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BIODIVERSITY OF INDIGENOUS CATTLE AND ITS UTILITY

Rana Ranjeet Singh, Ph.D. Scholar, LPM Section, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar–243 122 (UP)

Biological diversity is the variability of life on India is the most significant source of the
earth. The most obvious aspect of biodiversity is cattle diversity in the world and India’s cattle breeds
genetic in the form of different breeds and forms are being used in Australia, South Africa, Latin
within species. This genetic diversity or variability is America and USA for developing major livestock
due to molecular diversity in the process of molecular economies. While India’s gift of its animal wealth to
or biochemical metabolic reactions. The diversity the world’s economy has not undermined our own
in the gene provides the basis of molecular sovereignty to his wealth, the emergence of the
variability and the phenotypic variations between animal patenting and cattle biopiracy creates a
breeds and species. The genetic diversity has major threat to the sovereignty of animal biodiversity.
resulted due to the process of evolution over
thousands of years during wild and domesticated The FAO had estimated 61 breeds of cattle
stages and for the efforts made by man to meet the in India but there are 26-30 well defined breeds
market demand, in present day context. This leads according to Indian literature. These diverse and rich
to domestication of some species of animals breeds are being used world wide to enhance the
having desirable characteristics for mankind. genetic wealth of cattle. However, in India our cattle
However, man has domesticated about 40 species biodiversity is under severe threats through cross
for his own use like milk, meat, eggs, fibre, hide/ breeding programme which are replacing our unique
skin, fuel, manure and drought power etc. breeds with crossbred Jersey and Holstein cows.
Biodiversity is a valuable asset for every country. On the one hand, this is displacing our indigenous
Nearly 15 per cent of Earth’s species will be diversity; on the other hand, it is leading to the
threatened over the next 25 years, if we neglect severe erosion of draught cattle and the
them. There is already less genetic variation in farm replacement of renewable animal energy with
animals as compared to the plant species. Further imported fossil fuel.
erosion of animal diversity may invite disaster for
long term productivity and loss of sustainability. Cattle biodiversity
Therefore, genetic improvement in farm animals The Indian cattle belong to kingdom Animalia,
adapted to different stress conditions like, food, phylum Chordata, sub phylum Vertebrata, class
fodder and climate must be based on the utilization Mammalia, sub class Eutheria, order Ungulata,
of locally adapted genetic resources. It is widely family Bovidae, genus Bos, species indicus. In 1992
recognized that preservation of biodiversity is a India with 204.58 million cattle, had 15.97% of the
matter of insurance and investment necessary to world cattle population. India stands first with
sustain and improve agriculture, animal husbandry, respect to the bovine population having 1/5th of the
forestry, fisheries and honey production and to keep world bovine population. About 80% of the total cattle
open future options as a buffer against harmful population in India is non-descript. Further the large
environmental change and as a raw material for majority of descript cattle belongs to draught and
scientific and industrial innovation and a matter of dual purpose breeds. The distribution of different
moral principle. classes of cattle (millions) in 1992 has been shown
in Table 1.
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Table 1. Distribution of different classes of cattle (millions) in 1992

Class Total Crossbred Indigenous

Total Descript Non-descript
All cattle 204.58 15.21 189.37 28.41 160.96
Adult female 64.36 6.49 57.87 8.68 49.19

Between 1987 and 1992 cattle population a marked phenomenal growth in the number of
grows at an annual growth rate of 0.48%. Out of crossbred. Total crossbred number grew from
the 204.58 million cattle, 15.21 million were cross- 8.80 million in 1982 to 11.59 million in 87 (31.70%),
breed cattle, which is 7.43% of the total cattle and 15.21 million (31.32%) in 1992. In the north-
population. Between 1987 and 1992, crossbred ern region, desi cow population has declined sub-
grows at the rate of 5.92%. The changes within stantially and the region now accounts for 40%
the cattle population over the last two decades of all crossbreds in the country. The South has
indicate a radical shift in the priority of the farm- the second largest population of crossbred cattle
ing community from production of work animals –34% followed by west – some 15% of the cross-
to milk production. The proportion of the female bred. Eastern region has the highest proportion
in the population increased steadily with 1972 as of desi cows and lowest percent of cross breeds
turning point. Between 1972 and 82, the number (11%). Among all the States, Uttar Pradesh,
of working male in cattle population declined TamilNadu, Maharashtra, Kerala and Punjab
sharply (by 12 million) and among females the have the largest number of crossbred cattle and
proportion of adult females increased (63% in together they account for nearly 65% (9.50 mil-
desi and 61% in crossbred) gradually. However lion) of all the cross bred cattle population in the
the proportion of desi cows steadily declined and country in 1992 (Table 2).

