I J R B A T, Sp. Issue (18) June 2021: 67-71 e-ISSN 2347 – 517X A Double-Blind Peer Reviewed & Refereed Journal Original Article INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCHES IN BIOSCIENCES, AGRICULTURE AND TECHNOLOGY © VMS RESEARCH FOUNDATION www.ijrbat.in MILKING CONTEST OF CATTLE AT MALEGAON (MS), INDIA Mamata. K. Malviya, *Sachin S. Shinde Department of Zoology, Pratibha Niketan College, Nanded, M.S., India. *Department of Botany, NES Science College, Nanded, M.S., India. Email: [email protected] ABSTRACT: As India is an agricultural country, the main economic source of the farmer is farming and keeping the livestock. So, milk production is a joint business of the farmer, for which they have to focus on milk-yielding cattle. For the same purpose cattle, buffalosmilking contest has been also organized by Government at Malegaon (Nanded) each year. This Malegaon yatra is the second biggest animal fair in the country.A grand fair is organized in honor ofLord Khandoba known as ‘Malegaon Yatra’held on14 (Dec/Jan) for the last 500 years.Thousands of touristsattract from various parts of the country and visit the fair in which horses, dogs, asses, camels, cattle, etc. are brought in large numbers.Every yearexhibitions, buying, and selling of animalshave been done.Sincecattle and their milk are very important for humans,the present study was undertaken to explain the milking capacity of four dominant cattle of the Marathwada region of Maharashtra, India, to aware of theirrearing, well keeping, conservation, etc. Key words: - milkingcontest, Holstein Friesian, Red Kandhari, Jarsi, Devani, Malegaon INTRODUCTION: (Dec/Jan). The fair is also known for its biggest Our earth planet is covered by 71% of water and animal market that attracts tourists from various 29% by land. Out of global land area, 12% is parts of the country. At the time of the Fair currently used for cultivation and crops. India is horses, asses, cows, buffalos, parrots, turtles, an agricultural country. A farmer depends on the camels, goats, dogs, rabbits, hen, cock, duck, agricultural source and keeping the livestock to monkeys, squirrels, etc. are brought in large obtain economic support. So, milk production is numbers. Thousands of people visit the Fair. a joint business of farmers. India is the largest Another type of animal contest was also producer of milk followed by the USA, China, organized.The Malegaon yatra is the second Pakistan, Brazil. India is the top country in the biggest animal fair in the country after production of milk in the world. As of 2020, the Rajasthan's Pushkar Mela. (S. Harpal production of milk in India was 194,8400 Singh,11.1.2016 02:13 IST). thousand tonnes that account for 40.56% of the Cattle or Cow is considered sacred, worshipped world’s production of milk. So, farmers have to in Hindu Dharma. The five products (Panchtatva) focus on milk-yielding cattle, their nutrition, good of the cow -Ghee, milk, butter (curd), urine, and health, etc.For this purpose, a milking contest of dung are useful. Cattle milk is an important cattle and buffalos has been organized every year alternative food source. Milk is an excellent by the Government of India at Malegaon source of vitamins and minerals, including (Nanded). Malegaon is a village situated at Loha "nutrients of concern," which are under- Taluka at a distance of about 57 km from the consumed by many populations. It provides Nanded City. Nanded is one of the historical potassium, B12, calcium, and vitamin D, which places in the Marathwada region of the are lacking in many diets. Milk is also a good Maharashtra State in India situated on the north source of vitamin A, magnesium, zinc, and bank of the Godavari River. A grand fair is thiamine (B1). organized in honor of Lord Khandoba known as Livestock is the main wealth of Indian farmers. 67 ‘Malegaon Yatra’held in Margashirshvadya 14 The livestock population in the country has Page ICRST-2021 and IWCCPH-2021 I J R B A T, Sp. Issue (18) June 2021: 67-71 e-ISSN 2347 – 517X A Double-Blind Peer Reviewed & Refereed Journal Original Article slowly and steadily grown over the years Marathwada-Karnataka regions. Apart from the from445.28 million in 1987 to 470.14 million in trade-in cattle, the fair was also an occasion to 1992. The total livestock population consisting hold panchayats to settle disputes among the ofCattle, Buffalo, Sheep, Goat, Pig, Horses and scattered communities.‘Initially, horses and Ponies, Mules, Donkeys, Camels, Mithun, and camels from the north and elephants from the Yakin the country is 512.05 million numbers in south were traded but later on, the trade was 2012, The total livestock population has extended to even cats, dogs, monkeys, squirrels, decreased byabout 3.33%over the previous and what have you,' said one of the traders.This census. The number of animals in milk, cows, year, however, only about 1,500 camels and only and buffaloes,has increased from 77.04 million to 2,500 donkeys were put onsale at the yatra, a 80.52 million showing a growth of 4.51%. drop of about 50 percent.Fewer camels were (19thLivestock Census, Report 3.9.2014). brought from Patan in Rajasthan as it is Livestock fairs are organized under the State becoming increasingly difficult to find dry fodder, LivestockFair Act. 1963; 227 Livestock fairs-cum- said a camel trader from Hyderabad.