Its happy news for
farmers, veterinarians and those who work for the conservation and promotion of
Malnad Gidda, a dwarf variety of cattle breed native to Malnad region that it has
got the national recognition now, thanks to the efforts of National Dairy
Research Institute (NDRI) Principal Scientist Dr. K P Ramesha and his team.
With the constant efforts of Dr K P Ramesha and his team, the National Bureau
of Animal Genetic Resources (NBAGR), a unit of Indian Council of Agriculture
Research (ICAR) has approved and registered Malnad Gidda, known for its
adaptability and resistance to many diseases, as a cattle breed (Breed Accession
No. ‘INDIA-CATTLE-0800- MALNADGIDDA-03037) in June 2012.
The process of breed
recognition starts with characterization which includes both phenotypic and
genotypic. Phenotypic characterization means- details of external appearance
like body colour, horn pattern, presence of humps, etc. genotypic features are
identified based on production traits like milk production, fat percentage, and
reproductive traits- age at first calving, inter-calving period, and growth
characters like birth weight and body length. This also consists of biochemical
and molecular studies.
Dr Ramesha and his
team have extensively studied both phenotypic and genotypic traits of Malnad
Gidda. After submitting the documentation and data analysis reports, the NBAGR,
a nodal agency for breed characterization in India, scrutinized it and
submitted to Breed Recognition Committee. After thorough reviews, quarries and
microsatellite studies, Malnad Gidda was found to be distinctly different from
other dwarf breeds like Vechur, Punganur and a few dwarf breeds of Assam.
About Manlad Gidda
A large number of
poor households from resource-poor areas with difficult agro-climatic
conditions in Western Ghats derive their livelihood through livestock
agriculture. The word Malay means
hilly, Naadu means place
(Malay+Naadu= Malnad means a place receiving heavy rains) and gidda means small
or dwarf. The breed is very adaptable to the local agro condition of the
western ghats. As per the 2007 livestock census, there are 12,81,493 Malnad
Gidda cattle (http://www.karunadu.guv.in/ahvs-webiste/breedingspolicy.html)
distributing predominantly in Malnad region and costal districts of Karnataka
like Shimoga, Chikmagalur, Udupi, Dakshina Kannada and Uttara Kannada and some
parts of Hassan and Kodagu. They play a
major role in rural economy as every household in these districts have Malnad
Gidda cattle for agriculture, milk and manure purposes with little maintenance
cost.
Weighing around
80-120 kg, these cattle are similar, but shorter and smaller than Vechur breed
of Kerala and Punganur of Andhra Pradesh. Though they are just 3 ft or so
height, they are so active and lively with an extraordinary power of endurance
and resistance to diseases and could jump 6-ft height fence very easily. In
Malnad, no special care is given to these cattle. In some places, the dung and
urine is not cleared regularly. Instead, farmers spread green leaves on the
floor every day as bedding material over dung and urine and it is cleared twice
in a month which forms good quality of compost manure.
As mentioned, they
are left for grazing since morning till evening and during nights, they are fed
with small quantity of paddy straw, spear grass and green grass. . 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. There are five major colours in these
animals like black, brown, red, fawn and white, sometimes mixture of any two
but black colour is prominent.
Malnad Gidda cows calve
for the first time at the age of around 3 years and give milk for 8-9
months. The bulls are often unselected and underfed, are unable
to render quality breeding services. They are regular
calvers with a calving interval of 14-15 months. The average milk production of these
cattle per day is 1.5 litre. Some cows give 3-5 litre of milk per day which
fulfills the daily need of a family. With suitable
selection of these animals coupled with scientific management practices it is
possible to develop small sized cattle thriving on low input regime and giving
3-4 liters of quality milk per day with adaptability to heavy rainfall
conditions. Bullocks are used for ploughing, thrashing and carrying
goods.
Threat
More inclination
towards anti-indigenous drive across the country over decades after White
Revolution gained momentum forced the farmers in this region to lose interest
in Malnad Gidda cattle. Interestingly, cross breeding for high yielding of
milk, castration of scrub bulls, lack of grazing places and encroachment of Gomalas for growing commercial crops are
the main reasons for the decline in population. The livestock census figures
show a drop of 24.94 per cent in total cattle population between 2003 and 2007.
Benefits
The disease
resistance capability of this indigenous breed is considered to be very
important in the present context of characterization, utilization and
improvement of the breed. Upon recognition original Malnad Gidda germplasm can
be conserved and utilized for future need. Farmers could get good quality
animals as the breeding strategies are made according to the need. Artificial insemination
facility could be available. Researchers could be engaged in preserving the
superior germplasm and improvement of the breed, as the projects are approved by
the ICAR only for the recognized breeds. The breeds like Amruthmahal, Hallikar,
Krishna valley, Khilari and Deoni of Karnataka have already been recognized. They
have conservation and research stations in the state.
Karnataka Livestock
Development Agency (KLDA) has supported Dr Ramesha’s ten-point
programme for conservation and improvement of this Malnad beauty by providing
financial aid of Rs 70 lakh for constituting a project through which selection
of pure breed cattle, procurement of breeding bulls for collection of semen,
karyotyping (process used to improve the progeny) would be taken up.
Government support
Now, the
Central Government has funded Rs 17000 crore to National Dairy Plan (NDP) to
work on identified indigenous breeds across the country. Apart from this, the
Karnataka government has given Rs 1 crore to the Karnataka Veterinary
University for research on Malnad Gidda cattle breed and this work would be
taken up by the Shimoga Veterinary College.
State-level workshop on Oct 26 and 27
An
awareness & training program is organized by Malenadu Gidda Samvardhana
Sangha, Veterinary Department and Western Ghats Task Force at Talaguppa in
Sagar taluk of Shimoga district on October 26 and 27, 2012. Raghaveshwara
Bharati Swamiji of Ramachandrapur Mutt, Western Ghats Task Force president Ananth
Hegde Asisara, MP BY Raghavendra, MLAs and others would participate in the workshop
in which more than 1000 Malnad Gidda stock holders from all seven districts
will participate. Seminars and Malnad Gidda cattle exhibition will also be held
on the occasion.
Inputs: Dr Nagaraj KM
