Kurukshetra Magazine July 2024 - 3 | Current Affairs & Hindu Analysis: Daily, Weekly & Monthly - UPSC PDF Download

 Page 1


* Bhuwan Bhaskar
Rebooting Operation Flood Rebooting Operation Flood 
through Automation through Automation
* The author is Vice President, NCDEX, a leading agricultural commodity exchange. Email: bhaskarbhuwan@gmail.com
   Views expressed are personal.
ndia’s dairy industry has had a 
phenomenal run in the last many 
years. Over the previous nine 
years, milk production has grown 
at a compound annual growth rate 
(CAGR) of 5.85%. India has seen a 58% increase in 
volume over this time, occurring between the years 
2014–15 and 2022–23. With a 24.64% share (2021–22) 
of the world milk output, it reached 230.58 million 
tons in 2022–2023, ranking the nation first globally. 
Together, these five states account for 53.11% of the 
nation’s milk production: Rajasthan (15.05%), Uttar 
Pradesh (14.93%), Madhya Pradesh (8.6%), Gujarat 
(7.56%), and Andhra Pradesh (6.097%). In 2022–2023, 
India exported 67,572.99 MT of dairy products to the 
world, valued at $284.65 million. 
In any race, achieving success carries the risk of 
complacency and looking into space. What comes 
next is the first question facing the Indian dairy 
industry. Has the industry progressed to the point 
where every issue facing it can be deemed resolved? 
Now let’s investigate:
I
Modern technology has brought about a dramatic change in the dairy farm industry in 
recent years. These developments have completely changed the way dairy farms run their 
operations, emphasizing increased productivity, sustainability, and efficiency.
Page 2


* Bhuwan Bhaskar
Rebooting Operation Flood Rebooting Operation Flood 
through Automation through Automation
* The author is Vice President, NCDEX, a leading agricultural commodity exchange. Email: bhaskarbhuwan@gmail.com
   Views expressed are personal.
ndia’s dairy industry has had a 
phenomenal run in the last many 
years. Over the previous nine 
years, milk production has grown 
at a compound annual growth rate 
(CAGR) of 5.85%. India has seen a 58% increase in 
volume over this time, occurring between the years 
2014–15 and 2022–23. With a 24.64% share (2021–22) 
of the world milk output, it reached 230.58 million 
tons in 2022–2023, ranking the nation first globally. 
Together, these five states account for 53.11% of the 
nation’s milk production: Rajasthan (15.05%), Uttar 
Pradesh (14.93%), Madhya Pradesh (8.6%), Gujarat 
(7.56%), and Andhra Pradesh (6.097%). In 2022–2023, 
India exported 67,572.99 MT of dairy products to the 
world, valued at $284.65 million. 
In any race, achieving success carries the risk of 
complacency and looking into space. What comes 
next is the first question facing the Indian dairy 
industry. Has the industry progressed to the point 
where every issue facing it can be deemed resolved? 
Now let’s investigate:
I
Modern technology has brought about a dramatic change in the dairy farm industry in 
recent years. These developments have completely changed the way dairy farms run their 
operations, emphasizing increased productivity, sustainability, and efficiency.
40 Kurukshetra       July  2024
When the Indian government 
launched Operation Flood in 1970, it had 
three goals in mind: raising rural incomes, 
increasing milk production (“a flood of 
milk”), and supplying customers with 
affordable milk. A self-sufficient network of 
43,000 village co-ops with 42,50,000 milk 
producers was in place by the end of 1985. 
All of the growth in domestic milk powder 
production by 1989—from 22,000 metric 
tons in the pre-project year to 140,000 
tons—came from dairies established as 
part of Operation Flood. According to a 
study released by NABARD Research in 
May 2023, milk production was just 17 MT 
at the time of Independence in the year 
1947 but it climbed to 222 MT (provisional 
statistics) with a compound annual growth 
rate of 4.9%. Thus, it is evident that 
Operation Flood was extremely successful 
in producing “a flood of milk.” However, 
what about the following two goals?  
