Gir Cattle Importance

Pashu Sandesh, 28 December 2019

Ruhi Meena

Postgraduate institute of veterinary education and research,

Jaipur Rajasthan

TheCattle breed GIR is a famous dairy cattle breed in India and native breed of India. They originated in southwest India in the state of Gujrat and spread to Maharashtra and Rajasthan. Basically from Gir hills and forest of Kathiawar (Amreli, Bhavnagar, Junagarh and Rajkot districts of Gujrat) which is the natural habitat of the breed. This breed is also known as Bhadoli, Gujarati, Sorati, Suarati, Kathiwadi and Desan. Their breeding tract lies between 20°5’ and 22°6’ north latitude and 70° and 72° east latitude. The total population of the region i.e. breeding tract of Gir cattle is 2.5 million and Gir breed accounts for37% of total cattle population in the region. IN 2003 the Gir cattle number about 915000 or 37% of the 2.5 million cattle population of the Saurashtra region of Gujrat (6.24 million). In 2010 the population in Brazil was estimated at approximately 5 million. These cattle are resistant to hot temperature and tropical diseases. They are famous for their tolerance for stress condition and resistant to various tropical diseases. This is a dairy cattle breed and mainly raised for milk production in India but in some other countries, they are also raised for beef production.  It is famous for its high milk production characteristics. Its milk is of premium quality milk due to the presence of A-2 Beta-Casein and has the capacity of more milk yielding with less feeding. This is also very popular outside India (United States, Mexico, Venezuela and Brazil). Their dung and urine are also useful as a soil fertilizer. Gir cattle are used for the betterment of other breeds and bull of this breed is also used for drag heavy loads. The gir cattle are very gregarious and at night they slept in a circle and very close together with their calves under their necks. The average lifespan of gir cattle is about 12-15 years and feed which is provided to them includes pulses grain husk oil cakes, cotton seeds and green fodder.

Physical Characteristics

Gir cattle are having a distinctive appearance. Their body is well proportioned and udder is well developed and round and teat tips are round. Their body colour varies from shades of red and white to almost black and white or entire red or yellowish-red to white with large red spots. Their colour is a shiny red colour to spotted white. Their skin is very thin, soft and glossy. Their eyes are hooded and black pigmented and having loose skin around their eyes. They are having a big convex forehead and a long face which is the most unusual feature of this breed. Their convex forehead is a cooling radiator to the brain and pituitary gland. Their horn grows downwards and backwards with an upward curve. They have very hard feet which are black in colour and very long ears and folded like a leaf with a notch at the tip. The average weight of gir cows is 385 kgs and bull 545 kgs. At birth age of calves, weight is about 20 kgs. At first calving, weight is approx. 284 kgs. 

Reproductive and Production-Age at first heat and calving approximately 1149 and 1534 day, respectively. Average dry period and inter-calving period were 123 and 423 days, respectively. Heifers received an average of 1.07 inseminations for successful conception whereas cows received 1.64 inseminations per conception. Cow of this breed can produce 10-12 calves during their life. The calving season in GIR cows lasts from July to September. The average milk yield for gir cattle is 1600 kg per lactation (326 days) with the production of 3182 kg at 4.5 % fat in India. The cows perform very well outside India as in brazil they produce an average of 3500 kg milk per lactation but in India, it is 1600kgs only. This breed is mainly used for milk production as per day yield is 6.5 to 12 litres. In a year it gives milk approx 10 months. Fat is also very good as compare to other i.e. 4.69 to 4.97%.

In India 1642.9 kg is the annual yield per cow according to UNFAO (2017) it is behind globally avg. of 2430.2 kgs. Reason behind it low management practices to secure our native breed quality.

Disease Pattern/Survivability- Gir animals are considered as hardy with low overall mortality. The highest mortality was observed from birth to one month of age. Female calves had higher mortality than males during this stage. Mortality was very marginal after one year of age. Odedra (1979) has also reported similar calf mortality in Gir animals. Broncho-Pneumonia and Pneumo-Enteritis were the major causes of mortality in calves. A few cases of reproductive disorders i.e. dystocia, abortion, retention of placenta, prolapse have also been noticed in females.

Conservation and Genetic Improvement Programmes- this breed has been crossed with exotic breeds in All India Coordinated Research Project (Cattle) for the genetic improvement. The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) started two projects on Gir cattle, one is executed by the National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources (NBAGR) for the conservation of breed and another by the Project Directorate on Cattle (PDC) for genetic improvement. The objectives of the former project are to characterise the breed in terms of qualitative and quantitative traits, to study the molecular genetic characteristics of the breed, develop breed descriptors and conserve the germplasm of elite/unique animals. The latter project aims to undertake testing and selection of bulls for the genetic improvement and to provide superior germplasm for utilisation in other development programmes.

Recently PM Modi said about importing the Gir bull semen from brazil to rebreed and rebrand the breed. But RSS Chief also questioned on that as this breed was gifted to brazil by Maharaja Krishna Kumar Sinhji Bhavjisinhji Gohil of Bhavnagar, Gujrat. So now we are importing our breed again. 

As per FAO, avg milk yield of Brazillian variety is 120% more than Indian gir breed.

In 2018india signed a memorandum of understanding with Brazil for one lac doses of frozen gir bull semen for artificial insemination to increase the indigenous breed yield.

But along with livestock experts are having a fear of disease import with the Brazillian breed semen.

IVRI Bareilly scientists also reveal fear. In 1990 BVD (Bovine virus diarrhoea) and IBR (Infection bovine rhinotracheitis from Newzealand from Holstein Friesian cow breed but it was detected in 2001 and result are the drastic decline of our healthy bull breed.

The more important reason for this drastic decline in breed quality is due to the absence of the organized national breeding programme. Currently, artificial insemination is restricted to just 30% of the total breedable bovine population in India.

There is a need for genetic improvement programme to be an integral part of our livestock improving plans to increase milk production and also protection, conservation and promotion of our indigenous breeds.

Now the fear of disease import with the semen of genetically high merit from brazil is a very nice step with properly organized programme overcome disease spreading fear.