Ongole Cattle Origin, Characteristics, Milk per day, Price

Ongole cattle is one of the famous cattle breeds found in India. These cattle are well-known for a lot of reasons including meat production, milk production, and their hardy nature. These cattle are tough and could thrive in extreme climatic conditions. The Ongole cattle also have a high disease resistance rate. Other than this, they have an extraordinary growth rate that makes them grow within no time. Their temperament is docile and their appearance is attractive. These cattle are mainly used for milk production by farmers. They also use them as working animals. The Ongole cattle are also used to produce many other breeds. 

Origin

The Ongole cattle originated from India. Today, this breed is widely distributed all over the world. This breed is used worldwide for the production of many other small breeds. It has a lot of extraordinary characteristics that make it stand out among other common breeds of India. A specific region of India named the Andhra region in the Prakasam District is considered to have indigenous Ongole cattle. These cattle were named after the place of their origin, Ongole. Its other common name is Nellore cattle because Ongole was once a part of the Nellore area. 

Characteristics

The Ongole cattle have a very attractive appearance. They are large-sized animal having pendulous sheaths, large dewlaps, and loosely knit frames. They have long bodies with relatively shorter necks. They have muscular and long limbs. They also have long ears that are somehow droopy. They have a specific black-colored ring around their eyes. Their eyelashes are pure black along with elliptical eyes. Their horns are stumpy but short and both cows and bulls have it. Their horns grow wider and backward. There is a hump on the back of the bulls that are erect and straight but not concave. 

Milk per day

Ongole cattle are well-known for so many things and milk production is one of them. These cattle are fast growing and get mature at the early stage of life. The average milk production of Ongole cattle during the lactation period is from 600 kg to 2700 kg. Their lactation period lasts for up to 280 days. So, the average milk production per day is approximately 10 kg during lactation. Their milk is very nutritious and high in demand. It is estimated that 4 to 5 percent of butterfat is present in their milk. Their nutritious milk helps their calves to grow quickly. 

Price

The price of Ongole cattle is different all over the World. In the region of their origin, India, a healthy pair of Ongole bulls costs around INR 40 lakh to INR 50 lakh. These are expensive cattle breeds because of their multipurpose nature and extraordinary characteristics. The prices may be a little higher in other countries of the world because of the additional export charges. Their milk is also sold all over the world. In India, their milk is sold at the rate of INR 150 per kg.