Trends in cattle population

Table 2. Cattle population trend in India (Million No)

Species/category 1987 1992 Annual Growth rate

Total cattle 199.69 204.58 0.48%

Indigenous cattle 188.28 (94.29%) 189.37 (92.57%) 0.12%

Breed able female cattle 60.93 (30.51%) 62.68 (30.64%) 0.57%

Milch cattle 55.91 (27.99%) 57.79 (28.25%) 0.62%

Cross bred cattle 11.59 (5.80%) 15.21(7.43%) 6.2%

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Cattle breeds of India

Details of Important recognized breeds of cattle of India with their breeding tracts, are
given below:

Table 3. Important recognized breeds of cattle of India with their breeding tracts

Breed Breeding tracts

1. Gir Saurashtra region of Gujarat
2. Sahiwal Herds established in Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, and Haryana.
3. Red Sindhi Number of Red Sindhi herds have been established in India.
4. Rathi Bikaner and Ganga-nagar Districts of Rajasthan, Sirsa Distt. Of Haryana and part
of Ferozepore district of Punjab.
5. Tharparkar Tharparkar District of Sind (Pakistan) and Kutch, Jodhpur and Jaisalmer desert
area of India.
6. Deoni Marathwada region of Maharashtra
7. Haryana Hariana Home tract is in Haryana State but the breed is found in U.P., Bihar and
parts of Rajasthan.
8. Kankrej Bani tract of Bhuj District, North Gujarat and part of Rajasthan adjoining to Gujarat.
9. Ongole Guntur and Ongole Districts of Andhra Pradesh.
10. Red Kandhari Breeding tracts are in Marathwada region of Maharashtra
11. Nimari Khandwa District of Madhya Pradesh.
Malvi Parts of Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. A dual purpose breed.
12. Gaolao Found in Vidarbha Region of Maharashtra.
13. Dangi Found in Western Maharashtra.
14. Khillar Found in southern part of Maharashtra
15. Amritmahal Found in Karnataka
16. Hallikar Found in Hassan, Mysore and Tunkur districts of Karnataka.
17. Kangayam It is found in Coimbatore District of Tamil Nadu.
18. Nagore Nagore District of Rajasthan.
19. Bargur Coimbatore District of Tamil Nadu
20. Kenkatha Found along the Ken river of Banda District of UP and MP.
21. Siri Hill tracts around Darjeeling and in Sikkim. Bhutan is the real home of this breed.

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22. Bachaur Sitamarhi District of Bihar.

23. Kherigarh Kheri District of UP.
24. Mewati West Alwar and Bharatpur districts of Rajasthan. The breed is mainly found in
Mewat region but is also known as Kosi.
25. Umblachery Thanjavur District of Tamil Nadu.
26. Krishna Valley Southern border of Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh.
27. Ponwar Pilibhit and North West part of Lakhimpur Kheri District of UP.
28. Vechoor Kerala Small animal.
29. Pungannur Dwarf cattle, Andhra Pradesh.