According to data released by the 
Statista Research Department on May 
16, 2023, India’s per capita consumption 
of fluid cow milk in 2022 was 59.98 kg. 
This was more than China (11.4 kg), Brazil 
(49.06 kg), Russia (47.68 kg), Japan (32.79 
kg), and South Korea (29.53 kg), but 
significantly less than Belarus (113.27 kg), 
New Zealand (103.18 kg), Australia (93.59 
kg), the UK (89.62 kg), and the US (62 kg). 
When the data is combined, it becomes 
clear that even though India leads the 
world in milk production, the country still 
lags well behind the most affluent nations 
in terms of the amount of fluid milk 
consumed per capita. However, this is not 
the complete tale. From 467 million metric 
tons in 2013 to almost 544 million metric 
tons in 2022, the world produced more 
cow milk than ever before. The European 
Union is responsible for the majority of 
this output, producing almost 145 million 
metric tons of cow milk. The EU was 
home to approximately 20 million dairy 
cows that same year. But even though 
the EU produced the most milk, India had 
Page 3


* Bhuwan Bhaskar
Rebooting Operation Flood Rebooting Operation Flood 
through Automation through Automation
* The author is Vice President, NCDEX, a leading agricultural commodity exchange. Email: bhaskarbhuwan@gmail.com
   Views expressed are personal.
ndia’s dairy industry has had a 
phenomenal run in the last many 
years. Over the previous nine 
years, milk production has grown 
at a compound annual growth rate 
(CAGR) of 5.85%. India has seen a 58% increase in 
volume over this time, occurring between the years 
2014–15 and 2022–23. With a 24.64% share (2021–22) 
of the world milk output, it reached 230.58 million 
tons in 2022–2023, ranking the nation first globally. 
Together, these five states account for 53.11% of the 
nation’s milk production: Rajasthan (15.05%), Uttar 
Pradesh (14.93%), Madhya Pradesh (8.6%), Gujarat 
(7.56%), and Andhra Pradesh (6.097%). In 2022–2023, 
India exported 67,572.99 MT of dairy products to the 
world, valued at $284.65 million. 
In any race, achieving success carries the risk of 
complacency and looking into space. What comes 
next is the first question facing the Indian dairy 
industry. Has the industry progressed to the point 
where every issue facing it can be deemed resolved? 
Now let’s investigate:
I
Modern technology has brought about a dramatic change in the dairy farm industry in 
recent years. These developments have completely changed the way dairy farms run their 
operations, emphasizing increased productivity, sustainability, and efficiency.
40 Kurukshetra       July  2024
When the Indian government 
launched Operation Flood in 1970, it had 
three goals in mind: raising rural incomes, 
increasing milk production (“a flood of 
milk”), and supplying customers with 
affordable milk. A self-sufficient network of 
43,000 village co-ops with 42,50,000 milk 
producers was in place by the end of 1985. 
All of the growth in domestic milk powder 
production by 1989—from 22,000 metric 
tons in the pre-project year to 140,000 
tons—came from dairies established as 
part of Operation Flood. According to a 
study released by NABARD Research in 
May 2023, milk production was just 17 MT 
at the time of Independence in the year 
1947 but it climbed to 222 MT (provisional 
statistics) with a compound annual growth 
rate of 4.9%. Thus, it is evident that 
Operation Flood was extremely successful 
in producing “a flood of milk.” However, 
what about the following two goals?  
According to data released by the 
Statista Research Department on May 
16, 2023, India’s per capita consumption 
of fluid cow milk in 2022 was 59.98 kg. 
This was more than China (11.4 kg), Brazil 
(49.06 kg), Russia (47.68 kg), Japan (32.79 
kg), and South Korea (29.53 kg), but 
significantly less than Belarus (113.27 kg), 
New Zealand (103.18 kg), Australia (93.59 
kg), the UK (89.62 kg), and the US (62 kg). 
