In spite of all these superior characteristics the local breeds of cattle are disintegrating and degenerating both in quality and quantity due to intensive modern breeding methods that has crumbled our genetic base. Despite their superiority in certain traits of importance many local breeds of cattle are degenerating both in quality and quantity for want of adequate breeding services and programs for their improvement. The net result is that a few of the well established breeds such as Punganur etc have already become extinct and breeds like Krishna valley is fast approaching the stage of extinction. Excellent draught breeds such as Amrithmahal, Hallikar and Khillari etc and good milch breeds like Sahiwal, Tharparkar and Red Sindhi have reduced in number as well as in quality. The genetic base of our cattle population for future genetic improvement is threatened due to our reliance only on crossbreeds with Jersey and Holstein-Friesian in our efforts to improve the milk production.

These unique qualities of our cattle have been well recognized throughout the world and are effectively used in countries like Australia, USA and many Latin American and African countries for improving the local cattle and also for the synthesis of new breeds. Heavy breeds of indigenous cattle like Ongole, Gir and Kankrej played a dominant role in the emergence of prosperous meat industry in America, but not in India, their native country. On the dairy side Sindhi was used to evolve the Australian Milking Zebu and Jamaica Mount Hope. While India’s gift of its animal wealth to the world’s economy has not undermined our own sovereignty over this wealth, emergence of germplasm patenting and bio-piracy create a major threat to India’s ownership over its biodiversity.

Despite decades of modernization, India remains as one of the largest, oldest and predominantly rural agricultural societies in the world. Even today, every aspect of the country’s economy, policy and day-to-day lives of the majority of its 1000 million populations are governed by what happens in the agricultural sector. The susceptibility of India’s agriculture is therefore, of paramount importance. While farmers and environmentalist struggle against the dangers of increasing un-sustainability and ecological/social imbalances, they understood that there are many aspects of conventional farming which are relevant, and that modern farming methods should at best supplement indigenous and local knowledge rather than displacing it.

The rural population, especially the poor and marginal sections, and those living in remote hamlets are still dependent on animal draught power for various agricultural operations and for rural transportation. It is often said that India lives in her Villages, and livestock is an essential feature of the rural scene. The challenge of the millennium is to evolve sustainable farming models for the small and marginal farmers who form the largest chunk of our farming community.