Punganur cows

Standing at just around 70-90 cm tall and weighing less than 200 kg, it is among the world’s most dwarf cattle breeds.

• It is native to Punganur village in the Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh.
• It has high resilience to drought and can adapt to low-quality feed.
• It is also prized for its milk, which boasts a higher fat content, making it ideal for producing ghee. 
  • A Punganur cow can give around 1 to 3 litres a day, and the milk fat content is 8 percent as compared to 3 to 4 percent in other native breeds.
  • The milk is also rich in nutrients such as Omega fatty acids, calcium, potassium, and magnesium.
• Body colour: It is white, grey, or light brown to dark brown or red in colour. Sometimes, animals with white colour mixed with red, brown, or black patches are also seen. 
• It has a broad forehead and short horns. The horns are crescent-shaped and often lose curving backward and forward in males and lateral and forward in females.
• Punganur cows are considered eco-friendly, requiring less water, feed, and space compared to hybrid breeds.

Cultural Significance: Even today, many temples in Andhra Pradesh, including the famous Tirupati Thirumala Temple, use the milk of a Punganur cow for Ksheeraabhishekam (milk offering to the deity).

India has 50 Indigenous Bovine Breeds (37 Cattle and 13 Buffaloes). 

• • Milch Breeds: Specifically raised for milk production. 
    • Examples: Sahiwal, Gir, Red Sindhi, Tharparkar and Rathi. 
  • Milch and Draught Breeds: Draught cattle are employed for heavy labor purposes, aiding in agricultural activities such as plowing and transportation. 
    • Examples: Kankrej, Ongole, and Hariana.

Specialty of Indian Cows:

• • Hump: It is an exclusive characteristic of the Indian Desi bulls and cows and facilitates them to carry loads without effort, while the foreign breeds do not have a hump.
  • Dewlap: It is a fold of loose skin hanging from the neck of an animal. The Indigenous Cattle have a high heat resistance from their extensive Dewlaps.
  • Dung: The dung of Indian breeds of cows is used in agriculture, medicine, etc., whereas the dung of foreign breeds is of no use.