Khariar

Khariar is a breed that is named after the place of its origin. This breed is local to Khariar, Komna, Sinapalli and Boden areas of the Nuapada district of Orissa. Its breeding tracts comprises the Nuapada, Kalahandi and Bolangir Districts of Orissa. Like the Binjharpuri cattle of Orissa, the Khariar is also known by the synonym of ‘Deshi’. In appearance, they resemble the Motu breed of Orissa.

Khariar is basically a draft breed. The bullocks are used for agricultural operations and for transportation. These are docile, small-sized, strong animals, heat and drought tolerant, and have a very low incidence of diseases. These are bred around their hilly and undulated, native tracts.

Characteristics:

  • This is a docile, small-sized, yet strong breed with a coat colour which ranges from light brown to grey, with unique orientation of the horn.
  • The hump, neck, and some regions of face and back, are dark in colour.
  • Horns are straight, emerging upward and inward, and are black in colour.
  • The forehead is straight, and the head is proportionate to body size.
  • The eyelids are black, muzzle is black grey.
  • The ears are horizontal with a length of 18 cms.
  • The navel flap is small, and also the penis sheath flap is small.
  • The tail is mainly black and sometimes grey while the hooves are black.
  • The dewlap is medium in males and small in females.
  • The hump is medium in size
  • The udder is small, bowl-shaped medium sized milk vein.
  • The teats are cylindrical in shape with round teat tips.
  • Height of the male averages at 106 cms., and that of the female at 102 cms.
  • Body length of the male averages at 114 cms., and of the female at 106 cms.
  • Body weight of the male averages at 196 kgs., and that of the female at 156 kgs.
  • Average chest girth of a male is 114 cms and that of the female is 123 cms.
  • The milk yield per lactation ranges from 300 kgs to 450 kgs.
  • Average milk fat ranges from 4 % – 5 % and daily milk yield is around 1.8 kgs.
  • Average age at first calving is around 4 years
  • The lactation period is aroud 270 to 290 days.
  • Calving interval of this breed is 1.25 to 1.5 years.
 
Usually, the cattle of entire village are taken together for during cropping season in order to avoid damage to crops. Though the Khariar is basically a draft breed, the cows of this breed produce considerable quantities of milk, which is mostly used for family consumption, and at times marketed.

Indian Cow Facts

Like the other native Indian cattle breeds, in tune with the National Bovine Breeding Policy, the Orissa State had also started cross-breeding of Khariar with the foreign breeds like Jersey and Holstein, thus pushing the Khariar to the edge of extinction.

However, in the year 2010, with the registration of this breed, efforts were made to conserve the same. The State Government has also covered this native breed under the Odisha Bovine Breeding Policy, 2015.