Tackling the future challenges of Organic Animal Husbandry - vTI

RAHMANN G & GODINHO D (Ed.) (2012): Tackling the Future Challenges of Organic Animal Husbandry.
Proceedings of the 2 nd OAHC, Hamburg/Trenthorst, Germany, Sep 12-14, 2012
Organic animal husbandry of Achham cattle, worlds smallest cattle breed
Abstract
DEVENDRA PRASAD BHANDARI
Institute of Agriculture and Animal Sciences (IAAS), Rampur, Chitwan, Nepal.
email: bhdevendraa@gmail.com
Achham cattle are the smallest indigenous cattle breed of the world with population 863 (DLSO Achham) and less than
1m tall, registered in Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) found only in Khaptad buffer zone,
Achham district of Nepal. The major constraints regarding these precious and important breeds
are; low level of management, lack of appropriate breeding strategy, cross breeding, least emphasis
on research and exploration, decreased interest of the farmers towards livestock farming, illegal
trade to Tibet for slaughter, etc, due to which the breed is in critically endangered condition. This
disease resistance milch breed can be reared in low input system in wide range of climatic conditions
(5-40 0 C). These constraints have left opportunities for the organic farming of the Achham
cattle. Different activities that can be undertaken are; selection of the superior individuals for the
milk yield, provision of balanced organic feed supplement, sanitation, administration of the conventional
herbal and ayurvedic medicines for disease management, disease resistance and abiotic
stress tolerance, in-situ conservation of the breed, policy to reduce the illegal trade to Tibet, commercialization
of the breeds and its organic products in the national and international market.
Another virgin topic that has to be done is its publicity and advertisement and best suitable breed
for the organic farming. This breed can be improved as the organic breed as work has to be done
from root level.
Key words: Achham cattle, organic animal breeding, in-situ conservation and ex situ conservation
Introduction
Sustainable animal husbandry is considered as positive future way out (Lin et al., 2003), that stresses
on the resilience ability of ecological biodiversity. In the hills fodder trees and straw along with
negligible concentrate comprises the diet of these animals (Kaphle and Devkota, 2000), while concentrate
feed is available to high producing animals. Twelve percent of this is exotic (pure and cross
bred) and the rest indigenous (Neopane et al., 2005). In Nepal there are most notably seven indigenous
cattle breeds identified. They are Terai cattle, Lulu, Pahadi, Siri, Khailia, Achham and Yak
(Neopane et al., 2005).
Achham cattle (Bos indicus) are considered as rare breed of cattle (FAO online, 2008) and smallest
breed of cattle in the world (NARC, 2008). Achham cattle provide food (milk) to farmers, power
for agricultural operations and manure for maintaining and enhancing soil fertility (FAO et al,
1993/1994). These indigenous Achham cattle represents a small proportion of total cattle population
and are mostly found in Achham, Bajhang, Bajura, and Doti Districts of Western Nepal mid and
high hills (Neopane, 2002).They are known as Sano Gai (Sano= small and Gai = cattle in Nepali)
or Naumuthe Gai meaning Small cattle (Neopane et al., 2005). This can be a suitable breed for low
input system mainly in hills (Shrestha et al., 1996).
Achham cattle as being the smallest breed are less than 1 meter in height at withers. They are suitable
for hill conditions and low input system. Body color varies from black to white i.e. black,
brown, grey, white, spotted black and white. Ear is straight with an average length of 17 cm. Its
temperament varies from docile to wild. The wither height of Achham cattle was 90.8 ± 0.96 cm at
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