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BREEDS FROM TAMIL NADU

BREEDS OF CATTLE KANGAYAM: The Kangayam cattle is an excellent draught breed of cattle, distributed with varying densities in Erode district and adjoining areas consisting part of Dindigul, Karur, Tripur, Coimbatore and Namakkal districts of Tamilnadu. Animals true to type are seen in Kangayam, Dharapurm, Perundurai, Karur and Palani taluks. Kangayam calves are generally red at birth and change to grey colour around six months. Bulls are grey with dark extremities. Bulls and cows are grey. Palayakottai Pattakars are known for the development and propagation of this breed.

The estimated total population of Kangayam cattle in the breeding tract is found to be 4,79,200. Of these, breedable females, breeding bulls and working males constituted 43.53, 0.15 and 22.79 per cent respectively. The overall mean fat and SNF per cent were 3.93 and 7.21 respectively. The estimated total milk yield in partial milking was 540kg with an average lactation length of 9 months. Kangayam bullocks were heavier, with a mean mature body weight of 473kg. The average age at first oestrus, first mating and first calving were 29.5, 30 and 40 months respectively and calving interval was 16 months. Superior draught quality, tolerance to disease, adaptation to poor nutrition and drought condition and longevity are excellent qualities of this breed. UMBLACHERY: The Umblachery breed of cattle is also known by the names Mottai Madu and Mollai Madu. Umblachery cattle which is the native breed of coastal plains of Thanjavur and Nagapattinam districts derive the name from its home tract Umblachery a small viallage situated eight Km away from Thiruthuraipoondi town in Thiruvarur district. It is believed that the Umblachery breed was derived by breeding Kangayam with the local cattle of Thanjavur district. These are light built and medium sized animals which were developed for work in the marshy rice fields of these areas. Its body is

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compact with tucked up abdomen In adult animals the predominant coat colour is grey. The intensity of colour varies from grey with admixer of black to full grey colour. The calves are red or brown at birth and changes to grey at the age of six to eight months. In male calves the horn buds are removed at about six months of age, the ears are pruned and hot iron branding done at face and sides of the body. Legs are with white markings of socks. Feet and hooves are white or partially white. The cows are poor milkers. Bullocks are small, swift and suited for agricultural operations. BURGHUR: Burghur is a breed of work which specially evloved over the years suited to the semi mountainous terrain of Burghur hilly areas of Periyar district of Tamil Nadu.. This breed is highly built and they belong to the local tribals. The animals are red in colour with white patches all over the body.This breed is one of the native breeds of Tamil Nadu facing extinction. Conservation of such a rich native germplasm is imperative. They are red in colour with white patches all over the body.

PULIKULAM (JALLIKATTU): This breed is also known as Pulikulam or Jallikattu breed. They are also known as Kilakad or Kilkattu. This breed is found in Madurai, Sivaganaga, Virudhunagar and Theni district. Large numbers of this breed were also raised in the vicinity of the Cumbum valley and the Periar River, were grazing areas of vast extent. There was a big breeder living near Madurai at Cholavandanniya (now known as Cholavandan) by the name Iyyengottai Mamzakkarar who owned 1000 heads of cattle and who also exhibited some at the Madura cattle show held 1907. The breed

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was very compact with stout legs and hard feet They have very powerful loins, shoulders, neck and capable of doing very hard work. This breed of cattle is comparatively small in size, but is very active and capable of much endurance. In the villages of South Madurai the small bulls were kept for the purpose of bull fighting or rather bull baiting and were known as Jellicut which means an ornament or leaves from the fact that the horns of the bulls or decorated with a vividly coloured cloth. In many points they resemble the smaller variety of the Konga or Kangayam but they are finer breed and give the idea that they have in them probably a strain of the Mysore blood. The larger variety of this breed was extensively used for coach work and they were capable of trotting continuously 5 to 6 miles an hour. Cows are poor milkers. ALAMBADI: The Alambadi breed of cattle is also a draught breed of northwestern part of Tamilnadu. This breed is found in Cauveri basin of Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri and Erode distric of Tamilnadu and adjoining areas of Karnataka. The animals live in the forests for most part of the year. They are brought back to villages at harvest times. These animals generally thrive on grazing and dry fodder. The population size of the breed is very small and the breed is facing extinction

TODA BUFFALO: The Toda buffalo is reared mainly by an aboriginal Tribe, the Toda inhabiting the Nilgiris of Tamil Nadu. Earlier in 1603, Finicio Wrote of the Toda, They have no crops of any kind, and no occupation but the breeding of buffaloes, on whose milk and butter they live. The Toda buffalo is a genetically isolated breed of animal,
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found in this hilly terrain. These buffaloes have got the pheotypic resemblance to the swamp buffalo. Now it is classified under river type through karyological studies. The Toda buffaloes were declining in number and as per the 1994 estimate, a total of 3,531 Toda buffaloes were only available. This breed is approaching extinction. The Toda buffaloes are not easily tractable and also not fully domesticated.

The Toda buffaloes are powerfully built, long in body with practically no hump, large and heavy head and with short and sturdy legs. The colour of the animal is ash grey. The face, forehead, crest of the neck and top line are usually darker with thick growth of hairs. The shape of the horn is characteristic with downward, outward, upward and inward curvatures giving in general the shape of the Crescent or the letter C. They have two chevron marking on the neck region. Toda buffaloes are reported to be good milkers with daily yields varying from two to six litres; high yielding buffaloes are reported to be yielding as much as eight litres per day. The milk of Toda buffalo contains an average fat per cent of 8.3. Toda tribals use these buffaloes for their family rituals.