When the data is combined, it becomes 
clear that even though India leads the 
world in milk production, the country still 
lags well behind the most affluent nations 
in terms of the amount of fluid milk 
consumed per capita. However, this is not 
the complete tale. From 467 million metric 
tons in 2013 to almost 544 million metric 
tons in 2022, the world produced more 
cow milk than ever before. The European 
Union is responsible for the majority of 
this output, producing almost 145 million 
metric tons of cow milk. The EU was 
home to approximately 20 million dairy 
cows that same year. But even though 
the EU produced the most milk, India had 
41 Kurukshetra       July  2024
over twice as many dairy cows. To put it simply, India’s 
average yield per cow is too low when compared to 
other affluent countries. The average daily milk yield of 
exotic or crossbred cows in India was 8.52 kg in fiscal 
year 2022, while it was 21 kg in the EU. (Globally, the 
dairy sector involves 85% cows, so data related to cows 
only has been considered.)
In the long run, this productivity problem renders 
dairy unsustainable for many of the nation’s farmers, 
among other issues. Quality-related problems arise 
from sustainability. Further investigation into the 
causes of this basic issue of “lower yield” may reveal 
other issues with cattle management, understanding 
of veterinarian health concerns, climate change and 
rising temperatures, and cattle nutrition. If farmers are 
to receive higher revenues, another factor that must be 
addressed is the marketing of milk and dairy products.  
Farmers in other states frequently complain about 
not receiving a fair price for their milk, with the exception 
of a few where the cooperative dairy industry is quite 
strong. Furthermore, the majority of the impoverished 
cannot afford the price of milk, which is why fake and 
adulterated milk is booming throughout most of the 
nation. The state food safety laboratory of Assam has 
discovered that over 26% of the milk and milk product 
samples supplied by the unorganised sector in the city 
over the last three years pose major health risks to the 
public, according to a news item carried in The Indian 
Express on March 13, 2024. According to data, 497 out 
of 1,400 milk samples collected in Punjab in 2022–2023 
were determined to be non-conforming for food safety. 
Of the 497 samples, 10 were deemed “unsafe” because 
they contained “foreign fat,” as reported in an Indian 
Express article that was published on April 6, 2024. The 
fact that products of this caliber are reaching the market 
indicates that supply and demand are significantly out 
of balance, which is skewing price parity. 
Therefore, India requires Operation Flood Part II, 
which must be driven by innovation and technology, 
to fulfill the two remaining goals of Operation Flood, 
which are raising rural income and supplying milk at a 
reasonable price. Dairy has to innovate urgently because 
of its negative impact on climate change, in addition to its 
high costs and decreasing viability to sustain livelihood. 
Few people are aware that dairy animals continuously 
release a significant amount of methane gas. Methane 
is thirty times more hazardous than carbon dioxide, and 
statistics show that livestock alone accounts for 18% of 
the greenhouse gas emissions emitted by all forms of 
transportation. Thus, mechanisation, automation, and 
innovation in the dairy industry are not only necessary 
for the industry’s growth but are also the need of time.
The health, lifestyle, and milk quality of the animals, 
as well as increased profitability, are among the 
advantages of automation and management of dairy 
farms. From automated milk collection and composition 
testing at the village level to real-time milk procurement 
and evaluation of all milk quality indicators, technology 
has become increasingly important in the dairy business. 
Automation can give dairy producers information that 
can help them in addition to saving time, especially in 
regard to animal health, nutrition, and reproduction in 
order for all farmers to be productively balanced in their 
dairy production.
The dairy sector has incorporated technology and 
automation in the following ways:
Automated Milking Systems: The use of 
automated milking systems is one of the biggest 
developments in the management of dairy farms. The 
technique of milking has been radically revolutionised 
by robotic milking equipment. To determine when a 
cow is ready to be milked, attach milking equipment, 
and track the flow of milk, they use sensors. These 
devices save labor expenses and time by milking cows 
without the need for human involvement. Because of 
this technology, milk output and herd management 
will both grow as more cows are milked on a regular 
basis.