The population statistics of different breeds (-5.60%) and Nagori (-2.4%) also exhibited dur-
of cattle revealed that Malvi had the maximum ing this period. This decline in the population of
estimated population (0.75 million) followed by Gir these breeds has been attributed to the fast
(0.54 million), Kankrej 90.46m), Ongole (0.38m) changing socio-economic condition of the farm-
and Hariana (0.33m) whereas Red Sindhi and ers, change in the nature of farming, shrinkage
Sahiwal had very low estimates of 2400 and 3400 of grazing area, emphasis on crossbreeding as
respectively. This may be due to the fact that a a tool to increase milk production also preference
large part of the home tract of these two breeds of buffalo over cow for milk production.
is now in Pakistan. The maximum decline in the
population of different breeds from 1977 to 1982 The population size in thousands for con-
was observed in Bargur (-49%) followed by sideration of endangered status of a breed under
Kangayam (-18.2%). The population of Mewati India condition for cattle have been suggested by
(-14.10%), Hariana (-8.65%), Ponwar (-8.0%), Siri NBAGR which shown below:

Species >10000 5000-10000 1000-500 100-1000 <100

Cattle Normal Insecure Vulnerable Endangered Critical
(Intermediate) (Rate)

The endangered Indian cattle breeds

which need attention for their conservation are Proximate Causes affecting cattle biodiversity are
as under-
1. Lack of awareness

Red sindhi , Sahiwal, Tharparkar, Vachur, 2. Economic benefits

Punganur, Mewati, Kenkatha, Kheriagarh, Bargur, 3. Overall policy of breed improvement
Panwar, Siri, and Krishna valley.

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4. Shrinkage of grazing land peutics (Scotland) Ltd. has 14 patent applications

with the European Patent Office (EPO) and one
5. Over population of livestock-high density
of these clearly refers to an Indian Cattle Breed.
6. To improve yield and economic benefits The Roslin patent for the Gene Construct of Bo-
7. Replacement of local non-descript breeds vine Alpha - Lactalbumin has no scientific refer-
to productive cattle ence cited for the claim. Since this is based on
8. Over mechanization of agriculture & an Indian breed. There is every possibility that
transport the basic research was done in India and ‘pirated
by the Roslin Institute’ since all Indian cattle
9. Inadequate attention on identification of
breeds in spite of their diversity are called Bos
germplasm and performance recording
indicus, the patent claim itself confirms that an
10. Indiscriminate cross breeding with Indian breed was used. Which of the many In-
exotics for other purposes dian cattle breed has been used by the Roslin
Institute for its patent application no? EP 0765390
needs to be investigated by the Government of
Consequences of loss of cattle genetic
India or whether this was the Vechur? Whether
biodiversity are
the breed was the famous and nearly extinct the
1. Stagnation and even deterioration of pro- “Vechur” breed of Kerala can only be confirmed
duction performance of indigenous breeds by investigating the research of the Kerala Agri-
2. Loss of indigenous genetic resources culture University?
3. Disappearance of native varieties and
breeds Since India is on the process of drafting
its biodiversity law which will regulate and gov-
4. Threat to native draught breeds
ern access to our biodiversity, the case of the
5. Loss of indigenous biodiversity Roslin patents and the status of the Vechur are
6. Shrinkage and even disappearance of important examples of the piracy that needs to
grass-lands lead to loss of biodiversity be prevented through the Indian Biodiversity Act.
The status of India’s animal biodiversity wealth
7. Grassland ecosystem is disturbed
and the biopiracy of the wealth is too important to
the survival of the Indian agriculture and the small
Cattle Biopiracy
and marginal farmers to be left unattended. The
A recent controversy has erupted in Kerala
Government of India should immediately investi-
over the extinction and piracy of the unique In-
gate the full scope of cattle biopiracy for India.
dian breed called “Vechur” or “Vechoor”. The
Vechur is short draught cattle, the smallest cattle
Utility of Indian cattle
variety in the world. The most important genetic
Dairying is closely interwoven with the
quality of the Vechur breed is the high fat content
socio-economic fabric of rural people in India. Tra-
in milk - from 6.02 per cent to 7.86 percent. A
ditionally, dairy animals have performed multiple
patent search by Research Foundation for Sci-
functions of producing milk for household con-
ence, Technology and Ecology in collaboration
sumption, males as a source of draught power
with Public Interest groups in Europe has con-
in agricultural operations, and dung as manure
firmed that the Roslin Institute and the PPL Thera-

