Kangayam Cattle
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The Kangayam or Kangeyam is an Indian
breed A breed is a specific group of breedable domestic animals having homogeneous appearance (phenotype), homogeneous behavior, and/or other characteristics that distinguish it from other organisms of the same species. In literature, there exist seve ...
of draught cattle from the
state State most commonly refers to: * State (polity), a centralized political organization that regulates law and society within a territory **Sovereign state, a sovereign polity in international law, commonly referred to as a country **Nation state, a ...
of
Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is the southernmost States and union territories of India, state of India. The List of states and union territories of India by area, tenth largest Indian state by area and the List of states and union territories of Indi ...
, in
South India South India, also known as Southern India or Peninsular India, is the southern part of the Deccan Peninsula in India encompassing the states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Telangana as well as the union territories of ...
. Its area of origin is
Kongu Nadu Kongu Nadu, also known as Kongu Mandalam, is the geographical region comprising the western and north-western part of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of Tamil Nadu and in some instances, parts of southeastern Karnataka a ...
, the region surrounding
Coimbatore Coimbatore (Tamil: kōyamputtūr, ), also known as Kovai (), is one of the major Metropolitan cities of India, metropolitan cities in the States and union territories of India, Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is located on the banks of the Noyy ...
, close to the border between Tamil Nadu and
Kerala Kerala ( , ) is a States and union territories of India, state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile ...
, but it is distributed over a considerably wider area. The breed name derives from that of the town of
Kangeyam Kangeyam () is a historical town and municipality in Kangeyam Taluk of Tiruppur district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is situated on National Highway 81. Kangeyam is an economic center in Tamil Nadu. The main commercial interests of ...
. It may also be called Kanganad or Kongu.


History

The Kangayam is a traditional draught breed of
Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is the southernmost States and union territories of India, state of India. The List of states and union territories of India by area, tenth largest Indian state by area and the List of states and union territories of Indi ...
. It is not closely related to the other draught breed of the state, the Umblachery, but may have some influence from the
Ongole Ongole (), natively known as Ongolu, is a city in Prakasam district of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is the headquarters of Prakasam district. It is known for Ongole cattle, an indigenous breed of oxen. Etymology The name 'Ongole' i ...
. Its area of origin is the
Kongu Nadu Kongu Nadu, also known as Kongu Mandalam, is the geographical region comprising the western and north-western part of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of Tamil Nadu and in some instances, parts of southeastern Karnataka a ...
region, the western districts of Tamil Nadu surrounding
Coimbatore Coimbatore (Tamil: kōyamputtūr, ), also known as Kovai (), is one of the major Metropolitan cities of India, metropolitan cities in the States and union territories of India, Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is located on the banks of the Noyy ...
, close to the border between Tamil Nadu and
Kerala Kerala ( , ) is a States and union territories of India, state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile ...
, but it is distributed over a considerably wider area; the name of the breed derives from that of the town of
Kangeyam Kangeyam () is a historical town and municipality in Kangeyam Taluk of Tiruppur district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is situated on National Highway 81. Kangeyam is an economic center in Tamil Nadu. The main commercial interests of ...
in
Tiruppur District Tiruppur District is one of the 38 districts of the Indian States and territories of India, state of Tamil Nadu, formed in 22 February 2009. Dharapuram was the largest taluk by area in the district. The district is well-developed and industria ...
. Before Independence of India, the erstwhile Government of Madras took steps to popularise this breed. In 1942, ‘Kangayam Cattle Improvement Scheme’ was implemented by Imperial Council for Agricultural Research. After Independence, with the help of Five Year Plans, the breeding and adjoining tracts of Kangayams were improved.This breed of cattle was originally bred by the Manradiar family of Kangeyam In 1940s, the population of the breed was around 3400 000, reduced to in 1979 and 242 000 in 2003. In 2022 a total population of between and head was reported to
DAD-IS DAD-IS is the acronym for the Domestic Animal Diversity Information System, a tool developed and maintained by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations as a part of its programme for management of animal genetic resources for ...
. It has been exported to Brazil, where it is called the Cangaian.


Characteristics

Kangayam cattle are valued for their moderate size, robust nature, and impressive athleticism, making them highly sought-after as draft animals. The breed's cows are generally not known for their milk production capabilities, but for other purposes.


