As the indigenous livestock breeds of Odisha are facing serious survival threats due to crossbreeding and adoption of foreign varieties, the State Government has decided to identify and conserve the local species.
The Government has identified 21 indigenous species for conversation and is trying to register the breeds with the National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resource (NBAGR) to boost conservation and ensure upgradation of livestock resources.
According to Fisheries and Animal Resources Development Secretary Bishnupada Sethi, the indigenous breeds have shown exceptional survivability in different regions; so, they need to be preserved.
There are 29 endangered indigenous breeds comprising five of cattle, eight of buffalo, five of sheep, four of goat, three of hen and four of duck. Of them, eight have either been already declared indigenous or registered with the NBAGR.
Binjharpuri, Motu, Ghumsuri and Khariar cattle as well as the Chilika and Kalahandi buffalos have already gained recognition as indigenous breeds of the country. Ganjam goat and sheep and Balangir and Aseel chicken have also been registered with the NBAGR in recent years.
In terms of buffalo genetic resources, Odisha has two national recognised breeds, Chilika and Kalahandi. However, a lot of lesser-known buffalo germplasm like Paralakhemundi, Manda, Jerangi, Sambalpuri and Kugang are also found in the State, according to experts.
Professor of Animal Breeding and Genetics at Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT) Susant Kumar Dash, who is credited for giving national recognition to four cattle and two buffalo breeds of Odisha, has already submitted a research paper and applied for national recognition of another two indigenous breeds, Paralakhemundi and Manda, with the NBAGR.
Manda buffalos are found in Ganjam and Gajapati districts while Parlakhemundi buffalo hails from Gajapati and Koraput.
Apart from the Ganjam and Balangir sheep, which are the two national recognised breeds of sheep in Odisha, there are several goat breeds like Bengal type, Raighar, Ghumusari, Maraguda and Kalahandi goat with different potentialities.
A research report says that the Kendrapada sheep have high potency with respect to prolificacy and mutton production. These are the only sheep which have the highest percentage of multiple births in the world.
The study by the OUAT and the Odisha livestock Development Society found that more than 80 per cent of the Kendrapada sheep give multiple offspring in the same delivery with 71 per cent giving birth to twins, nine per cent triplets and one per cent quadruplets.
According to reports, the indigenous species are registering a sharp decline due to crossbreeding and other reasons.
The indigenous livestock populations possess valuable traits such as disease resistance, high fertility, good maternal quality, longevity and have unique ability to live on poor quality feed and adapt in harsh and difficult climate.
