Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Draft Breeds

Draft Breeds A large majority of the indigenous breeds are of draft type, in which cows are poor milkers, but bullocks are superior in quality. Prominent draft breeds of cattle in India are Nagauri, Bachaur, Kherigarh, Malvi, Hallikar, Khillari, Kangayam and Amritmahal. The last four breeds are also known as Mysore breeds. Besides, Pan war and Siri are other important draft breeds. They are also known as hilly breeds.

Nagauri This is famous for trotting and as a draft animal. The bullocks are prized for their fast road work. Nagauri breeds are found in the district of Jodhpur in Rajasthan. This breed is supposed to have been evolved from Hariana and Kankrej breeds.

Bachaur This breed is found in Sitamarhi district of Bihar. It has very close similarity to the Hariana breed. The males .are well known for their draft capacity and their ability to thrive under poor conditions of feeding. The females of this breed are not good milkers.
Kherigarh The home tract of this breed is the Kheri district of Uttar Pradesh. Lighter in general appearance, Kherigarh cattle are very active and good animals for light draft and trotting.

MaJvi These are found in Gwalior region of Madhya Pradesh and also in Andhra Pradesh. They are of massive built and in some respects resemble the Kankrej.

Hallikar This breed originated in the former princely state of Vijayanagaram (presently in Karnataka). The ani­mals are compact, muscular and medium-sized. The breed is best known for its draft capacity and especially for its trotting ability. It was used in the war by Tipu Sultan for carrying cannons.

Khillari Khillari breed closely resembles the Hallikar. Its home tract is Sholapur and Sitapur districts of Maharashtra. The animals are compact and tight. Khillari bullocks are regarded as fast and powerful draft animals.

Kangayam This breed originated in the Coimbatore district of Tamil Nadu. The animals are of moderate size with compact bodies. The males have black or very dark colour on the head, hump, neck and quarters. A large number of bullocks produced in the northern tract are sold to cultivators in other parts for working on the black cotton soils.

Amritmahal The home tract of Amritmahal is the former princely state of Mysore. Its breeding tract stretches from Krishna basin to Cauery basin. The Amritmahal breed is primarily a draft animal, but during the early days, it was known for its milch qualities. Maharajas of Mysore had developed large farms called Kavals for developing this breed. The animals are closely related to Hallikar.

Ponwar Ponwar is found in the foothills of the Himalayas. It is small and compact with frequent white markings on the forehead, dewlap and limbs. This breed is mainly restricted to the Pilibhit district of Uttar Pradesh. The bullocks do make good draft animals. Cows are very poor milkers.

Siri This is the,..main breed in the hilly tract around Darjeeling in West Bengal and Sikkim. It is found usually in higher altitudes from 1,000 to 4,000 m above the sea level. The breed can withstand rugged mountainous con­ditions. The bullocks are reputed for good draftability.

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