The CIA World Factbook (2016) information on Nepal covers all aspects of the Nepalese life. Nepal is a landlocked country between China and India. The population is approximately 28 million. In 2013, only 72% of the rural population had electricity. There is 25% of the population below the poverty line, making Nepal one of the poorest countries worldwide. There is a total of 10,844 km of roadways, with only half being paved. In Nepal, 81% of the population practices Hinduism.
Cattle are considered sacred in Hinduism (Korom, 2000). The cow is the national animal of Nepal (Nepal Law Commission, 2015).
The CIA (2016) indicates that 69% of Nepal is involved in agriculture. Most of this agriculture is subsistence farming. Their livestock is therefore important to them for providing food and potential income, so it is in their best interest to keep them productive and healthy. A common stressor in livestock agriculture is mortality from disease (Pradhanang et al., 2015). Cows and other livestock provide manure, milk, and labour (Redding et al., 2012). Nepalese families rely on self production of milk as an excellent source of food (MOAD, CBS, & FAO, 2016). Milk contains a wide variety of nutrients as it is produced to support a growing calf. One of these important nutrients is calcium (Drewnowski, Tang, & Brazeilles, 2015). Calcium has many important benefits such as reducing osteoporosis risk and having many important functions such as muscle contraction (Miller, Jarvis, & McBean, 2001). The importance of milk in a country where poverty is a problem is high as it provides a cheap way to get essential nutrients required for growth and development.
Cattle are considered sacred in Hinduism (Korom, 2000). The cow is the national animal of Nepal (Nepal Law Commission, 2015).
The CIA (2016) indicates that 69% of Nepal is involved in agriculture. Most of this agriculture is subsistence farming. Their livestock is therefore important to them for providing food and potential income, so it is in their best interest to keep them productive and healthy. A common stressor in livestock agriculture is mortality from disease (Pradhanang et al., 2015). Cows and other livestock provide manure, milk, and labour (Redding et al., 2012). Nepalese families rely on self production of milk as an excellent source of food (MOAD, CBS, & FAO, 2016). Milk contains a wide variety of nutrients as it is produced to support a growing calf. One of these important nutrients is calcium (Drewnowski, Tang, & Brazeilles, 2015). Calcium has many important benefits such as reducing osteoporosis risk and having many important functions such as muscle contraction (Miller, Jarvis, & McBean, 2001). The importance of milk in a country where poverty is a problem is high as it provides a cheap way to get essential nutrients required for growth and development.
Header image: http://www.internshipnepal.com/
CIA. (2016). Nepal. The CIA World Factbook. Retrieved from: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/resources/the-world- factbook/geos/np.html
Drewnowski, A., Tang, W., & Brazeilles, R. (2015). Calcium requirements from dairy foods in France can be met at low
energy and monetary cost. The British Journal of Nutrition, 114(11), 1920–8.
https://doi.org/10.1017/S0007114515003669
Korom, F. J. (2000). Holy cow! The apotheosis of zebu, or why the cow is sacred in Hinduism. Asian Folklore Studies, 59(2),
181–203. https://doi.org/10.2307/1178915
Miller, G. D., Jarvis, J. K., & McBean, L. D. (2001). The importance of meeting calcium needs with foods. Journal of the
American College of Nutrition, 20(2 Suppl), 168S–185S. https://doi.org/10.1080/07315724.2001.10719029
MOAD, M. of A. D., CBS, C. B. of S., & FAO, F. and A. O. (2016). Food and Nutrition Security in Nepal: A Status Report.
Pradhanang, U. B., Pradhanang, S. M., Sthapit, A., Krakauer, N. Y., Jha, A., & Lakhankar, T. (2015). National Livestock Policy
of Nepal: Needs and Opportunities. Agriculture, 5(1), 103–131. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture5010103
Redding, L., Chetri, D. K., Lamichhane, D. K., Chay, Y., Aldinger, L., & Ferguson, J. (2012). Animal production systems of
small farms in the Kaski district of Nepal. Tropical Animal Health and Production, 44(7), 1605–1613.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-012-0114-4
CIA. (2016). Nepal. The CIA World Factbook. Retrieved from: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/resources/the-world- factbook/geos/np.html
Drewnowski, A., Tang, W., & Brazeilles, R. (2015). Calcium requirements from dairy foods in France can be met at low
energy and monetary cost. The British Journal of Nutrition, 114(11), 1920–8.
https://doi.org/10.1017/S0007114515003669
Korom, F. J. (2000). Holy cow! The apotheosis of zebu, or why the cow is sacred in Hinduism. Asian Folklore Studies, 59(2),
181–203. https://doi.org/10.2307/1178915
Miller, G. D., Jarvis, J. K., & McBean, L. D. (2001). The importance of meeting calcium needs with foods. Journal of the
American College of Nutrition, 20(2 Suppl), 168S–185S. https://doi.org/10.1080/07315724.2001.10719029
MOAD, M. of A. D., CBS, C. B. of S., & FAO, F. and A. O. (2016). Food and Nutrition Security in Nepal: A Status Report.
Pradhanang, U. B., Pradhanang, S. M., Sthapit, A., Krakauer, N. Y., Jha, A., & Lakhankar, T. (2015). National Livestock Policy
of Nepal: Needs and Opportunities. Agriculture, 5(1), 103–131. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture5010103
Redding, L., Chetri, D. K., Lamichhane, D. K., Chay, Y., Aldinger, L., & Ferguson, J. (2012). Animal production systems of
small farms in the Kaski district of Nepal. Tropical Animal Health and Production, 44(7), 1605–1613.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-012-0114-4