Odisha is blessed with beautiful natural resources and a long coastline. About 60 per cent of the population depends on agriculture and the performance of Odisha’s agriculture sector is highly dependent and susceptible to the adverse impact of natural shocks in the form of cyclones, droughts and floods. 

Livestock Census:

Odisha constitutes 4 per cent of the total bovine population in the country. According to the 19th Livestock Census, Odisha has witnessed a secular decline in the bovine population during the inter-census period from 2007 to 2012. During the same period, there has been an increase of 77 per cent in the in milk exotic and cross-bred cattle and 3.5 per cent in in-milk indigenous cows. In case of buffaloes, the number of in-milk has fallen by 11 per cent from 1.43 lakh to 1.27 lakh in the 2012 census. In order to give a major push to buffalo breeding, the Odisha Bovine Breeding Policy 2015 has been announced for genetic improvement of the buffalo population. The key focus of the policy is also to conserve indigenous buffalo breeds that include nationally recognized Chilika and Kalahandi along with Parlakhemundi, Manda, Jerangi, Sambalpur and Kujang.

Cattle and buffalo Breeds

On 3rd October 2015, the State Government has come out with new “Odisha Bovine Breeding Policy, 2015” to make dairy farming economically viable. The policy aims to increase the number of economically productive milch animals, conserve and improve indigenous germplasm, increase local adaptability of dairy animals. The Odisha Livestock Resource Development Society (OLRDS) is the principal implementing agency for the policy. The policy envisages to gradually replace popular low-milk yielding cow breed with high-yield Tharparkar and Binjharpuri breeds. It calls for genetic up-gradation programme with the introduction of germplasms of Sahiwal, Gir and Tharparkar. Rather than mating stray bulls with cows, more scientific and technology-driven artificial insemination programme would be put in place. The target is to cover at least 40 per cent of the non-descript cattle, 70 per cent of the crossbred cattle and 40 per cent of the buffaloes under the organised breeding programme. In order to produce good quality stock with higher production potentiality, the Government plans to use imported and progeny tested exotic semen.

Distribution of Native Breeds of Odisha

Distribution of Cattle Breeds of Odisha

Breeds	Breeding Tract	Utility	Distribution
Binjharpuri	Primarily in Jajapur district and adjoining areas of Bhadrak and Kendrapara districts of Odisha	Milk and Draught (Dual)	Binjharpur, Bari, Sujanpur and Dasarathapur blocks of Jajapur district and parts of Kendrapara and Bhadrak districts.
Ghumusari	Bhanjanagar area of Ganjam and parts of Kandhamal districts of Odisha .	Draught	Soroda, Aska, Bhanjanagar, Dharakote and Shergarh blocks of Ganjam district and some parts of Kandhamal district
Khariar	Mostly in Nuapada district of Odisha	Draught	Kariar, Komna, Sinapali and Boden blocks of Nuapada district and parts of Kalahandi and Balangir districts.
Motu	Southern part of Malkangiri district and parts of Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh.	Draught and Manure	Podia, Motu, Malkangiri blocks of Malkangiri district and some parts of Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh.

Binjharpuri cattle

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Ghumusari Cattle

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Khariar cattle

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Motu cattle

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Distribution of Buffalo Breeds of Odisha

Breeds	Breeding Tract	Utility	Distribution
Chilika	Puri and Khordha districts of Odisha and adjoining part of Ganjam district	Milk and Draught	Krushna Prasad, Brahamagiri blocks in Puri district and Balugaon block of Khordha district and parts of Ganjam district.
Kalahandi	Mostly found in Kalahandi districts of Odisha	Milk, Draught, Manure	Mainly found in Bhawanipatna, Junagarh, Golamunda and Dharmagarh blocks of Kalahandi district and parts of Rayagada district.

Chilika Buffalo

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Kalahandi Buffalo

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