These robots come with tea cups and artificial 
arms. They identify each cow, find the teats, and fasten 
the milking apparatus using sensors and cameras. The 
technology calculates each cow’s milk yield while it is 
Page 4


* Bhuwan Bhaskar
Rebooting Operation Flood Rebooting Operation Flood 
through Automation through Automation
* The author is Vice President, NCDEX, a leading agricultural commodity exchange. Email: bhaskarbhuwan@gmail.com
   Views expressed are personal.
ndia’s dairy industry has had a 
phenomenal run in the last many 
years. Over the previous nine 
years, milk production has grown 
at a compound annual growth rate 
(CAGR) of 5.85%. India has seen a 58% increase in 
volume over this time, occurring between the years 
2014–15 and 2022–23. With a 24.64% share (2021–22) 
of the world milk output, it reached 230.58 million 
tons in 2022–2023, ranking the nation first globally. 
Together, these five states account for 53.11% of the 
nation’s milk production: Rajasthan (15.05%), Uttar 
Pradesh (14.93%), Madhya Pradesh (8.6%), Gujarat 
(7.56%), and Andhra Pradesh (6.097%). In 2022–2023, 
India exported 67,572.99 MT of dairy products to the 
world, valued at $284.65 million. 
In any race, achieving success carries the risk of 
complacency and looking into space. What comes 
next is the first question facing the Indian dairy 
industry. Has the industry progressed to the point 
where every issue facing it can be deemed resolved? 
Now let’s investigate:
I
Modern technology has brought about a dramatic change in the dairy farm industry in 
recent years. These developments have completely changed the way dairy farms run their 
operations, emphasizing increased productivity, sustainability, and efficiency.
40 Kurukshetra       July  2024
When the Indian government 
launched Operation Flood in 1970, it had 
three goals in mind: raising rural incomes, 
increasing milk production (“a flood of 
milk”), and supplying customers with 
affordable milk. A self-sufficient network of 
43,000 village co-ops with 42,50,000 milk 
producers was in place by the end of 1985. 
All of the growth in domestic milk powder 
production by 1989—from 22,000 metric 
tons in the pre-project year to 140,000 
tons—came from dairies established as 
part of Operation Flood. According to a 
study released by NABARD Research in 
May 2023, milk production was just 17 MT 
at the time of Independence in the year 
1947 but it climbed to 222 MT (provisional 
statistics) with a compound annual growth 
rate of 4.9%. Thus, it is evident that 
Operation Flood was extremely successful 
in producing “a flood of milk.” However, 
what about the following two goals?  
According to data released by the 
Statista Research Department on May 
16, 2023, India’s per capita consumption 
of fluid cow milk in 2022 was 59.98 kg. 
This was more than China (11.4 kg), Brazil 
(49.06 kg), Russia (47.68 kg), Japan (32.79 
kg), and South Korea (29.53 kg), but 
significantly less than Belarus (113.27 kg), 
New Zealand (103.18 kg), Australia (93.59 
kg), the UK (89.62 kg), and the US (62 kg). 
When the data is combined, it becomes 
clear that even though India leads the 
world in milk production, the country still 
lags well behind the most affluent nations 
in terms of the amount of fluid milk 
consumed per capita. However, this is not 
the complete tale. From 467 million metric 
tons in 2013 to almost 544 million metric 
tons in 2022, the world produced more 
cow milk than ever before. The European 
Union is responsible for the majority of 
this output, producing almost 145 million 
metric tons of cow milk. The EU was 
home to approximately 20 million dairy 
cows that same year. But even though 
the EU produced the most milk, India had 
41 Kurukshetra       July  2024
over twice as many dairy cows. To put it simply, India’s 
average yield per cow is too low when compared to 
other affluent countries. The average daily milk yield of 
exotic or crossbred cows in India was 8.52 kg in fiscal 
year 2022, while it was 21 kg in the EU. (Globally, the 
dairy sector involves 85% cows, so data related to cows 
only has been considered.)
