TIRUPPUR: Kangayam cattle were well sought after in the State as it is considered to be a good draught breed. It gives only 1-1.5 litres of milk a day, but that’s highly nutritious and well-priced in the market. The breed is also hardy and thrives on scanty rations. But farmers have been selling them off lately due to a drop in conception rate caused by hormonal imbalances.
Based on data collected from more than 200 Kangayam cows in Tiruppur over four years, the Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (TANUVAS) found that 30 per cent of them had hormonal imbalances. Unable to breed the cattle or afford the expense to feed them, farmers end up selling them.
Speaking to TNIE, Joint Director (Animal Husbandry) Dr A Parivendan said, “Hormonal imbalance in Kangayam cows could be caused by many reasons—infection transmitted from bulls during natural service, improper diet, lack of mineral intake, etc. This could lead to a decrease in the secretion of progesterone, affecting the animal’s reproductive system.
“Hormone correction treatment is the best solution to this problem. It is done in four stages—diagnosis, anti-bacterial therapy, improved diet and increasing progesterone secretion either by inserting a control drug release (CDR) device in the vagina or applying progesterone cream on its back for five to seven days. This will help regulate progesterone secretion.”
But, farmers are unaware of the reasons for the low conception rate and how to treat it. R Raja, a farmer, said, “I own several Kangayam cows and stud bulls in my farm at Kasipalayam, Uthukuli. Three years ago, I bought a one-year-old cow for Rs 50,000. "
“It gave birth three times and was giving good milk yield as well. But, after the fourth year, the cow didn’t conceive even after several attempts of natural service and artificial inseminations. I didn’t get milk for two years and had to sell it off.” A Dharapuram said he sold three cows in the past six months because they couldn’t conceive.
The treatment for hormonal imbalance is offered with the help of TANUVAS. Elaborating on the scheme and its benefits, TANUVAS Veterinary Hospital (Tiruppur) head, Dr Mathivannan, said, “We are offering this unique treatment method and have also signed a deal with the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD). The scheme will offer the treatment for free."
Possible causes
The hormonal imbalance could be caused by reasons like infection transmitted from bulls during natural service, improper diet, lack of mineral intake, etc