Breeds of Cattle
Breeds of Cattle
INDIGENOUS BREED
Indigenous Breeds are classified under three groups based on utility / purpose.
1. Milch breeds / Milk breeds
2. Dual Purpose breeds
3. Draught breeds
Milch Breeds / Milk Breeds
The cows of these breeds are high milk yields and the male animals are slow or
poor work animals. The examples of Indian milch breeds are shahiwal, Red Sindhi,
Gir and Deoni The milk production of milk breeds is on the average more than 1600
kg per lactation
Dual Purpose Breeds
The cows in these breeds are average milk yielder and male animals are very
useful for work. Their milk production per lactation is 500 kg to 150 kg. The example
of this group is Ongole, Hariana, Kankrej, Tharparker, Krishna valley, Rathi and
Goalo Mewathi.
Draught Breeds
The male animals are good for work and Cows are poor milk yielder are their
milk yield as an average is less than 500 kg per lactation. They are usually white in
color. A pair of bullocks can haul 1000 kg. Net with an iron typed cart on a good road
at walking speed of 5 to 7 km per hour and cover a distance of 30 - 40 km per day.
Twice as much weight can be pulled on pneumatic rubber tube carts. The example of
this group Kangayam, Umblacherry, Amritmahal, Hallikar.
Milch Breed
Red Sindhi
Tharparkar
Kankrej
Draught Breeds
Kangayam
Hallikar
EXOTIC BREEDS
Jersey
Origin: This breed was developed from the island of
jersey in the English channel off the coast of France.
Distinguishing Characters:
CROSS BREEDING
It is mating of animals of different breeds. Cross breeding is followed for
breeding animals for milk production and meat production. In India zebu breeds of
cows and nondescript cows are crossed with exotic breeds like Holstein Friesian,
Brown Swiss and Jersey bulls or their semen, to enhance the milk production
potential of the progeny.
a)
As selection is a slow process of genetic improvement cross breeding has been
taken up as the national breeding for improving milk production in India . Cross
breeding word was initiated at NDRI Bangalore, Live Stock farm and Allahabad
Agricultural Institute. At present cross breeding work is going on at Military dairy
farms, NDRI Karnal, All India coordinated Research project son Cattle, Collaboration
projects like Indo-Swiss, Indo Australian, Indo-Danish, projects and also in the field
in farmers he. The feeding and management of the crosses would be better, to enable
them to express their production potential.
b)
In general the cross breeds were found to have higher birth weight, faster
growth rate, earlier age at first calving, higher weight ; at first calving, higher
lactation yield, longer lactation period) shorter service period, dry period and milk
production and breeding efficiency.
c)
There are several exotic breeds being used in cross breeding programme,
namely Holstein Friesian, Jersey, Brown Swiss and Reddane Holstein Friesian is
found to be best suited for fluid milk supply in cities, and where higher feed inputs
can be provided and where the temperature is temperate or sub-tropical. In contrast
Jersey crosses are ideal when the milk is meant for product manufacture and where
feed inputs are limited and the climate is trop.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Advantage
The desirable characters of the exotic parent are transmitted to the progeny
which the indigenous parent does not have.
In India Cross-breeding and cows is done by using the exotic bulls and the
progeny inherit the desirable characters of the parent like high milk yield early
maturity, higher birth weigh of calves, better growth rates, better reproductive
efficiency and indigenous parents characters like, heat tolerance, disease resistance
ability to thrive on scanty feeding and coarse fodder etc.
In pairs the way to evolve new breeds with desirable characters. Hybrid vigour
is made use of in the progency.
Results are seen more quickly in characters like milk yield in the crossbred
progeny.
Disadvantages
1.
The breeding merit of cross breed animals may be slightly reduced.
2.
Cross breeding requires maintenance of two or more pure breeds inorder to
product the cross breeds.
(Source: http://bieap.gov.in/DairyAnimalManagementTheory.pdf)
Cross-breed cattle
The crossbreeds are having exotic inheritance from Jersey, Brown Swiss or
Holstein Friesian or a combination of these different breeds. Jersey breed is known
for the milk fat percent and Holstein for the high quantity of milk.
