Punganur dwarf cattle breed
: characteristics and religious importance.
Punganur
Cattle is one of the world’s smallest Bos indicus cattle. Punganur cattle
originated from Punganur in Chittoor district, situated at the south-eastern
tip of the Deccan Plateau in Andhra Pradesh, India. This breed was developed by
the Rajas of Punganur and was used for milking and other light agricultural
operations.
Punganur
is perhaps the world’s smallest humped cattle breed. It is widely known as an
efficient milch breed. It is also drought resistant and able to survive
exclusively on dry fodder. The Punganur cow is said to have the grace of a deer
and a beautiful walking style. It is considered auspicious to have this cow.
These cows are said to receive cosmic energy at a higher magnitude and
disseminate it all around. The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) has about
200 Punganur cows in its cattle-yard. Ghee prepared from the milk of these cows
is in the ‘archana’ (offering) for Lord Venkateswara and for preparation of the
famous Tirupati laddoos.
Breed
characteristics:-
1. Punganur
is a popular dwarf cattle breed.
2. Punganur
have compact build, comparatively tight skin and extensively hanging dewlap..
3. Punganur
cows are generally white, grey or light
brown to dark brown in colour. White mixed with red or black colour are also
available.
4. The
skin, muzzle, eyelids and hooves are black and they have concave and broad
forehead.
5. Punganur
breed have black, small and crescent shaped horns, slightly mobile and almost
flat along the back which are normally at different heights from each other.
6. Punganur
breeds horns are stumpy in males and
longer in females; horn length ranges from 10 to 15 cms.
7. The
back slopes downwards from front to the hind quarters.
8 Punganur have short legs and long body with well
sprung ribs.
9. Punganur
cows have tails that touch the ground;
humps of small size in females and medium but drooping in males.
10. The
average height is about 70-90 cms and weight is around 115-200 kgs.
11. The
lactation milk yield is approximately 540 litres and lactation length is 260
days.
12. The
average milk fat content is 5 to 8 % and their average daily feed intake is 5
kg.
13. The
bulls are more docile than the females.
Conservation
Efforts - This breed is on the verge of
extinction. The decline of this pure Indian breed is mainly due to an earlier
policy decision taken by the Government to “better” Indian cattle breeds by
cross-breeding the Punganur with the Holstein-Friesian and Jersey cattle while
banning the rearing of native bull breeds. The Punganur cattle are now being
reared mainly on the Government Livestock Farm, Palamaner, Chittoor district,
while a small informal group of private breeders are also working on reviving
this revered species.
Divine
offering - Perhaps, this is why the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) has
about 200 Punganur cows in its cattle-yard. Ghee prepared from the milk of
these cows is being used in ‘archana' (offering) for Lord Venkateswara Ghee
prepared from the milk of these cows is in the ‘archana’ (offering) for Lord
Venkateswara and for preparation of the famous Tirupati laddoos. Available only in small numbers, the Punganur
cow has become a craze, a status symbol, among the wealthy in the Andhra
Pradesh capital of late. “They are shelling out at least Rs.1 lakh to buy the
cow, which is believed to bring good luck..
Morphological characteristics
Body:
Short stature, compact Body colour: White, grey or light brown to dark brown or
red; sometimes, animals with white colour mixed with red, brown or black
coloured patches are also seen. Skin: Tight, Forehead: Concave, broad,
prominent, Eyes: Black eyelids, Muzzle: Black, Dewlap: Hanging ,Shoulder hump:
Small in females and medium but inclined to be drooping in males, Chest
(barrel): Long with well sprung ribs. Horns: Shot; crescent shaped and often
loose curving backward and forward in males and lateral and forward in females.
Limbs: Short,Hooves: Black
Morphometric
parameters - Horn length: 10 - 15 cm,
Reproductive
traits - Dry period: 188.1±11.54 days, Inter-calving
period: 317 - 832 days.
Production
traits - Daily milk yield (Kg): 2.29±0.06 kg, Lactation period: 272.08.9 days
Milk
production per lactation: 633.4±21.7 kg , Average milk fat: 5.00%, Average
solid not fat: 7.69 - 10.56%
Bulls
are more docile than females. Ability as draught purpose: The bullocks are used
for agricultural operation in light soil as well as for driving carts for
transportation and special races. It is
a dwarf breed. Known for draught resistance, it can thrive well on dry fodder
feeding. Maintained at Livestock Research Station, Palamaner, Chittoor
district, Andhra Pradesh, attached to Shri Venkateswara Veterinary University,
Tirupati. Some animals are also maintained by private breeders.
