Cattle in Karnataka to get digital chip ear implants

BENGALURU: Soon, cattle owners in the state will be able to track their animals electronically, using digital chips. Under the state government project, GPS-enabled digital chips, each costing Rs 6.2, will be implanted in the ears of cattle.
The state has 1.3 cattle, including 71 lakh milch cows.
“It will help tracking the animal if it has been misused for slaughter and track its health condition to ensure proper and timely medication,” animal husbandry minister Venkatrao Nadagouda said and added that such chips have already been implanted on 56 lakh animals across the state.He said the department is going digital .
Animal husbandry department official will visit farmers’ houses for the purpose.
Nadagouda said the foot and mouth disease continues to persist in four districts of Karnataka with Dharwad being the worst affected. “The disease spread during the national cattle display held at Dharward University of Agriculture Sciences where affected cattle from other states were present,” he claimed.
He said the government plans to increase sales of indigenous cow milk by marketing it under a separate packaging. “We’re in talks with the Karnataka Milk Federation in this regard.”