In the long run, this productivity problem renders 
dairy unsustainable for many of the nation’s farmers, 
among other issues. Quality-related problems arise 
from sustainability. Further investigation into the 
causes of this basic issue of “lower yield” may reveal 
other issues with cattle management, understanding 
of veterinarian health concerns, climate change and 
rising temperatures, and cattle nutrition. If farmers are 
to receive higher revenues, another factor that must be 
addressed is the marketing of milk and dairy products.  
Farmers in other states frequently complain about 
not receiving a fair price for their milk, with the exception 
of a few where the cooperative dairy industry is quite 
strong. Furthermore, the majority of the impoverished 
cannot afford the price of milk, which is why fake and 
adulterated milk is booming throughout most of the 
nation. The state food safety laboratory of Assam has 
discovered that over 26% of the milk and milk product 
samples supplied by the unorganised sector in the city 
over the last three years pose major health risks to the 
public, according to a news item carried in The Indian 
Express on March 13, 2024. According to data, 497 out 
of 1,400 milk samples collected in Punjab in 2022–2023 
were determined to be non-conforming for food safety. 
Of the 497 samples, 10 were deemed “unsafe” because 
they contained “foreign fat,” as reported in an Indian 
Express article that was published on April 6, 2024. The 
fact that products of this caliber are reaching the market 
indicates that supply and demand are significantly out 
of balance, which is skewing price parity. 
Therefore, India requires Operation Flood Part II, 
which must be driven by innovation and technology, 
to fulfill the two remaining goals of Operation Flood, 
which are raising rural income and supplying milk at a 
reasonable price. Dairy has to innovate urgently because 
of its negative impact on climate change, in addition to its 
high costs and decreasing viability to sustain livelihood. 
Few people are aware that dairy animals continuously 
release a significant amount of methane gas. Methane 
is thirty times more hazardous than carbon dioxide, and 
statistics show that livestock alone accounts for 18% of 
the greenhouse gas emissions emitted by all forms of 
transportation. Thus, mechanisation, automation, and 
innovation in the dairy industry are not only necessary 
for the industry’s growth but are also the need of time.
The health, lifestyle, and milk quality of the animals, 
as well as increased profitability, are among the 
advantages of automation and management of dairy 
farms. From automated milk collection and composition 
testing at the village level to real-time milk procurement 
and evaluation of all milk quality indicators, technology 
has become increasingly important in the dairy business. 
Automation can give dairy producers information that 
can help them in addition to saving time, especially in 
regard to animal health, nutrition, and reproduction in 
order for all farmers to be productively balanced in their 
dairy production.
The dairy sector has incorporated technology and 
automation in the following ways:
Automated Milking Systems: The use of 
automated milking systems is one of the biggest 
developments in the management of dairy farms. The 
technique of milking has been radically revolutionised 
by robotic milking equipment. To determine when a 
cow is ready to be milked, attach milking equipment, 
and track the flow of milk, they use sensors. These 
devices save labor expenses and time by milking cows 
without the need for human involvement. Because of 
this technology, milk output and herd management 
will both grow as more cows are milked on a regular 
basis.
These robots come with tea cups and artificial 
arms. They identify each cow, find the teats, and fasten 
the milking apparatus using sensors and cameras. The 
technology calculates each cow’s milk yield while it is 
42 Kurukshetra       July  2024
Precision Feeding: By giving animals extremely 
specialised and customised nutrition technology, 
precision feeding is a cutting-edge approach to 
livestock nutrition and management that aims to 
optimise animal diets, especially in the context of 
animal agriculture. It is also transforming the way 
cows are fed on dairy farms. Depending on each 
cow’s nutritional requirements, automated feeding 
systems may provide just the right amount of feed. 
This minimises feed waste while also optimising milk 
being milked. Software and sensors built into Automated 
Milking Systems keep an eye on a number of variables, 
including milk quality, frequency of milking, and cow 
behavior.
