Indian Indigenous Cattle

Malnad Gidda Cattle - A Valuable Native Breed of Karnataka D.N.Das, M.K.Rao and A. Obi Reddy Southern Campus, NDRI, Bangalore - 560 030 Malnand Gidda is a small, multipurpose breed of cattle reared by the farmers in western ghat region of Karnataka. They play a pivotal role in the socio-economic status of the farmers in this region. A survey was carried out in Shimoga district during 2005 for studying the breed. It was observed that Malnad Gidda cattle are generally maintained under semi range housing system. During the day they are allowed to graze in the forest areas and at night, they are kept inside the shed. The shed is made up of brick or stone wall, floor with stones and roof is generally with tiles. The farmers generally utilize this breed for manure, milk and draft purposes. Bedding material containing paddy straw, dry leaves and twigs mixed up with dung and urine becomes an ideal compost fertilizer for coffee and arecanut plantation. The milk produced by this breed is 0.5 -

NBAGR Registered Nine New Breeds of Indigenous Farm Animals New Delhi, 14th May, 2012 Breed registration Committee in its meeting on 14th May, 2012 at New Delhi approved registration of nine new breeds of livestock species which include three breeds of cattle, one breed of buffalo, two breeds each of goat and pig and one breed of donkey.  The institute has registered first time indigenous pig and donkey breeds. These new breeds were identified through comprehensive survey by National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources, Karnal (NBAGR), other ICAR institutes, state universities, state departments and NGOs in their respective breeding tracts in the country.  After including these newly registered breeds, total number of indigenous breeds in the country will now be 144, which include 37 for cattle, 13 for buffalo, 23 for goat, 39 for sheep, 6 for horses& ponies, 8 for camel, 2 for pig, 1 for donkey and 15 for chicken. NBAGR is the nodal agency for t