Centre cross-alley should be well designed with reference to feed storage, the
stall area and the milk house.
Types of Housing
The most widely prevalent practice in this country is to tie the cows with rope
on a Katchafloor except some organized dairy farms belonging to government, cooperatives or military where proper housing facilities exist. It is quit easy to
understand that unless cattle are provide with good housing facilities, the animals will
move too far in or out of the standing space, defecating all round and even causing
trampling and wasting of feed by stepping into the mangers. The animals will be
exposed to extreme weather conditions all leading to bad health and lower
production.
Dairy cattle may be successfully housed under a wide variety of conditions, ranging
from close confinement to little restrictions except at milking time. However, two
types of dairy barns are in general use at the present time.
1.
The loose housing barn in combination with some type of milking barn or
parlor.
2.
The conventional dairy barn.
Loose housing may be defined as a system where animals are kept loose except
milking and at the time of treatment. The system is most economical. Some features
of loose housing system are as follows.
Cost of construction is significantly lower than conventional type.
It is possible to make further expansion without change
Facilitate easy detection of animal in heat.
Animals feel free and therefore, proves more profitable with even minimum
grazing
Animals get optimum excise which is extremely important for better health
production.
Over all better management can be rendered.
Cattle Shed
The entire shed should be surrounded by a boundary wall of. 5" height from
three side and manger etc., on one side. The feeding area should be provided with 2 to
2 feet of manger space per cow. All along the manger, there shall be 10" wide water
trough to provide clean, even, available drinking water.
The water trough thus constructed will also minimize the loss of fodders during
feeding. Near the manger, under the roofed house 5' wide floor should be paved with
bricks having a little slope.
Beyond that, there should be open unpaved area (40'X35') surrounded by 5' wall with
one gate. It is preferable that animals face north when they are eating fodder under the
shade. During cold wind in winter the animals will automatically lie down to have the
protection from the walls.
Shed for calves
On one side of the main cattle shed there be fully covered shed "10'x15' to
accommodate young calves. Such sheds with suitable partitioning, may also serve as
calving pen under adverse climatic conditions. Beyond this covered area there should
be a 20'x10' open area having boundary wall so that calves may move there freely.
In this way both calf and cattle sheds will need in all 50'x50' area for 20 adult cows
and followers. If one has limited resources, he can build ordinary, Katcha/semikatcha
boundary walls but feeding and water trough should be cemented ones.
Conventional Dairy Barn
The conventional dairy barns are comparatively costly and are now becoming
less popular day by day. However, by this system cattle are more protected from
adverse climatic condition.
The following barns are generally needed for proper housing of different classes
Dairy stock in the farm
Cow houses or sheds
Calving box
Isolation box
Sheds for young stocks
Bull or bullock sheds
Cow Sheds
Cow sheds can be arranged in a single row if the numbers of cows are small.
Say less than 10 or in a double row if the herd is a large one. Ordinarily, not more
than 80 to 100 cows should be placed in one building. In double row housing, the
stable should be so arranged that the cows face out (tails to tail system) or face in
(head to head system) as preferred.
Advantages of tail to tail system
Under the average conditions, 125 to 150 man hours of labour are required per
cow per year. Study of time: Time motion studies in dairies showed that 40% of the
expended time is spent in front of the cow, and 25% in other parts of the barn and the
milk house, and 60% of the time is spent behind the cows. Time spent at the back of
the cows is 4 times more than the time spent in front of them.
In cleaning and milking the cows, the wide middle alley is of great advantage.
manger and 6" to 9" for a low front manger is considered sufficient. Low front
mangers are more comfortable for cattle but high front. mangers prevent feed
wastage. The height at the back of the manger should be kept at 2'-6" to 3". An overall
width of 2' to 2 1/2' is sufficient for a good manger.
Alleys
The central walk should have a width of 5'-6' exclusive of gutters when cows
face out, and 4'-5' when they face in. The feed alley, in case of a face out system
should be 4' wide, and the central walk should show a slope of 1" from the center
towards the two gutters running parallel to each other, thus forming a crown at the
center.
