Vet doc quits job, builds thriving dairy farm with self-bred cattle

At a time when many young professionals grow disheartened over limited job opportunities, 30-year-old Dr Noorpreet Inder Singh, a bachelor of veterinary science graduate from GADVASU, stands out as an example of self-reliance and entrepreneurship.

After working for two years with Nestle, Dr Noorpreet chose to leave his job in 2022 and return to his roots to manage his family’s dairy farm in Channuwala village of Moga district. Today, he owns a flourishing dairy unit with 25 self-bred cows, 12 female calves and 12 heifers. He credits experts at GADVASU for their continuous guidance and technical support.

“Dairy farming runs in my blood. My grandfather started the farm with only one cow. He was part of the first batch of agriculture graduates from the PAU in 1962,” said Dr Noorpreet. Recalling his grandfather’s pioneering efforts, he said: “In 1988, he became the first farmer in the area to get a cow impregnated using imported semen from Karnal. Despite limited resources, he went to great lengths — changing buses and even arranging ice packs in advance — to ensure the semen remained viable.”

Dr Noorpreet has expanded the farm using artificial insemination techniques and has not purchased a single cow from outside.

“We are breeders. All our cattle are self-bred. My professional experience at Nestle helped me gain valuable insights and today I also supply milk to the company. Additionally, farmers visit the farm to purchase high-quality cattle,” he said.

Encouraging youth to explore dairy farming, Dr Noorpreet termed it as a profitable venture, provided one has adequate knowledge, particularly in disease prevention and animal care. He follows a flexible business model — selling milk when demand and prices are high and shifting to the sale of calves, heifers and cows during lean periods to maintain steady income.

A calf can fetch up to Rs 65,000 while a milking cow sells for as much as Rs 3 lakh. Pregnant cows can command prices of up to Rs 3.5 lakh.

“Starting a business after gaining professional knowledge makes a significant difference. Experts at GADVASU are offering valuable insights into modern technologies and young people should make full use of these resources to build sustainable livelihoods,” he added.