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Sci Tech
FARMER'S NOTEBOOK
Need for conserving Malnad Gidda dwarf cattle breed
M.J. PRABU
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Frequent mating with other breeds has led to genetic dilution of this breed
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— Photo: KVAFSU
well adapted: The animals are generally bred by natural service as artificial insemination (AI) is not very common.
Malnad Gidda cattle breed is a native of Western Ghats in Karnataka. The word gidda means dwarf and Malnad means a place receiving heavy rainfall. At present this cattle breed is distributed predominately in Malnad areas of Shimoga, Hassan, Chikmangalur and adjacent coastal districts of Mangalore, Udupi, North Kanara and parts of Kodagu districts of Karnataka.
Small size
The animals are small in size with a compact body frame weighing 80-120 kgs. Malnad breed is short in height and smaller compared to Vechur and Kasaragod cattle of Kerala and Punganur cattle breed of Andhra Pradesh.
The animals are active and resistant to major diseases such as foot and mouth disease which affects cattle.
Well adapted
They are well adapted to the Western Ghats and have become an inseparable part of the farming community, providing milk, manure and draft power, according to Prof. M.G. Govindaiah, Special Officer, Karnataka Veterinary Animal and Fishery Sciences University (KVAFSU), Hebbal, Bangalore.
The skin colour in a majority of the animals is black with light shades of fawn on the thigh and shoulder regions. Brown coloured animals with light fawn shades are also seen.
The hooves, eyelids, tail switch (hair at the end of the tail), and horn are black in colour. A small hump is seen in males, while females have a bowl shaped udder. The teats are funnel in shape being broader at the base, narrowing downwards and ending with pointed tips.
The tail is long and the tail switch almost touches the ground. This breed yields 0.5 to 4 litres of milk per day with a fat content of 5.5 to 8 per cent. The animals remain in milking for about 250 days in a year. The average lifespan of an adult animal is 9-12 years.
Naturally robust
No special care is needed to rear these animals. During night time the animals can be housed in roughly built sheds or tied under trees.
If the animals are housed in a shed it is usual practice to spread green leaves and/or twigs on the floor everyday as bedding material for the animals. The dung and urine are cleared in once a month or two and applied to the fields which form good quality compost manure.
Animals are mostly sent for grazing. They are also fed with small quantities of paddy straw, and green grass depending on their availability.
Traditional feed
Some farmers feed a traditional concentrate mixture called maddi (horsegram chunni, broken rice, oil-cake and rice flour) at the time of milking of the animals.
“The animals are generally bred by natural service and artificial insemination (AI) is not prevalent for this breed,” Prof Govindaiah said.
Regarding the cost of the animal, he said, a female animal of 2-3 years of age costs Rs.2,000-3,000 and a male animal is priced Rs.3,000-5,000.
At present there is an urgent need to conserve this breed in view of its disease resistance and adaptability to hot and humid conditions of Malnad region.
Frequent mating with other breeds to increase milk production has led to genetic dilution and erosion of this breed.
A project proposal for conservation of this breed has been submitted to the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, according to Dr. Govindaiah.
For further information, readers can contact Dr. M.G. Govindaiah, Special Officer, Karnataka Veterinary Animal and Fishery Sciences University (KVAFSU), Regional Campus, Veterinary College, Hebbal, Bangalore- 560024, email: mgg@vsnl.net and mggosd@yahoo.com.in, phone: 080-23511900 and 23410509, mobile: 94480-83620.
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