THE ONGOLE COW

THE ONGOLE COW

Ongole cattle are indigenous to the Andhra region in the Prakasam District in the State of Andhra Pradesh in India. The breed derives its name from the place name, Ongole. Some also refer to this breed as Nelore cattle as this area was once part of the Nelore area. The bull,Bos Indicus, is in great demand as it is said to possess resistance to both foot and mouth disease and mad cow disease. These cattle are commonly used in bull fights in Mexico and some parts of East Africa due to their strength and aggressiveness

Ongole cattle are famous for their bulls. Traditionally, the Ongole have been raised by local farmers, fed by both the Gundlakamma, one of the rivers that originates from the Nallamala Hills, and in the plains, the Paleru river, a tributary of the Krishna River. The Ongole occupy an area no larger than about 100 square miles between the Gundlakamma and Musi rivers.

Ongole bulls have gone as far as America, the Netherlands, Malaysia, Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Mexico, Paraguay, Indonesia, West Indies, Australia, Fiji, Mauritius, Indo-China and Philippines. The Brahmana bull in America is an off-breed of the Ongole. Ongole Island is an island located in Malaysia where many Ongoles can be found. The population of Ongole off-breed in Brazil is said to be around several millions. The famous Santa Gertrudis breed developed in Texas, USA have Ongole blood.^[

Ongole cattle are known for their toughness, rapid growth rate, and natural tolerance to tropical heat and disease resistance. It was the first Indian breed of cattle to gain worldwide recognition.

Ongole bull

The Ongole is one of the heaviest breeds. They weigh approximately half a ton, are 1.5 meters in height and have a body length of 1.6 meters and girth measuring 2 meters.^[5]

Ongole cow

The weight of an Ongole female is 432 to 455 kg. Milk yield is 600 kg to 2518 kg. The lactation period is 279 days. Ongole milk has a butterfat content of over five percent. This results in large, well-nourished calves with considerable growth by the time of weaning. Ongole cows stay close to their calves to protect them from predatory animals.