Manure gutter
The manure gutter should be wide enough to hold all dung without getting
blocked, and be easy to clean/ Suitable dimensions are 2" width with a cross-fall of !"
away from standing. The gutter should have a gradient of 1" for every 10' length. This
will permit a free flow of liquid excreta.
Doors
The doors of a single range cowshed should be 5" wide with a height of 7', and
for double row shed the width should not be less than 8" to 9'. All doors of the barn
should lie flat against the external wall when fully open.
Calving Boxes
Allowing cows to calve in the milking cowshed is highly undesirable and
objectionable. It leads to in sanitary in milk production and spread of disease like
contagious abortion in the herd. Special accommodation in the form of loose-boxes
enclosed from all sides with a door should be furnished to all parturient cows. It
should have an area of about 100 to 150 sq.ft. With ample soft bedding, it should be
provided with sufficient ventilation through windows and ridge vent.
Isolation Boxes
Animals suffering from infectious disease must be segregated soon from the
rest of the herd. Loose boxes of about 150 sq.ft are very suitable for this purpose.
They sh9uld be situated at some distance from the other barns. Every isolation box
should be self contained and should have separate connection to the drainage disposal
system.
Sheds for Young Stocks
Calves should never be accommodated with adults in the cow shed. The calf
house must have provision for daylight ventilation and proper drainage. Damp and illdrained floors cause respiratory trouble in calves to which they are susceptible. For an
efficient management and housing, the young stock should be divided into three
1.
2.
3.
4.
groups, viz., young calves aged tip to one year bull calves, female calves. Each group
should be sheltered in a separate calf house or calf shed. As far as possible the shed
for the young calves should be quite close to the cow shed.
Each calf shed should have an open paddock or exercise yard. An area of 100
square feet per head for a stock of 10 calves and an increase of 50 square feet for
every additional calf will make a good paddock. It is useful to classify the calves
below one year into three age groups, viz., and calves below the age of 3 months, 3-6
months old calves and those over 6 months for a better allocation of the resting area.
An overall covered space of:
20-25 square feet per calf below the age of 3 months,
25 -30 square feet per calf from the age of 3-6 months,
30-40 square feet per calf from the age of 6-12 months and over, and
40-45 square feet for every calf above one year, should be made available for the
sheltering such climatic conditions. A suitable interior lay-out of a calf shed will be
to arrange the standing space along each side of a 4 feet wide central passage having a
shallow gutter along its length on both sides. Provision of water troughs inside each
calf shed and exercise yard should never be neglected.
Bull or Bullock Shed
Safety and ease in handling a comfortable shed protection from weather and a
provision for exercise are the key points while planning accommodation for bulls or
bullocks. A bull should never be kept in confinement particularly on hard floors. Such
a confinement without adequate exercise leads to overgrowth of the hoofs creating
difficulty in mounting and loss in the breeding power of the bull. A loose box with
rough cement concrete floor about 15' by 10' in dimensions having an adequate
arrangement of light and ventilation and an entrance 4' in width and 7' in height will
make a comfortable housing for a bull. The shed should have a manger and a water
trough.
If possible, the arrangement should be such that water and feed can be served without
actually entering the bull house. The bull should have a free access to an exercise
yard provided with a strong fence or a boundary wall of about 2' in height, i.e., too
high for the bull to jump over. From the bull yard, the bull should be able to view the
other animals of the herd so that it does not feel isolated. The exercise yard should
also communicate with a service crate via a swing gate which saves the use of an
attendant to bring the bull to the service crate.
(Source: Dr.C. Paul Princely Rajkumar, AC&RI, Madurai)
CLEANING OF ANIMAL SHEDS
The easy and quick method of cleaning animal house is with liberal use of tap
water, proper lifting and disposes all of dung and used straw bedding, providing
drainage, to the animal house for complete removal of liquid waste and urine. The
daily removal of feed and fodder left over in the manger, reduces the fly nuisance.
Periodical cleaning of water through eliminates the growth of algae, bacterial and
viral contamination and thus keeps the animal healthy.
