| General Information |
|
Species |
Cattle |
| Synonym |
Bhodali, Desan, Gujarati, Kathiawari, Sorthi, and Surati |
| Breeding Tract |
Gujrat (Amreli, Bhavnagar, Junagarh, Rajkot) |
| Location |
Minimum |
Maximum |
| Longitude |
70 |
72 |
| Latitude |
20 5 |
22 6 |
| Comment on Breeding Tract |
Saurashtra region of Gujarat specially area in and around Gir forest. |
| Main Use |
Work - Draught; Food - milk |
| Comment on Main Use |
Gir cows are good milk producers. Bullocks can drag heavy loads on all kinds of soils, be it sandy, black or rocky. |
| Origin |
Named after the Gir forest, the geographical/origin of the breed |
| Herd Book or Register Established |
Yes |
| Adaptability to Environment |
It is a hardy animal and can survive and produce in difficult environment |
Morphology |
|
Colour |
Most of the Gir aninmals are pure red though some are speckled red. |
| |
No. of Horns |
2 |
| |
Horns Shape and Size |
Horns are peculiarly curved. Starting at the base of the crown they take a sideways downward and backward curve and again incline a little upward and forward taking a spiral inward sweep, ending in a fine taper- thus giving a half moon appearance. |
| |
Visible Characteristics |
Long and pendulous ears folded like a leaf. Ears hang all the time and their inside face forward. |
| |
|
Male |
Female |
| |
Height(Avg cm) |
159.84 |
130.79 |
| |
Body Length(Avg cm) |
137.51 |
131.4 |
| |
Heart Girth(Avg cm) |
201.41 |
166.47 |
| |
Weight(Avg Kg) |
544 |
310 |
Overall Management |
|
Management System |
Semi-Intensive |
| Mobility |
Stationary |
| Feeding of Adults |
Grazing and Concentrate |
| Comments on Management Conditions |
Gir cattle are largely bred by professional breeders known as Rabaris, Bhanoads, Maldharis, Ahirs and Charans. Calves are allowed to suck for 8 to 12 months. Milking cows are usually retained in the village while dry cows and young stock are sent for grazing. Animals are herded in a field for 3 or 4 nights by the farmers as it provides manure in the form of dung and urine. |
Performance |
| |
Average |
Minimum |
Maximum |
Age at first Parturition(Avg.Months) |
46.08 |
39 |
59 |
Parturition Interval(Months) |
13.4 |
0 |
0 |
Milk yield per lactation(kg) |
2110 |
800 |
3300 |
Milk Fat(%) |
4.6 |
3.9 |
5.1 |
Peculiarity of the breed |
Gir is a world-renowned breed known for its tolerance to stress conditions. Having faced scarcity for a numbers of years, it has the capacity for yielding more milk with less feeding and is resistant to various tropical diseases. It has been imported by Brazil, USA, Venezuela and Mexico, and bred there successfully. |
Population |
|
Year |
Population |
Other Information |
2000 |
917081 |
Source: Indian J. Animal Sciences, 2008, 78(6):672. |
