aspects of calf rearing such as colostrum feeding, concentrate and roughage feeding at early of two weeks for rumen development and disease management. He said that colostrum feeding is very important for body growth, development of immunity and to combat disease. Disease like calf scour and pneumonia are common in young calves. He described causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of calf scour and pneumonia. Participants asked several questions to Martin about the weaning age of calf, the amount of colostrum should be fed to the calf and also about disease management at an early age. Dr. Shuvo Singha acted as interpreter and Prof. Dr. Mizanur Rahman, Dr. Md. Omar Faruk also joined with Dr. Shuvo sometimes.

Dr. Marten Pelleboer starts his second day’s lecture on “General dairy management lactation, reproduction, and artificial insemination or natural bulling. He said that every cow should have one calf each year. Conditions for having a calf every year are a healthy uterus, good nutrition, energy level, good health, insemination at the right time and good quality sperm. He emphasized on five important periods of reproductive management, such as dry-off period, delivery, the initial period of lactation, insemination period and afterward supervision for pregnancy confirmation. Good management during those periods can bring a healthy calf. Later on, he discussed heat detection, how to do AI in perfect time and techniques of AI. Farmers had questions regarding AI timing and the detection of heat. One farmer asked how many times they need to observe the cows for the detection of heat. Dr. Marten replied that 3 times observation every day is better to detect heat. Then he discussed some reproductive diseases like metritis, pyometra, and abortion which can hamper farm productivity.

Photo Credit: Ovirup Paul

On the third day of training, the practical session was arranged at Chowdhury Agro Farms. Participants were divided into five groups to complete a task. Each group had five members and they worked together to complete the task. The steps of the task were to “Observe, Think, Analysis and Recommend” on different managemental aspects of the farm. Each group was given two separate sheets to write down their observations, good aspects, aspects to improve and recommendations for future improvement of the farm. Participants also measured body weight and temperature of some cows and they also checked probable BCS scores of the cows. After completing the tasks Dr. Marten answered some questions asked by the farmers and also discussed his observations on the farm.

Practical work

Dr. Marten gave a very good presentation on hand milking technique and also discussed what to do before, during and after milking. He showed how to milk in a proper way. He emphasized on udder and hindquarter cleaning before milking. Farmers can supply little concentrate feed during milking and after milking, cows should supply good quality roughage (green grass and straw) to keep them stand for 30 min to 1 hour. He also added that stimulation can be given by calf suckling, hand stimulation, feed, music and also by oxytocin injection (when a heifer becomes a mother: 1 or 2 days only). Last of all, he discussed on cleaning and disinfection of milking equipment. One farmer who came from Dhaka to join the training requested Dr. Marten to show them how to do disbudding in the young calf. In the afternoon there was a farm visit near to the university. In the visit, Dr. Marten practically showed how to disbud a calf by an electric disbudding gun with sedation and local anesthetic.

After coming back from the farm Dr. Faisal Ferdous, ACI animal health gave a very good presentation on their dairy products. They discussed mineral block and other products. In the concluding session Prof. Dr. Mohammed Yousuf Elahi Chowdhury, Head, Department of Medicine and Surgery; Prof. Dr. Mohammad Lutfur Rahman; Prof. Dr. Mohammad Mahbubur Rahman; Prof. Dr. Mohammad Rashedul Alam and Mr. Md. Rakibur Rahman, MD, Nahar Agro were also present. They gave their concluding remarks and thanked Dr. Marten and the participants. Certificates were given to the participants for the four-day long training. Prof. Dr. Mizanur Rahman concluded the training program by giving thanks to Dr. Marten and participants.