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and fuel. Besides, dairy animals have often per- lactation with fat percentage
formed important functions of banking and insur- ranging from 4.5% to 5%.
ance. Dairy production system in India mainly Bullocks are heavy and
consists of smallholders. Around 100 million powerful draught animals.
milch animals are spread over 5 lakh villages Heat and drought tolerant.
among 70 million farmers. There are about
100,000 village milk cooperatives with 11 million 2. Sahiwal: Best India dairy breed and
farmers as members. Landless, small and mar- most economic milk pro-
ginal farmers own 68% of milch animals and con- ducer. Sahiwal cows are
tribute nearly 62% of total milk produced. Around well-known for their milking
63% of the available animal protein in Indian diet capacity. Milk yield varies
(10 g per caput per day against a world average from 2000 to 4000 kg per
of 25 g) comes from milk. Apparently milk would lactation, with fat content
continue to be a major source of animal protein varying from 4% to 4.5%.
in India. Livestock account for about one forth of Heat and drought tolerant.
the GDP in agricultural sector output in India, in
which dairy account for the Lion’s share. In1998/ 3. Red Sindhi: The milk yield varies from
2000 milk accounted for 69.3 % of the livestock 2000 kg to 4000 kg per lac-
sector output. In fact, milk with a share of 18 % tation, with fat content vary-
in gross value of agricultural sector has emerged ing from 4% to 4.5%. Heat
as the largest agricultural commodity produced and drought tolerant. Resis-
in the country. This shows rising importance of tance to many diseases .Ex-
dairying in India. The per capita availability of milk, ported to Malaysia,Brazil
which has been growing over the years, is pro- and Cuba etc.
jected to reach 232 gm/day in 2004-05. An ex-
tensive nation wide study carried out by the 4. Tharparkar: Bullocks are slow workers.
NCAER in 1990 found that revenue from milk sale Cows are good milkers, with
alone amounted for 33% of the family income average milk yields varying
(National average). from 1800 to 3500 kg per
lactation. Heat and drought
Cattle breeds with their utility tolerant.
Olivery (1938) was the first to survey the
important breeds of cattle in India. Details of im- B. DUAL PURPOSE BREEDS
portant characteristics and other features of
some of the important recognized breeds of 5. Rathi: Good potential for milk pro-
cattle are given below: duction. Resistance to ad-
verse climatic conditions of
A. MILCH BREEDS the desert area. Milk yield
1. Gir: Gir cows are high milk ranges from 1800 kg to
yielder, milk yield ranging 3500 kg per lactation.
from 2000 kg to 6000 kg per

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6. Deoni: Dual purpose breed. good milkers.

7. Hariana: Bullocks are useful for C. DRAUGHT BREEDS

ploughing and transport. 14. Red Kandhari: Draught purpose and hardy
Cows are good milkers. in nature. Bullocks are good
Milk yield is 1000 to 2000 kg draught animals. Cows are
per lactation. good milkers.

8. Kankrej: Milk yield is 1500-4000 kg 15. Nimari: Draught breed.

per lactation. Bullocks are
strong and hard-working. 16. Malvi: A Draught purpose breed.
Heaviest cattle breed of
India. Impoted by central/ 17. Khillari: Bullocks are hardy and
south USA for beef well-known for being fast in
production. work. Most popular draft
breed of N-Western India.
9. Ongole: Bullocks are useful for
ploughing and cart-work / 18. Amritmahal: Bullocks are well-known
transport. Cows are fair for draught power and
milkers. endurance. Average milk
yield is 1000 to 1200 kg per
10. Gaolao: Bullocks are useful for lactation. Best draft breed of
ploughing. Cows are aver- India.
age milkers.
19. Hallikar: Draught breed both used for
11. Krishna Valley: Bullocks are powerful and road and field agricultural
good for heavy ploughing operations.
and slower draught
purpose. Cows are fair 20. Kangayam: Bullocks are strong draught
milkers. animals. Their skin is very
strong and tight.
12. Dangi: Especially good for heavy
rainfall areas for draught 21. Nagore: It is an excellent draught
purpose. breed for hot climate.

13. Mewati: Mewati cattle are in general 22. Bargur: Bullocks are good work
sturdy, powerful and docile animals.
and are useful for heavy
ploughing, carting and 23. Kenkatha: Bullocks are small but fairly
drawing water from deep sturdy animals and good for
wells. Cows are said to be cultivation in rocky areas.

