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BIO-DIVERSITY OF AMRITHMAHAL CATTLE BREEDING TRACT:
a) Animal Diversity:
The breeding tract is endowed with rich fauna and flora, varieties of plants and vegetation and domestic farm animal genetic diversity as reflected by recognized breeds of cattle viz., Amrithmahal, Hallikar, Malnad gidda, besides a number of Desi cattle varieties, non-descript buffaloes which look more or like that of Surti buffaloes in body size and conformation, Bannur, Hassan and Chitradurga strain of sheep, non-descript goats, Ankamali pig breed and local varieties of pigs and varieties of local birds. All these breeds are locally developed through interactions of man and nature over centuries. These forms of animal genetic diversity have been responsible for transformation of the life style and socio-economic conditions apart from being beasts of burden for agriculture operations including rural transport and also provision of milk, meat and fibres for human welfare.
b) Physiography of the Amrithmahal breeding tract:
Two-thirds of the Amrithmahal cattle breeding tract lies in the Southern Maidan (i.e. central dry zone) and one- third in the hilly tract of the state (southern transitional zone). The Southern maidan is characterized by undulating or rolling landscape with wide-open broad valleys and elevation ranging about 450 to 760 meters from the sea level. It largely forms the base for the catchment area of Cauvey, Thungabadra, Yagachi and Vedavati rivers etc.
The hilly tract is not continuous, abruptly rises with elevated peaks, again broken up forming trenches/ravines adjoining with low croplands. It has an elevation ranging from 900 to 1500 meters from mean sea level. Malnad area also forms a of hilly tract which is characterized by splendid ghats with their gorgeous outlook, water falls, river captures and the watersheds, often interlaced with denser ever green and/or semi evergreen forests.
c) Bio-climatology of the Amrithmahal tract:
The biotic life of the Amrithmahal cattle breeding tract is closely influenced by the agro-climatic conditions and geographic location are delineated here under:
i) Temperature:
Temperature is the lowest in January and increased thereafter gradually at first and rapidly after the middle of February or beginning of March. The highest temperature is recorded in April/May (33 to 35oC) in the southern Maidan region and 28 to 32oC in Malnad and ghats sections of the breeding tract.
It is noteworthy that the mean annual average of temperature (i.e. the difference between the highest mean daily maximum temperature and the lowest mean daily minimum temperature) is about 6 to 7oC in the southern Maidan region and 7 to 8oC in the ghats and malnad region. The annual mean temperature (i.e. the average of the 12 monthly means of daily maximum and minimum temperature) is the highest, about 28 to 30oC in the north-eastern parts of the State excluding the Amrithmahal breeding tract and the lowest is being about 18 to 20oC in the Ghats and Malnad areas. It is about 23 to 25oC in the southern Maidan area.
ii) Humidity:
In general, the Ghats and Malnad areas of the Amrithmahal cattle breeding tract are more humid than the Southern Maidan areas. Humidity is as low as 5 to 10 per cent and sometimes even less in southern maidan areas in the afternoon hours particularly in summer –March and April. Over the ghats and malnad areas the lowest humidity of 30 to 40 per cent is recorded in March-April. In July and August very high humidities exceeding 90 per cent occur over the Ghats and Malnad areas and 60 to 80 per cent in the southern maidan areas. From September onwards, humidity generally decreases gradually up to November and rapidly thereafter. This is the common feature observed both in the state and breeding tract of Amrithmahal Cattle.
iii) Rainfall:
The state receives an average annual rainfall of 1354.7 mm with a minimum of 552.8 mm and maximum of 3932.4 mm. The average rainfall ranges from 597.3 mm in Chitradurga tract to 1989.8 mm in Chikmagalur tract. The breeding tract is also taunted now and then with occurrence of severe droughts and floods.
I. BREED DESCRIPTION PROCEDURE – NBAGR, KARNAL:
The questionnaires prescribed by National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources, Karnal are being adopted in toto. The data obtained on breed description and other information as per the schedules are given below:
(a) The native environment
(b) Qualitative and quantitative aspect of morphological, physiological and functional traits.
(c) Demographical and geographical distributions.
(d) Managemental practices.
(e) Milk production and its quality.
(f) Feeding and other management practices.
(g) General information about the householders and animals maintained by the farmer.
(h) Molecular genetic characterizations.
(i) Conservation of elite animals.
All these information will be used to characterize the Amrithmahal breed on phenotypic, morphometric and functional basis. Since, this breed has long history of being in the lifestyle of the farmers in its home tract and caused tremendous impact on socio-economic cultural and ethnical aspect of the people in the native tract. Besides, yesteryear rulers have used this breed in warfare and business activities.
II. NATIVE ENVIRONMENT - AMRITHMAHAL HOME TRACT:
Amrithmahal cattle home tract lies in six districts of Southern Karnataka viz., Chickmagalur, Chitradurga, Davanagere, Hassan, Shimoga and Tumkur and parts of Mandya, Mysore and Kolar. In these districts sizeable proportion of Amrithmahal cattle exist which are being selectively bred and reared by the farmers over centuries for draught purposes, household milk need and also for show purposes as prestigious animal. Besides, animals are also maintained by the State Dept. of AH & VS, which act as Nucleus Breeding Stations for production of seed stock especially male calves and also to maintain breed purity and its improvement. The Amrithmahal main cattle breeding station is located at Ajjampura and sub-centres are located at Habbanghatta, Basuru, Lingadahally, Chickhemiganur and Ramagiri. The male calves are being raised at Bull Calves Rearing centre at Birur in Kadur Taluk of Chickmagalur District.
The farmers and breeders in the home tract have actually felt that there is deterioration in breed quality over years in stature, structure, size and functional activities of Amrithmahal breed. The number of animals in the breeding tract is getting reduced enormously and perilously from census to census, firstly, due to decline in common property resources i.e pasture and grazing land and secondly, due to indiscriminate breeding practices by using low quality bulls (scrub bulls) and introduction of exotic germplasm to enhance milk production.
The project staff have visited randomly selected villages in the districts of Bangalore Urban, Bangalore Rural, Belgaum, Kolar, Raichur and Gadag which happen to be non-breeding tracts of Amrithmahal cattle, but animals are distributed in small numbers in these districts which may be due to purchase from the home tract for agricultural operations including rural transportation.
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