ANIMAL HUSBANDRY INFORMATION

CATTLE

General Information

Cattle are domesticated ungulates, a member of the subfamily Bovinae of the family Bovidae. They are raised as livestock for meat (called beef and veal), dairy products (milk), leather and as draught animals (pulling carts, ploughing etc). The Indian subcontinent harbours a variety of cattle. Besides many non-descript breeds, there are 30 well-recognized cattle breeds in India. Majority of these breeds are low producers of milk; hence they are primarily used for the production of castrated bulls, which are used in agriculture, carting and transport.

Kerala hasn't had a recognized cattle breed except for Vechur cattle. This breed is meant for farmers who otherwise would not keep large crossbred cows and cannot afford sophisticated management practices, but at the same time require milk for home consumption only.  National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources (NBAGR) has listed Vechur as one of the five breeds with threatened status. The list also includes Sahiwal and Red Sindhi breeds.

Last updated: 23-8-2006