Punganur dwarf cattle breed : characteristics and religious importance.

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: 272.08.9 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.