Sanitation in dairy farm
Sanitation is necessary in the dairy farm houses for eliminations of all micro
organisms that are capable of causing disease in the animals. The presence of
organisms in the animal shed contaminates the milk produced thus reducing its self
life, milk produced in an unclean environment is likely to transmit diseases which
affect human health: Dry floorings keeps the houses dry and protects from foot injury.
Similarly the presence of flies and other insects in the dairy farm area are not only ,
disturbs the animals but also spreads deadly diseases to the animals egg. Babesiosis,
Theileriosis.
Sanitizers
Sunlight is the most potent and powerful sanitizer which destroy most of the
disease producing organism. Disinfection of animal sheds means making these free
from disease producing bacteria and is mainly-carried out by sprinkling chemical
agents such as bleaching powder, Iodine and lodophor, sodium carbonate, Washing
soda, Slaked Lime (Calcium hydroxide), Quick Lime (Calcium oxide) and phenol.
Bleaching powder
This is also called calcium hypo chloride. It contains upto 39 % available
chlorine which has high disinfecting activity.
Iodine and lodophor
This is commercially available as lodophores and contains between 1 and 2 %
available Iodine which is an effective germicide.
Sodium carbonate
A hot 4 % solution of washing soda is a powerful disinfectant against many
viruses and certain bacteria.
Slaked lime and quick lime
White washing with these agents makes the walls of the sheds and the water
troughs free from bacteria.
Phenol
Phenol or carbolic acid is very disinfectants which destroy bacteria as well as
fungus.
Insecticide
Insecticides are the substances or preparations used for killing insects. In dairy
farms, ticks usually hide in cracks and crevices of the walls and mangers. Smaller
quantities of insecticide solutions are required for spraying. Liquid insecticides can be
applied with a powerful sprayer, hand sprayer, a sponge or brush; commonly used
insecticides are DDT, Gramaxane wettable powders, malathion, Sevin 50 %
emulsifying concentration solutions. These are highly poisonous and need to be
handled carefully and should not come in contact with food material, drinking, water,
milk etc.
that animals will not slip. The drains in the shed should be shallow and preferably
covered with removable tiles. The drain should have a gradient of 1" for every 10"
length. The roof may be of corrugated cement sheet, asbestos or brick and rafters.
Cement concrete roofing is too expensive. Inside the open unpaved area it is always
desirable to plant some good shady trees for excellent protection against direct cold
winds in winter and to keep cool in summer.
Dairy Statistics :
-
World cattle population 1270 Millions, World Buffalo Population 160.0 Millions.
Cattle population in India 199. 6 Millions.
Buffalo population in India 80.68 Millions.
Total bovine population in India 280.28 Millions.
India is having roughly 1/7th of World Cattle population India is having roughly
50% of world buffalo population.
- Cattle population in Andhra Pradesh: 12.375 Millions.
- 7th position in India.
- Buffalo population in A.P. 8.75 Millions.
- 2nd Position in India( After U.P.)
- Total Milk Production in the world: 580 Millions.
- Total Milk production in India : 85.6 Million Tones.
- India ransk 1st in the world in Milk Production.
- India ranks 1st in the world in Milk Production.
- Ouit of the above milk production 52% is contributed by buffaloes, 45 % by cows
and 3% by sheep, goat and miscellaneous.
- The Milk production in A.P. is 5.1 Million Tonnes and ranks 7th in India.
- The per capital availability of milk in India is 204 grams pwer day / per person.
- But the I.C.M.R. has recommended a minimum of 280 grams per day / per person.
The percapita availability of milk in A.P. is 222 grs / per day / per person and the
highest per capital availability in Inida is Punjab ( 794 gms).
- The consumption pattern of milk in India is.
Liquid Milk : 46.0% ] Ghee : 28 %] Butter : 6.5 %] curd : 7.0 %] khoa : 5.5 %] Milk
poweder : 3.6 %] Cheese : 2 %] Other products : 1. 4 %
FREEMORTIN : When twin calves of opposite sexes are born to a cow, the female
twin born is known.
VEAL : The meant of calf is known as veal.