BHAWANIPATNA: KALAHANDI breed of indigenous buffalo having distinct genetic and phenotypic potentialities is on the verge of extinction due to cross-breeding and adoption of foreign varieties. As per reports, there were 14 natural breeds of buffaloes in the country. Of this, there were two breeds - Kalahandi and Chilika - in Odisha. But now the original Kalahandi breed is facing serious existential threat under the onslaught of crossbreeding with Murrah buffalo by means of artificial insemination. As a result, their population is gradually decreasing in the State.
Similarly, the Khariar breed of indigenous cow in Nuapada had faced extinction due to extensive artificial insemination in the 80’s. The coat colour of Kalahandi buffalo ranges from grey to blackish grey, while its horn shape and size are typical. The horn is horizontal going backward, upward and inward making it half circle and usually it is about 80 cm long. Its muzzles, eye lids and head convex are black and hump is small. The buffalo gives three to four litres of milk per day by self-grazing without any supplement of feed. Its udder is round and medium in size.
The bulls are hardy and helpful in farm and other domestic works. As this breed does not need any extra care by the owner, it is economical and known as drought animal. In order to conserve its germ plasma and genetic maintenance of indigenous native breeds, the State Government had formed the Odisha Livestock Resources Development Society (OLRDS) in 2015. A Rs two-crore project was undertaken to conserve the Kalahandi breed of buffalo and farmers were encouraged to maintain purity of the indigenous breed. In 2016-17, Kalahandi Buffalo Producers’ Society comprising 17 farmers was formed to improve germ plasma of native breeds and develop marketing facilities for milk, milk products, meat, skin, horn and hides supported by OLRDS.
Though Rs 35 lakh has been released to the office of Chief District Veterinary Officer (CDVO), Kalahandi in 2017-18, the action plan for implementation of the project is yet to be approved at the State level. Under the project, the district-level society was supposed to appoint required number of officials to identify at least 500 buffaloes in different clusters of the district and create awareness among the cattle owners. But no initiative has been taken in this regard so far. When contacted, CDVO Chaitanya Charan Sethi said the district office had submitted its action plan for the project to the OLRDS on January 25 last year. But it is yet to be approved delaying implementation of the project, while the district-level society has not been made functional. After approval of the action plan, training programme will be organised for identified cattle owners, he added.