a bit of Miniature Zebu history from Breeds of Indian Cattle
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"Nadudana" or village cattle.
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Lack of Animal Husbandry. They are generally ill-fed except where natural pasturage is abundant. In the hot weather they suffer and sometimes numbers die of starvation. In the best of seasons the quantity of straw that is grown is less than what is needed if cattle are to be fully fed. There is no spectacle more pitiful than a collection of half-starved village cattle in seasons of drought. Their low condition and weakness render them peculiarly liable to epidemic diseases of various descriptions. There is hardly a village which does not periodically sustain extensive devastation of cattle. In localities where large extents of lowland tracts irrigated by tanks or channels exist, cattle get some grazable forage in the dry weather and do not look the mere skin-and-bone which they do in places where such advantages are entirely absent. Where large reservoirs and good springs abound, cattle get a good drink of water in the dry weather, but in the large jungle pastures and in many villages of every district scarcity of water often prevails from which cattle suffer as much as from the scantiness of fodder. The little water pools and reservoirs which generally form the sole source of water for cattle in villages gradually become concentrated, soiled by the faeces of the cattle, and charged with the smell of their urine. Temper. Cattle of this breed are generally docile. Those bred in large herds in "roppas" like "Doddadana," are fiery in temper and very shy. It is not uncommon to find such specimens even in purely village-bred animals of this dass. Usefulness of the breed. These are the most serviceable animals bred in the Province, inasmuch as they perform more than 15% of the total agricultural work of the country, and a greater part of light transport-cattle used as beasts of burden are drawn from this breed. About a third of the dairy produce is produced by them (the other two-thirds being mainly contributed by buffaloes), while nearly the whole of beef supplied to the beef-consuming classes is derived from them. Pack animals. p.28. The points of pack animals intended for carrying heavy loads are: (a) Bony, compact frame. (b) Strong chest and loins, equally and well developed. If these are weak, the animal struggles in ascents and descents. (c) A level and wide back with strong vertebrae and well arched ribs. (d) Short, straight and stout legs with short pasterns and well-developed shoulders and thighs. If the animals are short, it is all the better for loading. Cattle designed for this purpose should not be allowed to breed prior to castration which should be effected at the beginning of the sixth year. Most cattle suitable for this kind of work are found among the" Nadudana." As these animals have to traverse all kinds of soils and uneven. ground, they should be particularly strong in points (b), (c) and (d), and should have, besides, strong, hard hoofs, of which the two halves should be equal. Animals for work involving fatigue. p.28. The smaller and more compact the animals the more capable are they of standing fatigue. A hardy course of treatment in breeding such as the Amrut Mahal and other semi-wild herds undergo, prepares them for any extraordinary call upon their powers of endurance. White-skinned cattle are delicate. They get a staring coat in the cold weather, are easily tired and perspire under work, and cannot stand heat or the inclemencies of the weather. Black-skinned animals, on the contrary, are hardy and can resist the effects of exposure. Cattle of the Hallikar breed and many bulls of the "Nadudana," especially those of Lingadahalli, Pavagada, Midigesi, Bettadapur and Metikuppe, are known to be hardy, spirited, and capable of enduring much fatigue. |
» see also » Miniature Zebu Cattle's Beginning in the U.S.A., by Lonnie Hoover, Ft. Gibson, OK. About Miniature Zebus Rudy Scheile dba Heart of Dixie Zebus, Jasper AL Recessive Bulldog Dwarfism (Chondrodysplasia) in Miniature Zebus Bulldog dwarfism is a lethal genetic defect of Miniature Zebu cattle. Affected fetuses have disproportionate dwarfism, a short and compressed vertebral column, a large head, short, stocky limbs, and are naturally aborted around seven months of gestation. The mutation that causes this defect is specific to Zebu cattle and is different from the Dexter mutations. |
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Homestead & Miniature Cattle Directory Homestead Cattle Association Mini Cattle Registry Bucking V Outfit, LLC. enterprises, est. 1990, Maricopa County, Arizona |
©published online November 2019 by Vintage Press, LLC.