The proposal comes at a time when some states like Uttar Pradesh are struggling to find a solution to the stray cattle problem. IN AN attempt to check the rising stray cattle numbers, the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD) has proposed using stray cows as surrogates to give birth to ‘elite cows’ (with high milk yield). When contacted, Malik said: “We are planning to do a pilot on this (stray cows as surrogates). While a gender-wise break-up of the stray cattle population is not available, it is estimated that males outnumber the females. West Bengal (19 million) heads the list, followed by Uttar Pradesh (18.8 million) and Madhya Pradesh (18.7 million).

Source: Indian Express January 23, 2020 23:37 UTC