Knowing the jumbos

Scientists analyse a wild elephant through its faeces. Elephants drop their dung in communal toilets. By looking at the dung pat, they get to know the age of the animal. Elephants never stop growing. There is a direct correlation between the diameter of the pat and the age of the elephant. The greater the diameter of the pat, the older the elephant. The size of the animal, the gender (the pat of a female is different because of different diets and is tidier), the diet, the population, when the elephant passed through and the health condition of the elephant. The total number of pats will tell you the size of the herd.

Milk in the udder accumulates to the point where the udder gets so full it's almost ready to burst, and becomes quite painful. Milking relieves that pain, no matter if it's from the milk machine, hand-milked by someone with that particular skill, or the calf/lamb/kid.

Normally, this milk does not build up in the udder because the animal is meant to feed it to her child. But since commercial breeders take away the child the mother's milk accumulates. In that case milking would give the mother some relief.

But what can be painful with milking for a cow, goat, or sheep is if they have mastitis, Any bumping or excessive pulling can be painful; sometimes mastitis gets so bad that even touching the infected quarter can cause a cow to kick out or move in discomfort. Mastitis is all too common in dairies.

Milk should be extracted with clean and soft hands but this is almost never the case. Rough, dirty hands are used and the teats are pulled almost beyond breaking point. Most of these animals get mastitis but even then, inspite of pus filled teats, the milk is extracted by giving an injection of oxytocin which causes unbearable pain to the animal.

'Gau mutra' refers to the usage of cow urine for therapautic purposes in traditional Indian medicine, Ayurveda. .

Gau mutra is also an important component of the mixture called Panchagavya also used in Ayurveda. Urine of a pregnant cow is considered special and it is claimed that it contains special hormones and minerals.

Gau mutra (urine): Eight types of urine are used for medicinal purpose nowadays, among which cow urine is held to be the best. The Americans are busy patenting it. It has anti-cancer, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and antioxidant properties.

It has immune-modulator properties, which makes it useful for immune deficiency diseases. In the classics there are many references to cow urine as a drug of choice. Even the Parsis follow this practice.

Ancient Hindu wisdom on the medicinal properties of cow urine is borne out by two patents granted in the US for cow urine distillate. Even China has granted the distillate a patent as a DNA protector. A global patent has been granted for cow urine, neem and garlic as a pest repellent and for fungicidal and growth promotion.

Nitrogen (N2, NH2): Removes blood abnormalities and toxins, Natural stimulant of urinary track, activates kidneys and it is diuretic.

Sulphur (S): Supports motion in large intestines. Cleanses blood.

Ammonia (NH3): Stabilize bile, mucous and air of body. Stabilizes blood formation.

Copper (Cu): Controls built up of unwanted fats.

Iron (Fe): Maintains balance and helps in production of red blood

cells & haemoglobin. Stabilises working power.

Urea CO(NH2)2: Affects urine formation and removal. Germicidal.

Uric Acid (C5H4N4O3): Removes heart swelling or inflammation. It is diuretic therefore destroys toxins.

Phosphate (P): Helps in removing stones from urinary track.

Sodium (Na): Purifies blood. Antacid.

Potassium (K): Cures hereditary rheumatism. Increases appetite. Removes muscular weakness and laziness.

Manganese (Mn): Germicidal, stops growth of germs, protects against decay due to gangrene.

Carbolic acid (HCOOH): Germicidal, stops growth of germs and decay due to gangrene.

Calcium (Ca): Blood purifier, bone strengthener, germicidal.

Salt (NaCl): Decreases acidic contents of blood, germicidal.

Vitamins A, B, C, D, E: Vitamin B is active ingredient for energetic life and saves from nervousness and thirst, strengthens bones and reproductive ingredient for energetic life and saves from nervousness and thirst, strengthens bones and reproductive power.

Other Minerals: Increase immunity.

Enzymes: Make healthy digestive juices, increase immunity. Water (H2O): It is a life giver. Maintains fluidity of blood, maintains body temperature.

Hipuric acid (CgNgNox): Removes toxins through urine.

Creatinin (C4HgN2O2): Germicide.

Aurum Hydroxide (AuOH): It is germicidal and increases immunity power. AuOH is highly antibiotic and anti-toxic.