Save the Precious Indian Breed of Cows

As per the Vedic and Vaishnav cultures, the Cow is a Supreme, divine being – an earthly embodiment of God. It is believed to be the abode of Hindu deities and has been treated as auspicious and a symbol of piousness and compassion. This is the reason Cow has always been referred to as Goumatha. The Indian breeds of cows are a crucial part of the country’s ecological heritage. In the past, these breeds were developed in different parts of the subcontinent by selecting the best animals for their preferred traits such as milking capacity, draught power, feeding requirements, capacity to adapt to local weather, immunity, etc. The purity of such breeds was maintained with great discipline and wisdom in each breeding tract.

However, since the sixties, in a bid to increase the production of cow milk, the Indian Government has resorted to “cross-breeding” by using foreign bulls and semen. How damaging this has been is evident from the gradual extinction of our low-maintenance, superior, and enduring variety of native breeds of cows. Instead, we are now confronted with the progressive creation of expensive hybrids that require air-conditioned stalls, costly feed, and medical care. Lakhs of Indian breeds of cattle are being brutally murdered for meat and exports and it has become more than necessary to build a cow shelter where these divine beings can be saved.

We have the zest to help these holy cows but we do not have the space or financial support to take care of them. We are taking care of over 400 cows in our Surabhivana Gaushala and Shakthi Darshan Yogashram. Here the cows are not just loved and taken care of – they are worshipped. Any kind of help from generous donors like you will assist sick cows and help us build more Gaushalas and cow shelter houses so that we can stop old and sick cows from reaching the slaughterhouses.

To consume milk from the cow and then harm or even kill her is the same as harming or killing one’s mother. As one would love and protect his mother, so he must love and protect the Cow. All mothers deserve a position of respect. Protecting cows is the most critical component of protecting Mother Earth.

The ever-growing human population must be fed continuously. So also does the earth needs to be nourished regularly. Using chemical fertilizers and urea gradually degrades the earth rendering the soil infertile and sterile leading to a potential crisis. The only infallible and real way of doing this is by saving and nurturing our indigenous breed of cows. These cows have the right microbial nutrients and organic matter to revitalize and nourish the earth. Cow dung is the most effective way to revive the earth that is on the brink of becoming barren and uncultivable.