“Kidai Maadu” (கிடை மாடு) - Cattle reared for dung – PULIKULAM BREED.
Before the advent of chemical fertilizers, dung of cow and sheep was used as organic manure in agricultural fields. A farmer those days would ask herders to bring their herd to his field for grazing for a few days so that he could make use of the dung of the animals to enrich his field.
With rapid urbanization and conversion of agricultural land into residential colonies, herders are increasingly finding it difficult to carry on a tradition. Pasture lands and water sources for the cattle are shrinking by the day and cowherds, who mostly rear indigenous cow breeds, are finding it difficult to maintain their animals.
With aim to revive the tradition as well as provide livelihoods to the herders, MABIF in association with THOZHUVAM is creating an ecosystem to support the herders as well as create an ecosystem which build soil carbon for future agriculture.
Currently, the herds are in following places of Madurai and Sivaganga Districts
1. Ilamanoor (இளமனூர்) – 1000 Cows
2. Thiruparankundram (திருப்பரங்குன்றம்) - 1000 Cows
3. Pottapanayur (பொட்டபனையூர்) – 400 Cows
4. Eliyarpaththi (எலியார்பத்தி) – 600 cows
5. Avaniyapuram (அவனியாபுரம்) – 1000 cows
A herd of 100 cows gives an output of 250-350 Kgs per night. Those who are in need for cow dung for their farms can also contact us.
Farmers and other relevant stakeholders, who wish to bring the herd to their field (20 kms radius from the said villages), Please contact Sh. P Muthu Kumar - 98403 69516 (Thozhuvam) / P. Sivakumar – 9739850500.
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