MADIKERI: A proposal to take up genetic categorisation of local cattle breed to improve the breed, including developing disease-resistant breeds, is being taken up by the State Government. The College of Veterinary Sciences, Bangalore, has sent the proposal to the Government of India for approval.

The outcome of the project would help improve local cattle breeds and take up cross breeding. Both would go hand-in-hand, Deputy Director of the Department of Animal Husbandry, M.T. Manjunath, told the Hindu. A seminar was held at the Jersy Breed Improvement Centre at Kudige in Somwarpet taluk recently, which was attended by geneticists, nutritionists and officials from the Animal Husbandry Department. Record keeping of animals and animal insurance were the other topics at the seminar.

In the last few decades, local cattle breed with over 30 different breeds was neglected. In spite of steps taken to modernise agriculture, 70 per cent of the rural populace still depended on draught animal power to carry out agricultural activities. Only 30 per cent of farming is mechanised. Draught animal power would amount to 30 million KW power generation, worth over Rs. 90,000 crore annually, Dr. Manjunath said. In view of this, improvement of the neglected local breed was a must, he argued.

There were no efforts made in the past to characterise the local cattle breed. They were genetically not studied, Dr. Manjunath said. He said the exotic development of the cattle breed had brought in diseases such as rinderpest, foot and mouth disease, black quarter disease and so on. Genetic markers would be identified under the proposed project. The purpose would be to develop disease-resistant cattle, with a higher growth and stronger draught power, Dr. Manjunath said.

Funds released

The State Government has released a sum of Rs. 2.70 crore, with Rs. 10 lakh to each district, to take up programmes on conservation of local breed since it wanted the community to be involved, he said. Farmers or non-government organisations would be identified to take up the project. The Veterinary College, Bangalore, would provide scientific inputs on the methodologies of breed improvement.

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