The Malnad Gidda cattle are a dwarf breed of cattle from India. It is also called Malenadu Gidda, Gidda, Uradana and Varshagandhi. The word Malnad means hilly region and Gidda means dwarf or small.
The breed is native to the hilly, rainy and densely forested Malenadu region of the Western Ghats in the state of Karnataka in India. It plays a very important role in the rural economy of this region by providing milk, manure and draft power with negligible inputs.
Main breeding tract of the Malnad Gidda cattle include Chikmagalur, Dakshin Kannada, Hassan, Kodagu, Shimoga, Uttar Kannada and Udupi districts of Karnataka. Read some more information about this cattle breed below.
Malnad Gidda Cattle Characteristics
The Malnad Gidda cattle are small animals with predominant black coat color with light shades of fawn on thigh and shoulder area.
They have a small and compact body frame. Both bolls and cows usually have horns, and their horns are generally small in size, straight, outward, upward and inward.
Their tail switch is black in color. They have small hump and udder of the cows is small and bowl shaped. Photo and info from Dairy Knowledge Portal and Wikipedia.
Uses
Malnad Gidda cattle are draught animals. They are also raised for milk production.
Special Notes
The Malnad Gidda cattle are hardy animals. They are known for their short stature, adaptability to native climates and disease resistance capability. They can be sustained solely on grazing the forests and rural terrains.
And they are highly adapted to harsh climate including heavy rainfall. The cows are pretty good milk producers. Elite cows can produce about 3-5 kg of milk daily.
The milk and urine of these cattle is considered to be of medicinal value. These animals are very shy in temperament and relatively docile. They are mainly reared under low input low output system in their native area.
They are also raised in zero input system in some areas where they sustain solely on grazing. The breed was once a non descript variety and now has been declared as a distinct breed officially by the authorities. However, review full breed profile of this breed in the following chart.
| Breed Name | Malnad Gidda |
| Other Name | Also called Malenadu Gidda, Gidda, Uradana and Varshagandhi |
| Breed Purpose | Draught and milk |
| Special Notes | Strong, hardy, powerful, well adapted to their native climatic conditions, shy, docile |
| Breed Size | Small |
| Climate Tolerance | All Climates |
| Coat Color | Black to brown complexions |
| Horned | Yes |
| Milk Yield | Good |
| Rarity | Common |
| Country/Place of Origin | India |
