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Bengaluru: She is a 47-year-old dairy farmer with no formal education, but that did not deter her from scaling the social ladder and elevating her economic status: She earned a whopping Rs 30 lakh last year by selling cow milk!
Meet Mangalamma from Dinka village (150km from Bengaluru) in Mandya district. The spotlight was on her Saturday when she was recognised as the ‘Best dairy farmer from Karnataka’ at Southern Dairy Summit-2025, organised by Indian Dairy Association (south zone). Her herd of 30 cows and two buffaloes produced a whopping 1 lakh litres of milk last year, making her a role model in her village.
Mangalamma started her journey in a humble manner with just cows on her one-gunta farm. Speaking to STOI, she said: “Two decades ago, my husband and I decided to start a dairy business. We researched, attended seminars and learnt scientific management to produce better yield. Initially, we had no investment, so we started small. Now, we have implemented almost every scientific method used in dairy farming, including a milking machine and a meticulously planned feeding regime.”
Her cattle are given a carefully planned diet that includes a mix of grains like maize, nutritious feed like hindi (oil cake), and supplements from Nandini. She also uses locally available ingredients such as kadle (groundnuts) and sorghum fodder. “This combination ensures the cows stay healthy and produce good quality milk. It’s like our secret recipe for success,” added Mangalamma. The daily milk production from her cowshed adds to 300 litres.
Mangalamma’s family, including her sons, play an active role in managing the farm. Additionally, her growing enterprise has provided employment to three other families in the village, showcasing the ripple effect of her success on the local economy. “I hope the story about my efforts reaches aspiring dairy farmers and together, we can create a community that helps each other,” she concluded.
Along with Mangalamma, one woman from each southern state was honoured at the summit.
Farmer from Kerala earned Rs 50 lakh
Vidhu Rajeev from Kottayam was chosen as the best dairy farmer from Kerala. With 50 milking animals, Vidhu produced over one lakh litres of milk last year, earning Rs 50 lakh by supplying to the govt dairy institution under the Kerala Dairy Development Department.
According to Vidhu, her success as a dairy farmer is rooted in scientific management practices. “After including a fully automatic drinking system for cows, large exhaust fans for ventilation, temperature control and segregated waste management, our lives became easier. Sustainability is central for us — biogas from cattle dung powers my kitchen, while manure is sold at Rs 40 per kg, and slurry is used as fertiliser for our paddy fields. In fact, our main source of income comes from selling manure,” she said, adding she now plans to expand her business.
Meet Mangalamma from Dinka village (150km from Bengaluru) in Mandya district. The spotlight was on her Saturday when she was recognised as the ‘Best dairy farmer from Karnataka’ at Southern Dairy Summit-2025, organised by Indian Dairy Association (south zone). Her herd of 30 cows and two buffaloes produced a whopping 1 lakh litres of milk last year, making her a role model in her village.
Mangalamma started her journey in a humble manner with just cows on her one-gunta farm. Speaking to STOI, she said: “Two decades ago, my husband and I decided to start a dairy business. We researched, attended seminars and learnt scientific management to produce better yield. Initially, we had no investment, so we started small. Now, we have implemented almost every scientific method used in dairy farming, including a milking machine and a meticulously planned feeding regime.”
Her cattle are given a carefully planned diet that includes a mix of grains like maize, nutritious feed like hindi (oil cake), and supplements from Nandini. She also uses locally available ingredients such as kadle (groundnuts) and sorghum fodder. “This combination ensures the cows stay healthy and produce good quality milk. It’s like our secret recipe for success,” added Mangalamma. The daily milk production from her cowshed adds to 300 litres.
Mangalamma’s family, including her sons, play an active role in managing the farm. Additionally, her growing enterprise has provided employment to three other families in the village, showcasing the ripple effect of her success on the local economy. “I hope the story about my efforts reaches aspiring dairy farmers and together, we can create a community that helps each other,” she concluded.
Along with Mangalamma, one woman from each southern state was honoured at the summit.
Farmer from Kerala earned Rs 50 lakh
Vidhu Rajeev from Kottayam was chosen as the best dairy farmer from Kerala. With 50 milking animals, Vidhu produced over one lakh litres of milk last year, earning Rs 50 lakh by supplying to the govt dairy institution under the Kerala Dairy Development Department.
According to Vidhu, her success as a dairy farmer is rooted in scientific management practices. “After including a fully automatic drinking system for cows, large exhaust fans for ventilation, temperature control and segregated waste management, our lives became easier. Sustainability is central for us — biogas from cattle dung powers my kitchen, while manure is sold at Rs 40 per kg, and slurry is used as fertiliser for our paddy fields. In fact, our main source of income comes from selling manure,” she said, adding she now plans to expand her business.