Gujarat's Gir cows drop to a mere 5,000

The famous Gir cows of Gujarat are fast approaching extinction. The cows, which were around 15 lakh in 1967, have just been reduced to 5,000 today.

On the other hand, Brazil which took a few of them from the state way back in the 1890s, now has around 40 lakh such cows.

Gir cows originally belong to the Saurashtra region and are well-known for producing 12-25 litres of milk per day. But all hope is not lost. A Rajkot-based farmer and rural activist, Mansukh Suvagiya, is on a mission to save these cows. Suvagiya has been, for the last three years, touring the villages of Gujarat spreading awareness about this precious asset of this state.

Says Suvagia, "There were 15 lakh Gir cows in Gujarat till 1967. However, now hardly 5,000 are left in the whole region. While Brazil has 30 to 40 lakh Gir cows and they are constantly upgrading the breed by cross-breeding with other good breeds from across the globe and getting pure strands of semen from here."

Suvagia has been to more that 1,000 villages spearheading his movement, 'Gir Gai Apna Aangne' (Gir cow in my backyard), to bring awareness among Gujaratis about the breed. "We are also giving the cows along with a bull to other states so that the breed can be conserved," he adds.

On how this Gujarati breed of cows reached Brazil, he says , "It's more than a hundred-year-old relation. Pre-independence records states that Brazil had taken a few Gir cows from Gujarat way back in 1890s as they did not have good breeds of cows, which suited their hot atmosphere. Brazilians chose three breeds from India and of them Gir and Kankrej were from Gujarat and Ongole from Andhra Pradesh. They took Gir cows for their milk producing quality and Ongole for meat. Till 1961, they had taken 250 Gir cows after which the Centre banned the export of animals."

In 1940s, 18 Gir cows were given to Brazil by Maharaja Krishna Kumarsinhji Bhavsinhji Gohil of Bhavnagar state.

"Gir cows had brought white revolution in Brazil. Brazilians showed their respect to Maharaja Kumarsinhji by establishing a statue of him in the country. They even have a coin depicting the image of Gir cow in Brazil. Over the time, this breed spread across the American continent."

Gir has been used in Brazil in the improvement of other breeds including the Red Sindhi and the Sahiwal. It was also one of the breeds used in the development of the Brahman breed in North America.

In Brazil and other South American countries, the Gir is used frequently because, as a Bos indicus breed, it is resistant to hot temperatures and tropical diseases.

"Last November, Marcelo Oliveira, a Brazilian cow breeder and his veterinary Luis Octavio visited Jamka village in Junagadh district to find out if they can get some strands of the original Gir cows from there. Oliveira, the owner of more than 1,500 mix breed Gir cows, was impressed by the pure breed Gir cow of Bhavnagar-based cow breeder Pradipsinhji Raol and has promised that he will be back for the strands as soon as he gets the formalities completed," Suvagia says.

Gir cows in Jamka village give 3,000 to 6,000 litres of milk per annum. "If these cows get better facilities they can produce more than 8,000 litres of milk in a year. Many Gir cows of Pradipsinhji have produced milk up to 8,500 litres in a year. Our aim is to increase Gir cows population in the state to 10 lakh cows," he sums up.