Cow milking competition held

Dairy farmers took part in a cow milking competition, as part of Raitha Dasara celebrations, on Saturday at J.K. Grounds in Mysuru. The competition, held in two phases during the morning and evening, featured 18 cows from Mysuru, Mandya, Bengaluru, Hassan, and other districts. The cows, along with their calves, arrived at the venue on Friday for a trial run.

A cowshed was set up to house the animals during the event. Only cows capable of producing more than 15 liters of milk were permitted to compete. Each cow yielded an average of 20 liters of milk, with separate sessions held in the morning and evening. The participating farmers, who have been in the dairy business for several years, took the milk collected during the contest.

The competition was seen as a matter of pride among dairy farmers. Notable participants included Ajay Reddy, a young farmer from Bengaluru who traveled from Jayanagar to take part with a genetically bred cow, and Manjunath, a veteran farmer from Saligrama who has been competing twice before and urged the government to raise the price of milk.

Kiran Guli, a farmer from Hassan, brought a cow that had won a prize in a similar competition held in Srirangapatna. The Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services also organized an animal exhibition showcasing rare breeds of cattle and sheep, including Sahiwal, Punganuru, Tharparkar, Dangi, Jaffarabadi, Murrah, Hallikar, Kangayam, Bandoori, and Dorper.

Winners received cash prizes, with the first-place winner receiving ₹1 lakh, the second-place winner getting ₹80,000, the third-place winner receiving ₹60,000, and the fourth-place winner taking home ₹40,000.