Abstract

The Department of Agriculture is trying to build up a dual purpose breed of Ongole Cattle which will produce good work-cattle and milk. It is obvious from results up to the present at Chintaladevi that some Ongole cows are fairly good milkers, three or four cows having reached 5,000 lbs. milk in a single lactation and if they are properly fed and maintained, they breed fairly regularly. The size, constitution and conformation of the bulls have not suffered and so there is every hope of building up a herd of good milkers which will produce good calves and work-cattle. In the Ongole breeding tract very few cows are milked out (except in towns) to find out the milk yield, the calves are allowed to suckle their dams with the result that the cow does not prove economic to keep. Most ryots maintain one or two she-buffaloes to supply milk and ghee for domestic use. It is suggested that all ryots should be persuaded to milk out their: cows in milk fully one day per week in order to find out the milk yield of the cow. If they discover that their cow gives 16 lbs. milk per day when well fed, they can milk out 3 to 4 lbs. milk in the morning and 3 lbs. in the evening for their domestic use and allow the calf to suckle the remainder, always leaving at least 6 to 8 lbs. milk per day for the calf up to 6 months of age; they could discontinue keeping one or two. she-buffaloes and increase the concentrated food and fodder fed to the Ongole cow. Ongole cows are purchased in Madras according to their milk yield, so much (about Rs 10) per lb. of milk yielded, therefore a cow yielding 16 lbs. per day would realise Rs. 160. Ryots should be informed of this, so that they will try to feed their cows in a better manner and also record the yield of milk. This method is followed on all Government Cattle Farms. Ongole Cattle should be encouraged in Vizagapatam, Godavari, Kistna, Guntur and the Ceded Districts.

Keywords: