Production and reproduction performance of Gangatiri cattle in middle Gangetic plains of Bihar

Abstract

The characteristics, production and reproduction performance of Gangatiri cattle was investigated by visiting 142 farmer families in 37 villages under Buxar and Itahri blocks of Buxar district of Bihar. The study revealed that the coat colour of Gangatiri cattle were milky white and light grey, and the face was long and narrow. The estimated body weight of cattle in the breeding tract were 83.02±0.20, 132.06±0.71, 172.24±0.31, 326.45±0.70 and 261.63±0.26 kg, at various stages, viz. calves less than one year, 1-3 year males, 1-3 year females, adult males and adult females, respectively. The body length and height at withers of Gangatiri cattle were nearly equal to each other whereas the chest girth was prominent in all stages of age. The mean lactation length, peak yield, age at first calving, service period and dry period were 230.24±7.44 days, 4.52Â0.31 kg, 56.63±0.63 months, 129.45±3.63 days and 169.26±10.18 days under farmers' management. Among the kinds of different farming systems adopted by the farmers, the practice of agriculture along with rearing of Gangatiri cattle was prominent followed by other farming systems in the breeding tract. Regression of different dependent variables such as number of cattle, quantity of concentrate fed and the occurrence of diseases on the income generated from Gangatiri cattle (independent variable) were 2.66, 4.15 and -5.91, respectively.