Brazilian Agriculture Research Corporation (EMBRAPA) has offered to provide technical support to preserve the Ongole breed of cattle fast becoming extinct in its original breeding land between Gundalakamma and Musi rivers in Prakasam district.
While the number of pure breed of Ongole cattle was declining at an alarming rate, the Bos Indicus thrived in the South American country.
An EMBRAPA delegation visited some of the farms in Ongole on Sunday on the eve of Sankranti festival following an invitation from former Ongole MP Y.V. Subba Reddy. The delegation comprising Jose Ribamar F. Marques, Tarcisio Da Cruz Mesquita and Guilherme Minssen told reporters that Ongole breed of cows in Brazil yielded about 30 litres of milk on an average.
ADVERTISEMENT
On the other hand, productivity had declined to less than five litres per Ongole cow in Prakasam.