(S. Harpal livestock exchange markets are organized under Singh,11.1.2016). theauthority of local bodies like Municipality, A similar fair also hasbeen held at different places Nagar Parishad and Gram Panchayats. The in India. veterinary health facility for livestock care was India's Top Largest animal Fair: found in 96.55 % of livestock fairs. It included the Sonepur Cattle Fair services of veterinarians/stockmen on the site It is held on Kartik Poornima in November in treatment, vaccination, issue of the health Sonepur, Bihar. It is held on the confluence of certificate, and attestation. It was observed that river Ganges and Gandak. To date, it is the veterinary facilities made available in these fairs biggest cattle fair in Asia and stretches from were perfunctory. fifteen days to one month. Many farm animals can be brought from all breeds of dogs, buffaloes, MATERIAL AND METHOD: donkeys, ponies, horses, rabbits, goats, and even Cattle were under observation at the contest the occasional camel. Many varieties of birds and place to check any malpractices. Milk was poultry are also available.The major attraction is collected between 4 to 7 January 2019and the Haathi Bazaar where elephants are lined up calculated by taking its average. for sale. A wide variety of goods were kept in the Investigator collected the related information by stalls, ranging from garments to weapons and internet primary data, from Z.P. office, Nanded, furniture, toys and agricultural implements, review of articles, media, personal interviews, jewelry, and handicrafts. visits to the field, etc. The research includes first- Pushkar Fair hand observations of the Fair, past literature on The Cattle Fairor Pushkar Melaheld in Pushkar Malegaon Fair including published reports, town of Rajasthan stateis one of the largest fairs generic newspaper reports. This work was carried in India. Pushkar Fair is the world's largest camel out during (Dec/Jan) 2019. fairs and apart from buying and selling Review of articles livestock.It is an important tourist attraction of Malegaon fair served as a meeting place for the the state due to other competitions such as scattered families of communities like Vaidu, matka phod, camel race, and longest Kaikari, Potharaju, Masanjogi, Chudbudkewale, mustacheand “bridal competition” 68 Wadderas, and Pardis from the Telangana- Sarangkheda Fair Page ICRST-2021 and IWCCPH-2021 I J R B A T, Sp. Issue (18) June 2021: 67-71 e-ISSN 2347 – 517X A Double-Blind Peer Reviewed & Refereed Journal Original Article Sarangkheda is a village in Shahada talukaon the and the bullocks are very good for heavy work. In bank of Tapti River, in the Nandurbar district of India, the Deoni cattle are usually kept by grazing Maharashtra state in India.The village hosts a in fallow lands, drylands, or bunds of the farms. Horse trading fair every year in Decemberon the It has higher disease resisting power especially occasion of Datta Jayanti called 'Sarangkheda tick-borne diseases and has good heat tolerance Chetak Festival'. This tradition has been going on power, (to direct sunlight and radiation.). It is well since recorded in history over 300 years ago. The adapted to their breeding tract and Indian climate fair attracts thousands of people all over and constitutes an important cattle genetic Maharashtra and outside states in the country resource of India. The average lifespan of Deoni for many purposes like horse riding, farming, etc. cattle is up to 15 years. It is believed that ‘the Deoni cattle has been RESULT AND DISCUSSION: developed from a strain descended from a During the present study, the investigator mixture of Dangi, Gir and local cattle’. Deoni observed that Deoni cattle, Red Kandhari cattle, cattle crosses with Holstein and Jersey are very Holstein Friesian- Hybrid Cow, Jarsi Sankarit good milk yielders. The cattle breed is now quite Cow, Gir, Seiwal, Khillari, Tharparkar Kathewadi popular in the tracts of Telangana and adjoining cattle have participated in milking contest.Out of districts of Maharashtra and Karnataka. these participated cattle, Holstein Friesian- Government Farms Hybrid Cowshowed maximum milking capacity Deoni Cattle Breeding Farm, Gudgaripalli, (29.800 Average Ltr. milk capacity/ day)and Red Andhra Pradesh. Govt Farm, Kampasagar, kandhari cattle showed minimum(9.166 Average Andhra Pradesh. Livestock Research and Ltr. milk capacity/ day) milking capacity.Next to Information Centre (Deoni), Hallikhed (B), Holstein Friesian- Hybrid Cow was Jarsi Sankarit KVAFSU, Bidar, Karnataka.