Physical and morphometric characteristics of Gangatiri cattle

Abstract

Gangatiri cattle are mainly found in the adjacent areas of the river Ganga in eastern Uttar Pradesh (Chandauli, Ghazipur, Varanasi, Mirzapur and Ballia districts) and adjacent Bhabhua (Kaimoor), Buxar, Arrah and Chhapra areas of Bihar. The breeding tract of this breed includes mainly Ballia and Ghazipur districts of Uttar Pradesh and Rohtas and Shahbad Districts of Bihar. Present study was conducted on 114 Gangatiri cattle - an indigenous cattle herd - maintained at Surbhi Shodh Sansthan (Geeta Goshala), Dagmagpur, Mirzapur, Uttar Pradesh- to study the physical and morphometric characterstics. White colour was the most prominant colour in the population. Colour of coat, forehead and neck was white and eyelid, tail and hoof were black in 65.78, 76.31, 63.15, 66.66, 82.45 and 76.31 % of animals, respectively. Hair was mainly straight type (97.10 %) but 2.90 % of the animals also had curly type of hair. Medium size muzzle was present in 79.71 % of the animals while it was small and large sized in 11.59 and 8.69 % of animals, respectively. Shades of grey were also present on different body parts of these animals. Grey colour was the second most prominant colour in the population. Majority of animals have shallow groove in middle head (57.97 %). Poll was prominent in 92.75 % of the population. Forehead was straight type in almost 78.26 % of these animals. Most of the adult animal population (72.46 %) was having medium body size. The average height at wither, body length, heart girth, face length, face width, neck length, ear length, fore cannon bone girth, height at hip bone, height at pin bone, rump slope and rump length were 117.12±1.23, 108.06±0.90, 145.50±1.80, 30.14±0.86, 15.48±0.43, 47.07±1.25, 19.99±0.56, 15.65±0.40, 117.78±1.16, 105.25±1.10, 12.47±0.16 and 35.56±0.65 cm, respectively.