Una
In Himachal Pradesh , first time the Animal Husbandry Department is preparing the feta cheese from goat’s milk. There is a good amount of protein in it. It is considered beneficial in keeping the heart and mind healthy. If the experiment is successful, interested people across the state will be given training to prepare it. This will prove to be an excellent source of income for the cattle rearers.
According to the information, cattle rearers are rearing about 12 lakh goats across the state. Of these, 12,000 goats have been reared in Una, but the sale of goat milk could not find much place in the market. While it is full of medicinal properties. However, there is a great demand for goat milk in the treatment of serious diseases like dengue, tuberculosis. At the same time, the consumption of salads and other products prepared from feta cheese is very high in foreign countries.
Now the Animal Husbandry Department has planned to prepare feta cheese to make goat’s milk available in the market. Experts say that it takes a month to prepare feta cheese, but its price in the market is much higher than normal paneer. Feta cheese, sold for Rs 2,500 to Rs 3,000 per kg, is used in salads, pizzas, toasts, protein products.
Amino acid will strengthen the brain It is being told that milk from goat is full of amino acids. It is very beneficial in strengthening the mind. Short chain fatty acids are found in this milk, which improves heart health.
Efforts are on to provide goat rearers with better means of income from the market across the state. Geographical conditions are very favorable for goat rearing especially in Una district. If people include goat milk in their daily diet, many serious diseases can be avoided. Testing is going on to make this milk suitable in the market.-Dr. Upinder Kumar, Assistant Director, District Animal Husbandry Department.