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24. Siri: This breed can stand the The various breeds and distinct animals
rugged conditions of the types developed through selection and breeding
mountains (high altitude practices and quest for development of need
breed ) very well. Bullocks based animal types in different agro climatic
are eagerly sought after for zones have required specific morphological and
draught purposes (plough- physiological characteristics grouped as adap-
ing and transport) due to tation. That led into development of different kind
their reputed great strength. of breeds suitable in different part of country and
serving Indian through various ways which will
25. Bachaur: Bullocks are used for be discussed below.
draught purpose. Cows are
poor milkers. Best draft For centuries, the use of cattle for milk
breed of Bihar. and draught purpose has been universal. Indig-
enous cattle contributed 24% and crossbred
26. Kharigarh: The cattle of this breed are cattle 16 % to the total milk pool. Most of the cattle
very active and thrive on breeds are suited for draught power but produce
grazing only. Bullocks are little milk. India has about 70 million draught ani-
good for light draught and mals. The value of energy produced by draught
quick light transport. The animals has been estimated to be over Rs. 100
cows are poor milkers. billion annually and it saves foreign exchange
outgo of Rs. 40 billion. One adult worker plus a
27. Umblachery: It is a draught breed of the pair of oxen would provide for about 3-4 hectares
Zebu type, similar to of land 0.4 KW/hectare. Which is satisfactory for
Kangayam but smaller. Ex- most of Indian farmer. It produced draught ani-
cellent for wet ploughing. mal power of about 195 million MW energy. Cattle
manure is used as fertilizer for crops .it also used
28. Ponwar: Draught purpose. Cows are for bio- gas production. The Indian cow is gain-
poor milkers. ing importance not only for the quantity and qual-
ity of milk that it yields but also for the medicinal
29. Vechoor: Bullocks are mainly used and nutritional importance of its products beside
for draught purpose. Cows traditional use of dung and urine for agriculture.
are poor milkers. Miniature The high profile Panchgavya is five materials ob-
cattle. The most important tained from cows that includes milk, curd, ghee,
genetic quality of the cow urine and dung posses the medicinal value.
Vechur breed is the high fat Indigenous animals are sturdy, are endowed with
content in milk- from 6.02% quality of heat tolerance, resistance to diseases
to 7.86%. and ability to thrive under extreme nutritional
stress. Some of these breeds have enormous
30. Pungannur: Dwarf cattle. potential to become high producing commercial
milch animals, and there is a need for the devel-
opment of these breeds. Pre-requisite for the

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development of a breed are large enough production in the country. Hence cow-biodiversity
population size, a wide selection differential for sector of the country is to be conserved and a
economic traits. The indigenous dairy breeds of national and state-level implementation of
cattle with potential for development as breeding policy of the country as well as the State
commercially viable milch animals in a may be drawn as early as possible. Selective
comparatively few generation are: Sahiwal in breeding in their home tract of pure indigenous
Punjab, Rathi and Tharparkar in Rajasthan and draught breeds must be undertaken and
Gir and Kankrej in Gujarat. If these breeds are preserved very carefully and sincerely.
selectively mated with genetically selected bulls Upgradation of local non-descript cattle by known
(through sib lei and progeny testing) individuals indigenous breeds like, Hariana, Gir, Tharparkar,
of these breeds would be commercially viable in Sahiwal, etc. in selected pockets be started. The
just one generation and the breeds as a whole in conservation of domestic cattle biodiversity is a
few generations. The genetic potential of milk complex and multi-dimensional activity in which
animals are not optimally expressed has been number of agencies can play significant role.
proven through nutritional studies that milk Different measures of conservation should be
production can be increased by 20 to 30% by implemented through national and state-level
improved feeding alone. There is acute shortage strategies, plans and programme developed,
of nutrients for our livestock and presently gap is keeping in view the social and cultural diversity,
about 40 to 50%. During 1992, 57.79 million is ecology, farming practices, present level use,
the milch cattle population and contributing 26.57 sustainability and economic use. Thus all these
million tones of milk i.e. 41.64% of the total milk issues should be carefully harmonized.

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