BREEDS OF SHEEP MADRAS RED breed of sheep is distributed in Kancheepuram and Chennai districts of Tamilnadu for meat production. Medium sized animals. Body colour is predominantly brown, intensity varying from light tan to dark brown.

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MECHERI breed of sheep is distributed in Salem district and Bhavani taluk of Erode district of Tamilnadu. Medium sized animals, light brown in colour. Primarily a meat breed and Mecheri mutton is preferred over mutton from other breeds. Skin is highly priced. RAMNAD WHITE breed of sheep is a meat type breed and is distributed over Ramanathapuram district and adjoining Thoothukkudi district of Tamilnadu. Animals are medium sized; predominantly white and some animals have fawn or black markings over the body.

KILAKARSAL sheep is distributed in Ramanathapuram and Virudhunagar and Tirunelveli districts of Tamilnadu. It is also a meat type sheep. The coat is dark tan with black spots on head, belly and legs. VEMBUR is a meat breed of sheep found in Tirunelveli, Tuticorin and Virudhunagar District of Tamilnadu. They are white with brown spots. The adult body weight is about 25 to 32 kg. This breed is mainly kept for meat. The numbers of animals are declining. Hence, there is a need for conservation of this breed of sheep.

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COIMBATORE breed of sheep is coarse wool type and is distributed in Coimbatore district of Tamilnadu. The animals are medium sized, white in colour with black face

TRICHY BLACK is also a coarse wool type sheep found in Trichy, Perumbalur, Dharmapuri, Krishnagiri and South Arcot districts of Tamilnadu. Small sized animals with completely black body.

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NILGIRI sheep is an apparel wool breed found in Nilgiri hills of Tamilnadu. Animals are generally white in colour with exceptionally brown patches on face and body. Face line is convex, giving a typical Roman nose. Nilgiri ewes produce about 10 per cent twins and are probably the most prolific among the Indian breeds of sheep. This breed evolved during 19th century. The breed has originated from a crossbred base with unknown levels of inheritance of Coimbatore, Tasmanian Merino, Cheviot and South Down exotic sheep breeds. Tea planters and other flock owners mostly maintain the breed for manure. The population of this breed is less than 5000, which needs conservation

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BREEDS OF GOAT KANNI ADU is known as Pallai Adu or Karuppu Adu. This breed is distributed in Ramanathapuram and Tirunelveli districts of Tamilnadu. It is a tall animal predominantly black or black with white or brown spots. It is maintained primarily for meat. This is a prolific breed with 85% fertility and a twinning rate of 10% in the farmers flock. The average flock size of Kanni Adu is 16.8 and about 55% of the goat owners have a flock size of 1 to 15 goats. Only about 3% of the breeders maintain large flocks exceeding 35 goats. The population of Kanni Adu goats was estimated to be 98,000 as per the sample survey in 199697. The breed needs to be conserved mainly for meat purpose.

KODI ADU is distributed in the southeastern coastal areas of Tamilnadu. It is black in colour with white spots on the body. The animals are tall, long, lean and leggy. Mainly landless labourers and marginal farmers maintain the goats. Twinning is common in pluriparous animals. It is also a meat type breed.

SALEM BLACK goats are complete black in colour and reared by the nomadic tribes of Salem and Dharmapuri districts of Tamilnadu in the Western Ghat adjoining Karnataka State for meat production. As per 2002 estimate, a total population of 0.86 lakhs of Salem Black goats is available. They are very tall with lengthy body, which enable them to feed on the tree leaves in the forest.

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MOLAI ADU is predominantly distributed in Gobichettipalayam, Bhavani, Sathyamangalam, and Perunthurai Taluks of Erode District. Also found in Namakkal, Salem and Karur Districts in Tamilnadu. The flocks are maintained by several communities. It is mixed with local goats of different colour. The Molai Adu is moderate in size with musculature. The colour of the animal mostly white in colour sometimes varies from complete white to light brown shades. They have compact and low set body, moderate legs and tail. The ears are long and drooping. Does are not horned that is the reason it is called as Molai Adu. Molai means hornless and Adu means goat in Tamil language but bucks are mostly horned, sometimes bucks also noticed without horns about 5-10 per cent of does are also notice with horns. The average body weight of the Molai Adu was 36.42 kgs in buck and 30.5 kgs in does. The height, body length and chest girth are in adult male and females are 75.4, 66.9; 71.4, 69.6 and 75.3, 71.8 respectively.

BREEDS OF DOG Rajapalayam, is the best known breed, shaped in the lines of the Great Dane, deep-chested, with white coat, which is occasionally mottled, pink nose and mouth being characteristic.

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Kombai with a temperament like Bull Terriers is tough, tenacious, sturdy, tan coloured animals.

Kanni Dog: Found among the flock of Vembur sheep and Kanni goat. It is a good watch dog for the sheep farming in the grazing land.

Chippiparai, a breed of Ramanathapuram, built somewhat like Labrador, is a good hunting dog.

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SOURCE : http://www.tanuvas.tn.nic.in

DR.P.VISWANATHAN, M.V.Sc., THOTTAMPATTI ERODE. pmdvisu@gmail.com

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