Madhya Pradesh State PCS

• 22 Apr 2024

Special Breed Cows in Madhya Pradesh

Why in News?

Recently, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister welcomed a pair of Punganur cows, specially brought from Andhra Pradesh.

Key Points

• The Punganur cow is a dwarf cattle breed native to the Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh. It is one of the world's smallest humped cattle breeds.
• It has high resilience to drought and can adapt to low-quality feed.
• It is also prized for its milk, which boasts a higher fat content, making it ideal for producing ghee.
  • A Punganur cow can give around 1 to 3 litres a day, and the milk fat content is 8% as compared to 3 to 4% in other native breeds.
  • The milk is also rich in nutrients such as Omega fatty acids, calcium, potassium, and magnesium.
• It has a broad forehead and short horns. The horns are crescent-shaped and often lose curving backward and forward in males and lateral and forward in females.
• Punganur cows are considered eco-friendly, requiring less water, feed, and space compared to hybrid breeds.
• Many temples in Andhra Pradesh, including the famous Tirupati Tirumala Temple, use the milk of a Punganur cow for Ksheera Abhishekam (milk offering to the deity).