Bhubaneswar: Odisha’s new breed of ‘Manda’ buffalo has gained national status. The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and National Bureau of Wildlife Genetic Resources (NBAGR) made this announcement Tuesday.
The recognition was achieved through a joint effort of the Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT) and the Odisha Department of Animal Resources Development. Dr Vishnupad Sethi, the then departmental director, and a professor of the Veterinary College and his team conducted the study.
‘Manda’ Buffalo is unique and can only be found in Odisha. At a recent meeting, the ‘Manda’ buffalo was declared as the 14th breed in India.
Notably, seven breed of buffaloes from Odisha had already been recognised by ICAR and NBAGR. ‘Manda’ is the eighth one to get such a recognition. All the eight breeds have been identified by Professor Sushant Kumar Das.
“An application was made in 2009 to recognise the ‘Manda’ buffalo as a separate breed. I am happy that it has finally got the recognition it deserves. The body colour of this breed is usually grey and although small in size, it is quite healthy. Both male and female buffaloes are being engaged in farming in Koraput, Malkangiri and Nabarangpur districts. These animals do not carry infections. Currently, there are at least 1 lakh buffaloes of this breed in the mountains,” Das pointed out.
“The buffalos can provide milk and also can be engaged in farming activities. Each buffalo can produce two to 2.5 litres of milk on a daily basis. Some of them can even produce higher quantities. These breed of buffalos can produce milk till the age of 20,” he added.