Pune: The gastronomic landscape of a city often weaves together a myriad of events that occur concurrently or in tandem, culminating in unique tales that resonate through time.
In the early 1880s, within the environs of Poona Cantonment, a pair of coffee shops emerged, gracing regiments with delectable offerings—sandwiches, pastries, and pies, paired perfectly with coffee. Swiftly gaining popularity, these cafes soon encountered an intriguing predicament.
The city of Pune, much like many others across India, grappled with a scarcity of milk and its derivatives. Despite advancements in milk sterilization techniques, the continued use of canned milk and butter, particularly for Europeans residing in the subcontinent, proved unsatisfactory. Therefore, securing a steady supply of fresh dairy products was essential for their comfort.
To satiate the demand for butter in coffee shops and regimental messes within the cantonment, the Parsee dairy in Bombay was the source. Intriguingly designed butter containers facilitated this sourcing. However, the expense associated with this approach prompted the messmen to seek high-quality local butter options.
The appointment of Dr. EC Ozanne as the director of agriculture for the Bombay Presidency marked a turning point. Committed to enhancing milk and milk products’ availability, Ozanne orchestrated the establishment of the government dairy farm in Poona in 1890. Simultaneously, he procured fifty-four cows and two bulls from Sind, housing them at the Poona farm.
Sind, renowned for its cattle, showcased some of India’s finest milch cows. These cows, located within a 60-80 km radius of Karachi, were nurtured in regions where grazing land and water abounded. Sind’s cattle owners, often affluent, transported milk to Karachi twice daily via camels. The selection of breeding bulls was meticulous, with records of pedigrees maintained. Bull calves from subpar milkers were castrated and sold for agricultural work.
Characterized by a variety of forms and colors, Sind cattle shared common traits like a rich red-brown hue with occasional white markings and a darker shade encircling the eyes. Of medium stature, they boasted robust frames, sturdy legs, and relatively little hindquarter droop. These placid, amiable cattle were prized for their high milk yield, with some cows producing up to 30 pounds of milk daily.
The value of Sind cattle for Poona’s dairy farm was manifold. Ozanne, Howman, and Edward Keventer capitalized on mechanical milk separators, successfully supplying butter and ghee to regimental messes. However, demand outstripped supply in Poona and Kirkee, as the government dairy farm catered to soldiers’ hospital requirements.
Recognizing the limitations of imported cattle breeds such as Jerseys, Guernseys, and Holsteins in the Indian climate, Ozanne made a game-changing decision. Delhi buffaloes were introduced, yielding over 30 pounds of milk per day, surpassing Sind cattle’s 18-pound yield. This rich buffalo milk yielded higher fat content, requiring less volume for butter production.
Delhi buffaloes, prized for their ease of maintenance and cost-effectiveness, found favor with farmers from Satara, Sangli, Kolhapur, and Ahmadnagar. Notably, the price of these animals corresponded to their milk yield, with a premium added for higher daily production.
Mr. Vaman Kelkar, overseeing the government dairy farm’s herd, highlighted the benefits of a diversified approach. While buffaloes excelled in butter production, Sind cattle outperformed in milk yield and quality. The Sind cow, over time, relinquished her butter-making role to the milch buffalo.
As time progressed, Poona successfully dispatched butter to various destinations, using innovative packaging methods. The contribution of the Bombay Agricultural Department and the Kirkee dairy catalyzed dairy enterprise growth throughout India, enlightening native students on dairying practices, breeding, and fodder cultivation at the Poona farm.
The ‘butter’sweet tale of Poona dairy farm resonates as a testament to innovative thinking and determination that elevated the gastronomic landscape while paving the way for sustainable dairy practices.