Data-Driven Decision-Making: Data is the 
foundation of the modern dairy farm. Dairy farm 
managers employ technology to gather and evaluate 
data on a range of operational elements. This involves 
monitoring the cattle’s health and welfare. Real-time 
data on each cow’s health is provided via wearables 
and sensors, which helps farmers spot and treat 
problems like disease outbreaks or nutritional deficits 
in a timely manner. Higher milk production is the result 
of healthier, more productive cows raised using a data-
driven management strategy.
The gathering of data is the first step in the process. 
To get useful insights, data must be processed and 
analysed after it has been gathered. These choices may 
have an impact on a variety of topics, including risk 
management, resource allocation, marketing tactics, 
and product development.
The dairy sector holds immense significance both 
globally and in India. Dairy products serve as a 
cornerstone of human nutrition, providing essential 
nutrients such as calcium, protein, and vitamins, 
contributing to overall health and well-being.
The history of the Indian dairy industry dates back to 
ancient times when the domestication of cattle and 
buffaloes played a crucial role in providing milk and 
dairy products for sustenance.
Page 5


* Bhuwan Bhaskar
Rebooting Operation Flood Rebooting Operation Flood 
through Automation through Automation
* The author is Vice President, NCDEX, a leading agricultural commodity exchange. Email: bhaskarbhuwan@gmail.com
   Views expressed are personal.
ndia’s dairy industry has had a 
phenomenal run in the last many 
years. Over the previous nine 
years, milk production has grown 
at a compound annual growth rate 
(CAGR) of 5.85%. India has seen a 58% increase in 
volume over this time, occurring between the years 
2014–15 and 2022–23. With a 24.64% share (2021–22) 
of the world milk output, it reached 230.58 million 
tons in 2022–2023, ranking the nation first globally. 
Together, these five states account for 53.11% of the 
nation’s milk production: Rajasthan (15.05%), Uttar 
Pradesh (14.93%), Madhya Pradesh (8.6%), Gujarat 
(7.56%), and Andhra Pradesh (6.097%). In 2022–2023, 
India exported 67,572.99 MT of dairy products to the 
world, valued at $284.65 million. 
In any race, achieving success carries the risk of 
complacency and looking into space. What comes 
next is the first question facing the Indian dairy 
industry. Has the industry progressed to the point 
where every issue facing it can be deemed resolved? 
Now let’s investigate:
I
Modern technology has brought about a dramatic change in the dairy farm industry in 
recent years. These developments have completely changed the way dairy farms run their 
operations, emphasizing increased productivity, sustainability, and efficiency.
40 Kurukshetra       July  2024
When the Indian government 
launched Operation Flood in 1970, it had 
three goals in mind: raising rural incomes, 
increasing milk production (“a flood of 
milk”), and supplying customers with 
affordable milk. A self-sufficient network of 
43,000 village co-ops with 42,50,000 milk 
producers was in place by the end of 1985. 
All of the growth in domestic milk powder 
production by 1989—from 22,000 metric 
tons in the pre-project year to 140,000 
tons—came from dairies established as 
part of Operation Flood. According to a 
study released by NABARD Research in 
May 2023, milk production was just 17 MT 
at the time of Independence in the year 
1947 but it climbed to 222 MT (provisional 
statistics) with a compound annual growth 
rate of 4.9%. Thus, it is evident that 
Operation Flood was extremely successful 
in producing “a flood of milk.” However, 
what about the following two goals?  
According to data released by the 
Statista Research Department on May 
16, 2023, India’s per capita consumption 
of fluid cow milk in 2022 was 59.98 kg. 
This was more than China (11.4 kg), Brazil 
(49.06 kg), Russia (47.68 kg), Japan (32.79 
kg), and South Korea (29.53 kg), but 
significantly less than Belarus (113.27 kg), 
New Zealand (103.18 kg), Australia (93.59 
kg), the UK (89.62 kg), and the US (62 kg). 