Body Traits

The Kangayam is of medium size, with a height at the
withers Withers are the ridge between the shoulder blades of an animal, typically a quadruped. In many species, this ridge is the tallest point of the body. In horses and dogs, it is the standard place to measure the animal's height. In contrast, catt ...
of some and a body weight of two body types are described, a larger and a smaller. With a thick and short neck, a short and broad back, and well-sprung ribs, the Kangayam breed displays a compact body structure. The quarters have a subtle droop, while the dewlap extends only up to the sternum, remaining thin. The sheath is neatly tucked against the body, and although the hump in bulls is well-developed, it retains a firm appearance. The breed's hair is fine and short, and the skin possesses a dark pigmentation and a delicate texture. A moderately long tail, featuring a black switch that extends well below the hocks, completes the breed's physical traits. The two variations of this breed exhibit remarkable strength and agility, boasting compact bodies and sturdy, short legs with robust hooves. In the smaller variety, the horns are positioned relatively straight, with a slight backward curve. Conversely, the larger variety showcases longer horns that curve outward and backward, nearly forming a complete circle as they approach the tips. The breed's head is proportionate to its body, featuring a modest size and a straighter profile compared to most Mysore-type cattle. The erect and pointed ears are small in size, while the eyes, adorned with black rings, are prominent and dark.


Food habits

''Korangaadu'', a
Kongu Tamil Kongu Tamil or Kovai Tamil (also called Kongalam, Kongu Pechu, Coimbatore Tamil) is the dialect of Tamil language that is spoken by the people in Kongu Nadu, which is the western region of Tamil Nadu. It is originally known as "Kangee"` or "Kong ...
word for dry-grass silvi-pasture land is most suitable landscape for this breed''.'' The staple food of this breed that grow in this region are Kollukattaipul (
Cenchrus ciliaris ''Cenchrus ciliaris'' (buffel-grass or African foxtail grass; syn. ''Pennisetum ciliare'' (L.) Link) is a species of grass native to most of Africa, southern Asia (east to India), southern Iran, and the extreme south of Europe (Sicily). Other n ...
), Vennampul ( Trachys muricata), Ottampul ( Setaria verticillata) and legumes such as Naripayathan Kodi ( Phaseolus trilobus). The pods that fall from the Vellai Velan tree (
Acacia leucophloea ''Vachellia leucophloea'' (), also vernacularly as the ''White Bark Acacia'' or ''reonja'', is a moderate-sized tree native to South and Southeast Asia. Distribution ''Vachellia leucophloea'' grows natively in India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, ...
) are the supplementary fodder. ''Poochi Kaalai'' (a stud bull) is selected on the basis of its height, the length of its legs, and the formation of its hump. When the bulls attain a moderate level of dentition around three years of age, they are left to cover the heifers to get the best offspring. The cows usually calve 12 times in their lifecycle.


Color

The calves are red when born, but change to grey by the age of two; cows are grey or dark grey, bulls are darker and may be black on the head and foreparts. The colour of cows and
oxen An ox (: oxen), also known as a bullock (in BrE, British, AusE, Australian, and IndE, Indian English), is a large bovine, trained and used as a draft animal. Oxen are commonly castration, castrated adult male cattle, because castration i ...
fades as they age, and cows may become completely white. Kangayam cattle primarily exhibit gray or white coloration. Male individuals typically display a gray hue with black or dark gray patches on the head, neck, hump, and quarters. On the other hand, cows predominantly possess white and gray coats, often adorned with distinct markings on the knees and above the fetlocks of all four legs. Calves exhibit shades of light or dark brown, with gray or white areas on the inner thighs, ears, and forelegs. Occasionally, gray or white rings can be observed on the pasterns and fetlocks. As heifers reach two years of age, they transition to a gray or dark gray color, which persists into maturity. However, as the animals age beyond maturity, their color fades, eventually turning white. Male calves gradually become dark gray or iron gray, with intensified black shading on the head, neck, hump, dewlap, forequarters, and hindquarters. Castrated males, however, exhibit a gradual fading of this coloration.


Use

The Kangayam was one of the two principal draught breeds used in Tamil Nadu, the other being the Hallikar. The cows give little milk: annual yield is in the range , with an average of ; the fat content is approximately 3.9%. Being an excellent draught breed, this breed cows and bulls are widely used to operate ''Yetram'', a manual method in which a scoop-like pouch, made of leather or rubber, was used to lift and pour the water from the wells. The animals moves front and back to lift water from the well using the pouch that hangs on a rope. Bulls are used in traditional bull races, as are Hallikar and Ongole bulls. They are mostly used in traditional sport of Rekla race in
Kongu Nadu Kongu Nadu, also known as Kongu Mandalam, is the geographical region comprising the western and north-western part of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of Tamil Nadu and in some instances, parts of southeastern Karnataka a ...
because of their strong thigh muscles and also rarely in the sport of
Jallikattu Jallikattu (or Sallikkattu), also known as Eru Taḻuvuṭal and Manju-virattu, is a traditional event in which a zebu bull ('' Bos indicus''), such as the Pulikulam or Kangayam breeds, is released into a crowd of people, and many people attemp ...
.


References

{{Cattle breeds of India Animal husbandry in Tamil Nadu Cattle breeds originating in India