Scientists from the ICAR-National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources have launched characterisation studies on the Periyar and Vilwadri dwarf varieties of cattle, which if found distinct and uniform in character will be registered as unique breeds under a national programme to identify and conserve indigenous animal genetic resources.
Characterisation study is the first step towards discovering whether a breed of cattle is unique. It involves recording of external traits like colour, horn shape, height, and the not-so-obvious biological features brought out by DNA studies, say scientists Anil Kumar Mishra and K.N. Raja.
This is the first time that cattle population from Kerala is being taken up for a study after research on the Vechur and Badagara dwarfs. Of them, however, only Vechur cows were selected for registration as a unique breed. The ICAR scientists say the Kurichyar and Cheruvally dwarfs from Wayanad and Kottayam respectively have also been identified for studies, and that work on them would be taken up later.
The Vilwadri dwarfs are found in the Thiruvilwamala area of Palakkad, while the Periyar dwarfs are seen along the banks of the Periyar in places like the Kalady plantations, Kodanad, Paniyeli, Vadattupara, and Charupara, says Jose Kurien, manager of Mar Augen School at Kodanad. It was a project taken up by students of the school that brought to light the existence of the cattle.
For a cattle variety to be registered as a breed, it must be distinct, have a stable breedable population of at least a thousand, produce young ones like themselves and should be found in a particular geographical area.
So far, 43 breeds of cattle, including the Vechur cows, have been registered in India. Each of the registered breed is given a unique accession number by the Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources which is mandated to identify and conserve lesser known animals.
Welcoming the development, Jayadevan N. Namboodiri, who heads the Confederation of Indigenous Cattle Breeders’ Associations, Kerala, says local breeds of cattle have gone into oblivion because of intensive cross-breeding. Efforts like the one in progress will help those varieties come back.