When the data is combined, it becomes 
clear that even though India leads the 
world in milk production, the country still 
lags well behind the most affluent nations 
in terms of the amount of fluid milk 
consumed per capita. However, this is not 
the complete tale. From 467 million metric 
tons in 2013 to almost 544 million metric 
tons in 2022, the world produced more 
cow milk than ever before. The European 
Union is responsible for the majority of 
this output, producing almost 145 million 
metric tons of cow milk. The EU was 
home to approximately 20 million dairy 
cows that same year. But even though 
the EU produced the most milk, India had 
41 Kurukshetra       July  2024
over twice as many dairy cows. To put it simply, India’s 
average yield per cow is too low when compared to 
other affluent countries. The average daily milk yield of 
exotic or crossbred cows in India was 8.52 kg in fiscal 
year 2022, while it was 21 kg in the EU. (Globally, the 
dairy sector involves 85% cows, so data related to cows 
only has been considered.)
In the long run, this productivity problem renders 
dairy unsustainable for many of the nation’s farmers, 
among other issues. Quality-related problems arise 
from sustainability. Further investigation into the 
causes of this basic issue of “lower yield” may reveal 
other issues with cattle management, understanding 
of veterinarian health concerns, climate change and 
rising temperatures, and cattle nutrition. If farmers are 
to receive higher revenues, another factor that must be 
addressed is the marketing of milk and dairy products.  
Farmers in other states frequently complain about 
not receiving a fair price for their milk, with the exception 
of a few where the cooperative dairy industry is quite 
strong. Furthermore, the majority of the impoverished 
cannot afford the price of milk, which is why fake and 
adulterated milk is booming throughout most of the 
nation. The state food safety laboratory of Assam has 
discovered that over 26% of the milk and milk product 
samples supplied by the unorganised sector in the city 
over the last three years pose major health risks to the 
public, according to a news item carried in The Indian 
Express on March 13, 2024. According to data, 497 out 
of 1,400 milk samples collected in Punjab in 2022–2023 
were determined to be non-conforming for food safety. 
Of the 497 samples, 10 were deemed “unsafe” because 
they contained “foreign fat,” as reported in an Indian 
Express article that was published on April 6, 2024. The 
fact that products of this caliber are reaching the market 
indicates that supply and demand are significantly out 
of balance, which is skewing price parity. 
Therefore, India requires Operation Flood Part II, 
which must be driven by innovation and technology, 
to fulfill the two remaining goals of Operation Flood, 
which are raising rural income and supplying milk at a 
reasonable price. Dairy has to innovate urgently because 
of its negative impact on climate change, in addition to its 
high costs and decreasing viability to sustain livelihood. 
Few people are aware that dairy animals continuously 
release a significant amount of methane gas. Methane 
is thirty times more hazardous than carbon dioxide, and 
statistics show that livestock alone accounts for 18% of 
the greenhouse gas emissions emitted by all forms of 
transportation. Thus, mechanisation, automation, and 
innovation in the dairy industry are not only necessary 
for the industry’s growth but are also the need of time.
The health, lifestyle, and milk quality of the animals, 
as well as increased profitability, are among the 
advantages of automation and management of dairy 
farms. From automated milk collection and composition 
testing at the village level to real-time milk procurement 
and evaluation of all milk quality indicators, technology 
has become increasingly important in the dairy business. 
Automation can give dairy producers information that 
can help them in addition to saving time, especially in 
regard to animal health, nutrition, and reproduction in 
order for all farmers to be productively balanced in their 
dairy production.
The dairy sector has incorporated technology and 
automation in the following ways:
Automated Milking Systems: The use of 
automated milking systems is one of the biggest 
developments in the management of dairy farms. The 
technique of milking has been radically revolutionised 
by robotic milking equipment. To determine when a 
cow is ready to be milked, attach milking equipment, 
and track the flow of milk, they use sensors. These 
devices save labor expenses and time by milking cows 
without the need for human involvement. Because of 
this technology, milk output and herd management 
will both grow as more cows are milked on a regular 
basis.
