Scientific selection and breeding is required to conserve the genetic pool of nattukuttai cattle in Tamil Nadu

Indigenous non- descript cattle play a key role in the ecosystem and livelihood of small and marginal farmers. Nattukuttai cattle, short stout indigenous cattle are being reared under zero input system in Villupuram, Tiruvallur and Kancheepuram districts of Tamil Nadu. An exploratory study was carried out to bring forth the adoption behaviour and constraints faced by Nattukuttai cattle owners. Forty respondents were selected from each of the three districts and thus the total respondents accounted to be 120. The study revealed that majority of the farmers had the practice of housing cattle adjacent to their home (62.5%) under open type and storing farm manure by heap method (100%). A meager per cent of owners only fed concentrate feed (15%) and green fodder (6.67%) to their cattle. The common diseases affecting Nattukuttai cattle were FMD, LSD and worm infestation. Around eighty-seven per cent of the farmers adopted natural service in breeding and few farmers were resorting to artificial insemination. Non availability of land to house the cattle adjacent to their homes and limited breed conservation measures were ranked as the major constraints by majority of farmers. Hence, selective breeding of cattle and capacity building on scientific dairy practices need to be initiated to conserve Nattukuttai breed of cattle in Tamil Nadu.