Hyderabad: A little known species of cattle, called the Thurupu, from the Mannanur forests in Mahbubnagar, has caught the attention of government agencies of Telangana.
Many states in the country have cattle breeds associated with them like the famous Ongole bull of Andhra Pradesh, Pulikulam of Tamil Nadu or Kankrej of Gujarat, and conservation measures are taken so that the breeds do not get diluted or their genetic traits stolen by other countries.
There is no recognised species of cattle native to Telangana yet, and Thurupu might be the first one. The cattle got its name because it is bred in the Nallamala forest in the eastern part of Mahbubnagar.
To get the recognition, Thurupu has to be registered with the National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources by submitting various information like its body parameters, economic utility and native ecosystem.
For this reason, the Telangana State Biodiversity Board and Animal Husbandry department are working with Watershed Support Services and Activity Network, an NGO.
Mr Sabyasachi Das of the network said that the Thurupu breed needs to be conserved because it is a sturdy breed which has been bred over centuries by the Lamaada and Gola communities and has evolved to survive the dry weather ecosystem.
“Hence, it requires less input for maintenance, has excellent draught power to work in this region and works from the age of 3-20 years. It is extensively used in parts of Mahbubnagar and is also sold in the Kurumurthy cattle mela which is regularly conducted," Mr Das said.
“An economy of Rs 5-10 crore in this region thrives on the cattle," he said. An eight-month-old male Thurupu calf costs around Rs 15,000. The female is not used much as it gives just about three litres of milk a day.
The genetic strain is under threat due to cross breeding with other varieties and there is lack of good support services for maintenance of health of the cattle in Mannanur. Moreover, grazing in forest areas is discouraged by the forest department.
Download the all new Deccan Chronicle app for Android and iOS to stay up-to-date with latest headlines and news stories in politics, entertainment, sports, technology, business and much more from India and around the world.