These robots come with tea cups and artificial 
arms. They identify each cow, find the teats, and fasten 
the milking apparatus using sensors and cameras. The 
technology calculates each cow’s milk yield while it is 
42 Kurukshetra       July  2024
Precision Feeding: By giving animals extremely 
specialised and customised nutrition technology, 
precision feeding is a cutting-edge approach to 
livestock nutrition and management that aims to 
optimise animal diets, especially in the context of 
animal agriculture. It is also transforming the way 
cows are fed on dairy farms. Depending on each 
cow’s nutritional requirements, automated feeding 
systems may provide just the right amount of feed. 
This minimises feed waste while also optimising milk 
being milked. Software and sensors built into Automated 
Milking Systems keep an eye on a number of variables, 
including milk quality, frequency of milking, and cow 
behavior.
Data-Driven Decision-Making: Data is the 
foundation of the modern dairy farm. Dairy farm 
managers employ technology to gather and evaluate 
data on a range of operational elements. This involves 
monitoring the cattle’s health and welfare. Real-time 
data on each cow’s health is provided via wearables 
and sensors, which helps farmers spot and treat 
problems like disease outbreaks or nutritional deficits 
in a timely manner. Higher milk production is the result 
of healthier, more productive cows raised using a data-
driven management strategy.
The gathering of data is the first step in the process. 
To get useful insights, data must be processed and 
analysed after it has been gathered. These choices may 
have an impact on a variety of topics, including risk 
management, resource allocation, marketing tactics, 
and product development.
The dairy sector holds immense significance both 
globally and in India. Dairy products serve as a 
cornerstone of human nutrition, providing essential 
nutrients such as calcium, protein, and vitamins, 
contributing to overall health and well-being.
The history of the Indian dairy industry dates back to 
ancient times when the domestication of cattle and 
buffaloes played a crucial role in providing milk and 
dairy products for sustenance.
43 Kurukshetra       July  2024
output. By using automation, producers can make 
sure that each cow is fed a balanced diet, which will 
improve the herd’s general health and productivity.
Sustainable Practices: Controlling dairy farming’s 
environmental impact is becoming more and more 
important. More sustainable techniques are being 
adopted by dairy producers with the aid of technology 
and automation. To use less water and energy, smart 
barns and automated irrigation systems regulate 
the temperature and humidity. Furthermore, dairy 
farming’s environmental impact can be decreased by 
using manure management technologies to turn waste 
into biogas.
Inventory and Supply Chain Management: Effective 
resource management is essential to the financial success 
of dairy farms. Feed, medicine, and other supplies are 
tracked using inventory management software to avoid 
shortages or overstocking, which can have an adverse 
effect on the health of the herd. Technology is also 
essential to the supply chain since it ensures that milk is 
collected, transported, and processed efficiently, cutting 
costs and waste.
The Future of Dairy Farm Management: The 
management of dairy farms appears to have much 
greater promise going forward. Artificial intelligence 
and robotics are being incorporated into the industry 
more and more. These technologies can be applied to 
various jobs, such as sorting cows, cleaning barns, and 
even feeding and disposing of rubbish with autonomous 
trucks. AI is also being used to anticipate health 
problems and behavior in cows, allowing for proactive 
management and care.
Digitalisation: It might be viewed as the dairy 
industry’s next crucial step toward increasing efficiency 
as well as resolving existing issues. Digitalisation has the 
potential to be extremely important in a number of fields, 
including AI-driven predictive analysis, robotic milking, 
livestock management, and more. While some of these 
sectors have already begun to undergo digitalisation, 
others are ones that we anticipate growing in the years 
to come.
Cognitive Health & Dairy: Concerns regarding 
the population’s deteriorating cognitive health have 
increased since the pandemic’s start. People who 
struggle to strike a healthy work-life balance, such as 
homemakers, health professionals, students under 
stress from their studies, and others, are increasingly 
turning to functional meals as a way to unwind and 
relieve tension from their daily lives. Dairy businesses 
are always coming up with new ideas in this field.
The 'White Revolution', a term to describe the rapid growth of the 
dairy industry in India, was fuelled by 'Operation Flood'. This period 
witnessed significant increase in milk production, dairy cooperatives, 
and milk processing facilities.